Linea gets out of the Chicago cranes business

Posted on December 7, 2016 by danieldschell

No more tower crane atop Linea at 215 West Lake Street. But the curtain wall is starting to work its way down.

Tower cranes, that is. Linea, the residential tower by Thomas Roszak Architecture at 215 West Lake Street in The Loop, still has a baby crane on the top level to help finish off the building. But it’s topped out and getting more glass by the day. In fact, curtain installation has been working from the top, down, as well. Once known as Level Apartments, Linea is a 33-story, 265-unit development with about 150 parking spaces. Clark Construction is the contractor tasked with having Linea move-in ready in 2017.

: No crane, more glass.

: Placing curtain panels where the tower crane used to be anchored.

: A few levels up, another gaping crane chasm.

: Only six more stories of cladding to meet up with the top level.

: For those who really miss the tower crane, 151 North Franklin’s makes a cameo appearance, top right.

1136 South Wabash still has Flyboy, and adds a tower crane

Posted on December 6, 2016 by danieldschell

The tower crane at 1136 South Wabash, looming high above the South Loop.

Hebru Brantley’s Fly Boy mural on the south-facing exterior wall of 1132 South Wabash Avenue won’t be visible in the South Loop forever. That’s because 1136 South Wabash will soon obscure our view. But for now, Flyboy remains, supervising Lendlease construction crews as they go about the task of erecting the CA Ventures project.

Remember, 1136 South Wabash got a foundation permit and a full-build permit on the same day, October 4. Caisson work is done, and that’s why the tower crane has been brought in, to start taking this SCB design vertical. Expect a 26-story tower with 320 rental units, 143 parking spaces, and retail on the first floor.

: Fly Boy, supervisor extraordinaire.

Humongous caissons still rule the day at Vista Tower

Gallery

Posted on November 30, 2016 by danieldschell

This gallery contains 21 photos.

Condo construction, Fajardo, Puerto Rico (no, I’m not really here looking for construction)

Posted on November 14, 2016 by danieldschell

Gut rehab of the condo across the street from our balcony. Though it’s hard to tell from a still photo. Take that red work truck as proof.

They’re doing some work on the condominium across the street from our room here in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. It’s not as loud or dusty as skyscraper construction, but it’s construction, so now I can write this trip off as a blog expense.

We haven’t seen all of Puerto Rico, but what we have seen makes us want to come back and see the rest. You should get down here.

The Super Moon rises above the Atlantic over Fajardo, Puerto Rico.

Yep, that’s a crane waaaaaaay over there across the water.

Elevate Lincoln Park raises a tower crane

Posted on November 7, 2016 by danieldschell

Having ceremoniously broken ground on the first of the month, Elevate Lincoln Park has begun celebrating yet another milestone; a tower crane is being assembled on the site of the future rental development. It’s a shiny yellow one too, the best kind. And you’ll be able to see it next to the elevated tracks when riding the Red, Brown, and Purple Line trains. It more than makes up for not getting to watch people play tennis atop the old Lincoln Centre condos, right? Wait. Did anyone ever play tennis up there?

Moot point. What’s important here is this: Elevate Lincoln Park, a Baker Development project, will feature 191 apartments, three levels of parking, and ground-floor commercial space, designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz.

Glass is in session at 640 North Wells

Posted on November 3, 2016 by danieldschell

The curtain goes up at 640 North Wells in River North.

In The War On Wells, 640 North Wells lost the first-glass prize to The Gallery On Wells across the street. But not to worry. 640 rallied, and came back with a curtain wall of its own, one that gleams on sunny days. For now, two rows of glass have moved into the tower. Soon, all 23 stories and 251 units will glisten in the sunlight, as JDL Development moves toward a Summer 2017 opening.

: You don’t notice the glass from a distance.

: The The Gallery On Wells reflected in the curtain wall.

: #FlyTheW!

1136 South Wabash makes its presence heard in the South Loop

Posted on October 27, 2016 by danieldschell

1136 South Wabash burst onto the scene back at the beginning of October with two building permits, one for a foundation, one for a full build, on the same day. Now, it’s ringing in fall with a bang. Actually, dozens and dozens of them. Crews are driving piles into the South Loop soil like Kyle Schwarber attacking the first pitches he’s seen in six months. Gotta feel a little bit sorry for the folks working at the Five Guys next door; only a single wall separates them from the hammering of steel. Though the burgers are worth it.

The SCB-designed 1136 South Wabash tower will deliver 320 apartments and 143 parking spaces near the corner of Wabash and Roosevelt, along with some ground-floor retail. CA Ventures is your developer, with Lendlease as the general contractor.

: Flyboy, supervisor extraordinaire.

: There are several piles in the ground…

: …but many more to go. Ear protection is advised.

: Wait for it…he goes higher.

: See?

: Is it too late fro Hebru Brantley to paint some ear muffs to go with those goggles?

: 1136 South Wabash.

It’s time to rise and shine for Solstice on the Park

Posted on October 21, 2016 by danieldschell

Solstice on the Park, from Studio Gang.

Studio Gang is at it again in Hyde park.

Fresh off the success of City Hyde Park, Studio Gang’s latest South Side creation, Solstice on the Park, had a foundation permit issued by the City of Chicago Wednesday, after being approved by the Chicago Plan Commission back in February. Coupled with the demolition permit filed Monday to dig out the underground parking lot at 1616 East 56th Street, and Solstice on the Park is officially ready to rise. The Solstice team, as it did on City Hyde Park, includes developer Antheus Capital and general contractor Linn-Mathes.

You should expect the 26-story tower to include 250 apartments and a whopping 316 parking spaces. What you shouldn’t expect is to see anything resembling the former parking garage; Taylor Excavating has already transformed the site into a large hole. I hope you moved your car.

: City Hyde Park, the previous project from Gang and the gang.

30 East Apartments tops off at 16 stories

Posted on October 20, 2016 by danieldschell

30 East has topped out at 30 East Balbo in the South Loop.

Enjoy the tower crane at 30 East while you can. The 16-story apartment building has topped off, meaning the crane has accomplished most of what it came here to do. 30 East will have 134 apartments ranging from studios to 4-bedroom units, all of them fully furnished. Gilbane Development Company has designs on filling the tower with the large student population in the South Loop. And speaking of designs, SCB is responsible for drawing up 30 East. Power Construction has been taking care of construction.

Gilbane’s goal is to open in time for Fall 2017 classes.

: The glass is more than half full.

: Leave the construction to the professionals.

: They had to demolish a mural depicting a water tank here. Sad.

: The start of caisson work, March 2016.

: If there were tower crane baby photos, this would be the ultrasound.

One Bennett Park plants a tower crane in Streeterville

Posted on October 18, 2016 by danieldschell

The new One Bennett Park tower crane, taken from Moment Apartments.

If you were in Streeterville over the weekend for Open House Chicago, you may have walked right past the new tower crane stub at One Bennett Park. If you visited Moment, the new apartment tower at McClurg and Grand, to check out an apartment and/or the outdoor deck, you might have looked right over it as you gazed out at Lake Michigan and the skyline. But it is there.

The high-profile high rise got a tower crane permit way back on August 23, so we’ve been waiting awhile. But it’s going to be a pretty yellow crane, so the wait was worth it. Then again, it’s a tower crane; it’s always worth it.