Prairie Court starts going vertical in the South Loop

Prairie Court

Prairie Court won’t rise high, but it will indeed rise.

The nine buildings that comprise 55 four-story luxury townhomes of Prairie Court from Golub & Company and Sandz Development Company have started to rise from the South Loop soil. Summit Design + Build got started on the project after permits were filed back in March. The townhomes will vary in size from 2,800 to 4,500 square feet, in 3 or 4-bedroom configurations. Completion will occur in stages, with overall construction lasting about 30 months.

Your late-night preview of the Centrum Hubbard tower crane

Centrum Hubbard 412 North Wells tower crane

In pieces for now, a future tower crane awaits assembly on the Centrum Hubbard/ North Wells lot.

A tower crane waits for no man.

Except for the men who have to assemble the crane. Which means the tower crane at Centrum Hubbard/412 North Wells will have to wait until Tuesday morning to continue climbing into the sky. But crews got a good start on Monday, stacking a few sections atop each other, while filling the lot with more crane parts, including the ever-important sky cab. Which is what I’m calling it, starting just now.

Have a look at the progress so far, night-vision style.

It’s a CaissonFest at Vista Tower

Vista Tower caissons

That’s a 12′-diameter, 20′-long caisson on the right, with a longer one being trucked in.

Case Foundation is on the scene (you thought I was gonna say “on the case” didn’t you…You are so predictable) at Vista Tower, boring holes into the earth and sinking caissons. Dozens and dozens of them. Deep ones, too. They’ve got twelve-foot diameter guides on site. These will be serious caissons. Some 100 feet long.

You already know all you need to know about the 93-story Vista Tower. I’ll skip the tired verbiage, and let you get right to the photos.

Centrum Hubbard and 412 North Wells get a tower crane to share

Centrum Hubbard 412 North Wells tower crane

Crews work on the foundation for the Centrum Hubbard/412 North Wells tower crane.

This is the time we find out just how well Centrum Hubbard and 412 North Wells get along.

One is an office building, and one is a residential tower. So right off the bat, you’d think there might be tension. They’re being built in a very confined space, at the corner of Hubbard and Wells in River North, so they won’t have much of a chance for alone time. And now, they’ll have to start sharing a tower crane.

Yesterday, crews were busy working on the foundation and base section of a nice red tower crane toward the back and center of the lot. That tower crane will pivot to both sides to service the needs of the two-structure project from Centrum Partners and Hirsch Associates.

465 North Park celebrates two huge milestones with groundbreaking, tower crane planting

465 North Park groundbreaking

Courtesy of 465 North Park – Left to right: Matthew Sharples, MetLife
Jerry Ong, Jupiter Realty
Judith Fryland, City of Chicago
Alderman  Brendan Reilly
Don Smith, Jupiter Realty
Michael Pompizzi, Jupiter Realty
Mike Moran, Allstate
Mimi Simon, City of Chicago
Deborah Gershbein, SOAR

 

On Tuesday of this week, Jupiter Realty Company held groundbreaking ceremonies for 465 North Park, the 48-story, 444-unit apartment tower by Pappageorge Haymes Partners. And hey, you remember that nest Power Construction was building for the future tower crane? Well, guess who photobombed the big ceremony? You got it! A shiny new stub of a tower crane can be seen hovering over everyone’s shoulders, looking for its moment in the spotlight. Which will come very, very soon, I’m sure.

You can read the 465 North Park press release that follows the photos below.

465 North Park groundbreaking

Alderman Brendan Reilly speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony. Photo courtesy of 465 North Park.

465 North Park groundbreaking

Who’s that photobombing Mr. Reilly and Mr. Smith? A Tower Crane!

465 NORTH PARK LUXURY APARTMENT GROUNDBREAKING

MetLife and Allstate partner on new Streeterville development

CHICAGO – September 20, 2016 – Jupiter Realty Company today held a groundbreaking ceremony for a 444-unit luxury rental high-rise project at 465 North Park Drive, in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood. The ceremony was attended by representatives from the project team, investors from MetLife and Allstate, and the City of Chicago, including 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly. Donald A. Smith, Chairman of Jupiter Realty Company, moderated the ceremony.

Smith noted, “Jupiter is delighted to have been selected by MetLife and Allstate to develop what we believe will be a noteworthy addition to the Streeterville landscape. Its strategic location at the intersection of East Illinois Street and North Park Drive will afford it significant neighborhood prominence. Visible from both Michigan Avenue and Navy Pier, the 48-story, 444-unit rental building will contain nearly 600,000 square feet of luxury residences with market-leading amenities.”

Alderman Reilly noted, “465 North Park is creating more than 450 construction jobs and will add 75 permanent leasing, management, operations and retail positions when it opens in the spring of 2018. Ownership and Jupiter worked collaboratively with the community and my office to design a project that will greatly enhance the neighborhood while minimizing the impact on existing Streeterville buildings and residents. Importantly, Jupiter has also agreed to contribute to the redevelopment of Ogden Plaza Park, a 70,000-square-foot, 25-year-old public park, to the west of the development.”

Matthew Sharples, Managing Director and Head of the Chicago Regional Office for MetLife Real Estate, said, “MetLife is excited to make this investment possible. Having owned the 465 North Park site for many years, we are thrilled to be starting construction on this best-in-class residential community. We are excited to have Allstate as our partner, and to be working with a talented development team including Jupiter Realty Company, Pappageorge Haymes Partners and Power Construction.”

As long-time real estate investors, we at Allstate are seeking high-quality income-producing properties like 465 North Park to achieve attractive returns and further diversify our investment portfolio,” said Michael Moran, Managing Director, Real Estate for Allstate. “As a bonus, our investment in this property and the surrounding neighborhood also benefits our hometown of Chicago.”

The 444 upscale units will include studios, convertibles, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, plus nine two-story townhomes on the fourth and fifth floors. All kitchens will feature high-end appliances and cabinetry, and all units will feature walk-in closets and full-size washers and dryers. The top two penthouse floors will feature top-of-the-line kitchens. The lower level will boast a large bike room including a repair station, a pet spa, resident storage, dry-cleaning service and 24-hour-access package pick-up. A 181-space resident-only parking garage will be located in the lowest levels of the building, accessible from a private internal drive. It is anticipated that the property will be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certified.

Additional project amenities will include 12,000 square feet on the sixth floor dedicated to fitness (including aerobic, weight, yoga, spinning and fitness-on-demand rooms), spa/pool, conference, business, game and party areas, demonstration kitchen and lounge, and conversation/gathering spaces. Outside on the sixth floor, a 22,000-square-foot exterior deck will include a dog run, an outdoor pool with sunning and seating areas, cabanas, multiple green-spaces, fire pits, private kitchenettes, and TV-viewing areas. Another amenity level on the 38th floor will feature a kitchen, private dining and lounge areas, along with an outdoor skydeck with multiple lounge seating areas, fire pits and breathtaking views of Lake Michigan and the city. The building will also provide 12,000 square feet of prime retail space on the first floor.

The redevelopment of Ogden Plaza Park is expected to be complete by 2018. The scope of the redevelopment will include new trees, plantings, seating and lighting, as well as a dog-friendly area and modifications for better overall park access.

 

About Jupiter Realty Company

Chicago-based Jupiter Realty Company is a privately held, vertically integrated development, investment and management firm since 1985 with its origins in real estate since 1960. Jupiter develops, acquires, finances, renovates, repositions, and sells hotels, mid-rise or high-rise, apartments, residential communities, office parks, office buildings, regional or neighborhood shopping centers, free-standing retail stores, industrial buildings, mixed-use properties and land in response to the ebb and flow of market cycles. Jupiter works closely with corporate clients, major tenants, institutions, pension funds, banks, REITs, lenders and other financial partners. Jupiter and its affiliates operate nationally with a special focus on the Midwest.

About MetLife

MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates (“MetLife”), is one of the largest life insurance companies in the world. Founded in 1868, MetLife is a global provider of life insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management. Serving approximately 100 million customers, MetLife has operations in nearly 50 countries and holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.

About Allstate

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer, protecting approximately 16 million households from life’s uncertainties. Allstate’s real estate investments group has decades of experience and looks for core and value-add opportunities across geographies in the United States and internationally, and in a range of investment vehicles, such as funds, co-investments and joint ventures. Allstate’s real estate investments include retail, multi-family, office and industrial properties.

Contact: Beth at Treacy Marketing Group, 312-343-8900, btreacy@treacymarketing.com

Construction Update: No. 9 Walton rises (now even higher) in the Gold Coast

No. 9 Walton

No. 9 Walton, 9 West Walton Street in the Gold Coast.

Over at 9 West Walton Street in the Gold Coast, JDL Development is erecting what may turn out to be one of the crown jewels in an already rather jewel-encrusted neighborhood. No. 9 Walton, a design from Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, originally set out to be a 35-story residential tower comprised of 67 ultra-luxury condominiums. But then, after beginning construction last summer, JDL asked the City of Chicago to go higher:

A proposal for the amendment of residential business planned development #1043, submitted by West Walton Chicago Investors LLC, for the property generally located at 9 W. Walton Street. The Applicant is proposing to increase the maximum allowable height permitted for tower 2 from the previously approved 430’ to 456’ to allow for the construction of 2 additional floors. The increase would allow for the construction of a total of 5 additional dwelling units. The applicant would be using the Neighborhood Opportunity Bonus to allow for an additional 0.29 FAR within the planned development. The Applicant is requesting to rezone the properties from Residential Business Planned Development #1043 to Residential Business Planned Development #1043, as amended. (2 nd Ward)

And sure enough, the Chicago Plan Commission said yes:

https://twitter.com/ChicagoDPD/status/766314903208591361

So now, No. 9 Walton will rise to 37 stories and a height of 456 feet. And if all goes according to plan, Lendlease, the general contractor on the project, will have condos ready for habitation by Summer 2017. Seem optimistic? We’ll just have to sit back and watch them work.

 

Bundling bricks after a Grand demolition

 

710 West Grand

Pallets of used bricks await removal from the now-vacant lot at 708-712 West Grand. Then construction will begin anew.

You remember the 700 block of West Grand Avenue, don’t you? That’s where three buildings were permitted for demolition back in July to make way for 710 Grand, a new 9-story apartment building by Brininstool + Lynch.

Well, there isn’t much left of said buildings, save for a large hole filled with palletized used bricks. Out with the old, in with the new. New, as in Wicker Park Apartments‘ 105 apartments, 45 parking spots, and 5,000 square feet of retail space slated for 710 West Grand Avenue.

 

Construction Update: Niche 905

Niche 905

Balconies galore at Niche 905.

Balconies. If you ask me to describe Niche 905 in one word, that’s my answer: Balconies.

Named for its location at 905 North Orleans Street in Near North, Niche 905 continues toward completion. Having dropped its tower crane back in late August, the 18-story, 202-unit apartment tower by FitzGerald Associates is wrapping up exterior work, while evidence can be seen through the windows of the interior work that goes on.

But the balconies are what get your attention. Extending from the west and east sides of the building, they’re spaced vertically and horizontally like an out-of-control climbing wall. Don’t try that, though. That wouldn’t be safe.

Expect residents to start enjoying those outdoor spaces in Spring 2017. Also, expect them to use elevators to get there, not climbing apparatus.

Level Apartments continues to rise above Lake Street

Level Apartments

In this view from North Franklin, Level Apartments rises behind what will be the new CNA Center.

Level Apartments, the 33-story rental tower by Thomas Roszak Architecture at 215 West Lake Street in The Loop, keeps edging toward its ultimate height. Dwarfing the much-loved Monk’s Tavern next door, which many feared would meet the wrecking ball to clear additional space, Clark Construction is adding glass and floors to Level at a furious pace. When completed, expect about 260 apartments and 150 parking spaces.

Construction Update: Sedgwick at Locust

Sedgwick on Locust

Sedgwick at Locust, 367 West Locust Street in Near North.

Sedgwick at Locust is a new condominium building (someone’s building condos in Chicago?!) in the Near North neighborhood at 367 West Locust Street. Developed by Belgravia Realty Group (CA Washington across from the now-dust Harpo Studios, and the soon-to-begin Renelle On The River next to Trump Tower) , designed by Sullivan Goulette & Wilson Architects, “SL” will have 44 condos in 2-bed/2-bath and 3-bed/3-bath configurations. The six-story building will also include 52 parking spaces.

Sedgwick at Locust is being built on the site once occupied by Saint Dominic’s Church. Long vacant, it was demolished last summer.