Return to New York City: 520 Park Avenue

Posted on February 9, 2017 by danieldschell

A rendering of 520 Park Avenue from 520parkavenue.com

520 Park Avenue, at 45 East 60th Street, is a 54-story, 33-unit condominium tower in New York City’s Upper East Side neighborhood. It’s another design from Robert A.M. Stern Architects, noted in Chicago for their work on One Bennett Park. Zeckendorf Development is the developer; Lendlease is the general contractor. Overlooking Central Park, it will, obviously, have glorious views and severe price tags. Filing this one under “If Only.”

For extensive coverage of 520 Park Avenue, please visit New York Yimby and the CTBUH.

Does a new permit mean there will finally be action at Chestnut Row Homes?

Posted on February 9, 2017 by danieldschell

Foundation work on Chestnut Row Homes began in earnest back in 2016. Then abruptly stopped.

Wednesday, the City of Chicago filed a revised foundation permit for the property at 111 West Chestnut Street in the Near North neighborhood. That’s the (future) home of Chestnut Row Homes, a development of luxury single-family rentals (Yes, rentals. To the tune of about $15,000/month, as of the last report) from Tawani Enterprises, designed by Booth Hansen. This new permit amends the original permit of 8 townhomes, filed way back in October of 2015, to 7 units.

The Chicago Plan Commission raved about this project as they approved its construction. But foundation work didn’t get very far, and the lot has been idle for a long while. In May of last year, the general contractor was changed to Berglund Construction, which remains in place as the GC. Hopefully, this signals a fresh start for a definite upgrade to this empty hole in the ground.

: The new Foundation Permit

: Rendering of Chestnut Row Homes from Booth Hansen.

: Rendering of Chestnut Row Homes from Booth Hansen.

: Rendering of Chestnut Row Homes from Booth Hansen.

: Rendering of Chestnut Row Homes from Booth Hansen.

: The Berglund Construction banner on site.

: This is from July 2016. Not much has changed since.

A sunny day at: The Gallery On Wells

Posted on February 8, 2017 by danieldschell

Today, I present another segment in the A Sunny Day At series. In what has been a relatively drab winter in Chicago, when you get a sunny day, you go outside and take pictures of everything under the sun. Literally. Doesn’t matter if a particular building has just been updated on the blog; if the next day is sunny, then you post more pictures. Period. And so, enjoy a few photos of The Gallery On Wells, at 637 North Wells Street in River North, in good lighting.

A Tuesday update at One South Halsted

Posted on February 7, 2017 by danieldschell

Both excavators have been busy Tuesday at the Crowne Plaza parking lot/One South Halsted construction site.

If you didn’t think they were serious about moving your car out of the Crowne Plaza parking lot, it’s too late now.

Asphalt continues getting torn up at the future One South Halsted, even in Tuesday’s rain and fog. One interesting change, aside from the digging: the sidewalk protection on Halsted Street has been removed. It remains on the Madison Street (north) side.

: Halsted Street sidewalk protection, gone.

: It remains in place on Madison.

: The Halsted Street sidewalk protection of days gone by.

: UPDATE: A mini-excavator — with jack hammer — showed up for work just after lunchtime.

Riverline’s Ancora tower ramps up construction progress

Posted on February 7, 2017 by danieldschell

A ramp takes shape and form on the Ancora tower site at Riverline in the South Loop.

Ancora, the first building of the Riverline development in the South Loop, continues to jut out of the ground like stalagmites in a cave. General contractor Lendlease‘s handiwork is starting to peek above the secretive fencing that lines South Wells Street, so those of us curious about construction progress don’t need to stand on the roof of our buddy’s van as he slowly drives by anymore. And you kids shouldn’t try that.

: Gratuitous tower crane shot.

Construction Progress: Centrum Hubbard and 412 North Wells

Posted on February 6, 2017 by danieldschell

Conveniently located right next door to 225 West Hubbard (foreground, with water tank), aka HQ for both Centrum Partners and Hirsch Associates, Centrum Hubbard is rising in River North.

There may not be a whole lot to report as far as progress goes on 412 North Wells, the 9-story office building from Centrum Partners and Hirsch Associates. But that’s because work efforts are being concentrated on the 23-story, 193-unit apartment tower Centrum Hubbard next door. These are the closest projects to downtown for the dynamic duo, which is also currently building Centrum Bucktown, Centrum Wicker Park, and the Wicker Park Connection, among others.

Quick Look: The Wanda Vista Tower concrete pour, after the fact

Posted on February 5, 2017 by danieldschell

I wanted to use “The After Mat” but decided against it.

Moon and crane above the Wanda Vista Tower construction site, Sunday evening.

The word of the day is… CONCRETE. At least at Wanda Vista Tower

Posted on February 4, 2017 by danieldschell

The big pour is underway at Wanda Vista Tower.

It’s happening. The gigantic mat pour everyone’s been talking about is going on now at Wanda Vista Tower. All manner of concrete distribution is being utilized, the coolest being a line of troughs at the west end of the mat, sending concrete flowing directly from the trucks into the mass of rebar below.

Missed the fun? No you didn’t. They’ll be at it for awhile. You’ve got time to get over there.

One South Halsted ain’t messing around

Posted on February 3, 2017 by danieldschell

Twitter user @henjealy spotted the temporary sidewalks on Monday.

Disregard any talk you may have heard about One South Halsted taking its sweet time getting started. A week after the foundation permit was filed by the City of Chicago, the apartment tower from Fifield Companies and F&F Realty has emptied and cordoned off the parking lot, set up temporary sidewalks on Halsted and Madison Streets, and knocked down trees on the site. There are excavators on site, plus dump trucks, equipment trailers, even a cement mixer. And, as of 9:20 this morning, one of those excavators is tearing up the asphalt.

The former Crowne Plaza parking lot has been a flurry of activity all week. Yep, One South Halsted is ready to roll into the West Loop.

Rebar galore as Wanda Vista Tower prepares for its humongous concrete pour

Posted on February 3, 2017 by danieldschell

The Wanda Vista Tower site is no ordinary construction yard. It is a sea of rebar. It’s a seabar.

And very very soon, it’ll be a see of concrete. Charge your camera batteries, tighten up the tripods, and set your time-lapse mode. This will be spectacular to watch. It may take hours and hours and hours for McHugh Construction to accomplish the feet, but it’s February in Chicago. Who wouldn’t want to be outside for this?