A sunny day at One Bennett Park

Posted on February 3, 2017 by danieldschell

To my dearest readers, followers, and stalkers:

It is my goal to avoid posting about the same projects too often. Which is why I don’t just stare out the living room window behind me and post hourly updates of 625 West Adams. No, I try to give you some variety, getting to as many construction sites as I can to keep things fresh, so you don’t get bored. But…

The rare occurrence of sunshine and blue skies in Chicago forces a change of the rules. I know I just sent out three dozen shots of One Bennett Park last week, but that was a grey, overcast day. under cloudy skies. But Thursday? Thursday was glorious. And I assure you, every skyscraper nerd in the city was out there Thursday, snapping photos like it’s their job. And few buildings looked as spectacular bathed in sunlight than One Bennett Park.

And so, because I simply can’t help myself around this beauty, I give you, yet again, more of One Bennett Park.

3Eleven still rising in River North, and is now adding glass

Posted on February 3, 2017 by danieldschell

#eleven rises along side Assumption Catholic Church on West Illinois Street in River North.

3Eleven, the 25-story apartment tower in River North from The John Buck Company, has reached the glass milestone. Not the glass ceiling, mind you. So far, only the windows are glass. As the tower rises to the 17th floor or so, Power Construction is starting to glaze up the exterior. 3Eleven will hold 245 rental units, 3,000 square feet of retail, and 109 parking spaces, some of which will be shared with Assumption Catholic Church next door.

710 Grand gets into the caisson business

Posted on February 2, 2017 by danieldschell

Caisson work has begun at 710 Grand on River West.

Rendering of 710 Grand from Brininstool + Lynch.

It’s gettin’ real at 710 Grand, where Revcon equipment is on hand, drilling caissons for the new 9-story apartment building from Wicker Park Apartments and Outlook Development Group. Designed by Brininstool + Lynch, this Transit Oriented Development will bring 104 new apartments to the River West neighborhood, plus ground-floor retail space, and parking for 46 cars and 80 bikes. Arco/Murray is the general contractor.

: Rendering of 710 Grand from Brininstool + Lynch.

165 North Desplaines tops out

Posted on February 1, 2017 by danieldschell

On Thursday the 26th of last month (it’s February already?) Power Construction hoisted the final beam atop 165 North Desplaines in the West Loop, topping off the 14-story, 199-unit apartment building. Representatives from GREC Architects, the design firm on the project, were on hand, and sent over a couple photos of the festivities. You can also watch the beam rise in gif-form below from the GREC Twitter account (@GREC_architects)

The last beam rises at 165 W Desplaines #westloop #haymarket @GerdingEdlen @Power_Construct pic.twitter.com/4pkXrR7Vto

— GREC Architects (@GREC_architects) January 31, 2017

You can also see four floors’ worth of windows have been installed above the podium. GREC Architects states that 165 North Desplaines is on schedule to open in Fall 2017.

: The final beam. Photo courtesy of GREC Architects.

: And there it goes. Photo courtesy of GREC Architects.

Enclave Bucktown progressing on former Phoenix Fastener site

Posted on February 1, 2017 by danieldschell

Rendering of Enclave Bucktown from Guardian Properties.

When last we visited the site of the future Enclave Bucktown, demolition was still in the process at what used to be Phoenix Fastener at 2501 West Homer Avenue. Now, many of the 50 3- and 4-bedroom row homes from developers Guardian Properties and Harlem Irving Companies are taking shape. John James Construction, hired as the general contractor for the properties, has a row of the Pappageorge Haymes Partners-designed homes off the ground, and another row of foundations in the ground.

: The Building Permit that’s actually 8 building permits.

: Enclave Bucktown, from the corner of Cortland Street and Campbell Avenue.

Mode Logan Square, then and now

Posted on January 31, 2017 by danieldschell

Mode Logan Square, 1950 North Campbell Avenue, is now open.

Mode 2501? Mode 1950? It’s a little confusing. What isn’t confusing is that Mode Logan Square is now open.

At 1950 North Campbell Avenue, Mode Logan Square is a development from Spearhead Properties bringing 78 apartments and 6,600 square feet of retail space to the corner of Armitage and Campbell Avenues. Designed by Antunovich Associates, Mode Logan Square also includes parking for 55 cars and 78 bicycles. Spearhead also served as the general contractor on this project.

Below are two photo galleries; one showing construction in progress in August, and one of the now-open development.

One Grant Park caissons keep rolling along

Posted on January 30, 2017 by danieldschell

Ongoing caisson work at One Grant Park in the South Loop.

The foundation of any good building is a good foundation.

A very famous-yet-anonymous philosopher probably said something like that way back in the 1200s. And it still holds true today.

One Grant Park (you may know it as 1200 South Indiana) continues to sink caissons into the South Loop ground. Why is that newsworthy? Because it’s grownups playing in the dirt, flinging mud around. Giant machines with drill bits grinding dozens of feet into the earth. Rebar being twisted into tubes and coils. Come on, it’s just cool.

Case Foundation and McHugh Construction are doing their best to keep us all entertained, at least until One Grant Park starts digging a foundation, then shooting skyward. Skyward as in 76 stories, with 792 apartments.

With caissons complete, Illume Chicago digs in its heels

Posted on January 30, 2017 by danieldschell

Foundation work at Illume Chicago, as seen from the desk of B.U.C. HQ.

Whether the neighbors like it or not, Illume Chicago has powered through caisson work, and is now digging out the foundation. The 79 condominiums from LG Development and Pappageorge Haymes Partners broke ground in early December, and now the site has been dug a few feet below street level at 111 South Peoria in the West Loop.

There’s a large pile of pilings sitting in the dirt these days. I wonder if it will be noisy at all when those are pounded into the ground.

: Hello, pile driver.

: Hello, Digger.

One South Halsted is on the way to Greektown

Posted on January 28, 2017 by danieldschell

Rendering of One South Halsted from FitzGerald Associates.

Friday, the City of Chicago filed a foundation permit for One South Halsted, the 44-story apartment tower designed by the West Loop’s very own FitzGerald Associates Architects. That must mean the latest round of soil sampling just a week and a half ago was successful. Or, at least it wasn’t unsuccessful.

Anyway, expect several floors of parking structure to be part of the foundation deal, as the FitzGerald plan calls for 375 parking spaces, so as to replace the Crowne Plaza parking lot One South Halsted will replace. Look for nearly 500 apartments atop retail space when all is said and done. Lendlease has been hired on as the general contractor.

The Foundation Permit.

Rendering of One South Halsted from FitzGerald Associates.

Soil sampling on January 17 of this year.

Bye bye, parking lot. Hello, ANOTHER TOWER RIGHT OUTSIDE THE B.U.C. WINDOW!!

More from One Bennett Park, especially yellow

Posted on January 27, 2017 by danieldschell

One Bennett Park, 451 East Grand Avenue in Streeterville.

As One Bennett Park continues to sprout up through Streeterville, it seems to get brighter as well. Which isn’t a bad thing, since the sun doesn’t shine in Chicago anymore. Might as well have something in the sky that’s yellow and shiny. Not that One Bennett park is that high yet. Hard to tell with that golden shroud wrapped around it, but the core seems to be about 6 or 7 floors up. But oh, how high it will rise. 69 stories. And no, it won’t be yellow.