A Chicago Water Tank finds salvation

Posted on March 17, 2017 by danieldschell

Hooray for the Salvation Army, saving the water tank atop the thrift store at 509 North Union.

Water tanks make the news when they crash to the ground, or are torn down on purpose. So it’s always nice to see efforts to save them

Last week, the City of Chicago issued a permit to repair the water tank atop the Salvation Army thrift store at 509 North Union Avenue in River West. A character tank, this is, one with very distinctive markings. It can’t be mistaken for any other water tank in Chicago. And it looks like it will remain in the skyline for a long time.

Kudos to the Salvation Army for spending the resources to save this tank. According to the permit, Perry & Associates of Chicago is the structural engineer for the tank and stand repair; Pinnacle Development of Forest Park will handle the physical labor.

: The Permit.

1001 West Chicago goes green

Posted on February 2, 2017 by danieldschell

1001 West Chicago from a passing Metra train.

Both components that make up the two towers of 1001 West Chicago have reached the twelfth floor. And more importantly, both have added some color. And every little splash of it helps in this cloudy, dreary winter. Thanks for that, Power Construction.

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.

851 West Grand takes shape alongside the Kennedy Expressway

Posted on January 5, 2017 by danieldschell

851 West Grand in River West, up to floor #3 of 6.

The 851 West logo.

Over in River West, construction crews are busy erecting 851 West, a six-story apartment building at 851 West Grand Avenue from developer Monroe Residential Partners. Designed by FitzGerald Associates Architects, 851 West will bring 36 “boutique apartments” with 18 parking spaces across West Grand Avenue from the newly-opened Kenect Apartments.

The City of Chicago filed the construction permit back in June, and Summit Design + Build has been on the job ever since, with work having now reached the third floor.

There are lots of great construction photos over on 851 West’s Facebook page.

: Rendering of 851 West from Monroe Residential Partners.

: The view of 851 West from the B.U.C. HQ.

1001 West Chicago filling up old Gonnella site

Posted on December 28, 2016 by danieldschell

The pair of towers at 1001 West Chicago rise in River West.

The dual-tower, 363-unit apartment development 1001 West Chicago from Bond Companies and Morgan Holdings keeps rising in River West, as Power Construction crews have reached the eighth and ninth floors on the respective structures, on their way to 15 and 13 stories. Not bad for having only broken ground in September.

The FitzGerald Associates project will also include 10,000 square feet of retail space and parking for 300 cars. Remember, some of that parking is necessary for the retail space, especially considering a grocery store will take some of that allotment.

Gallery I: Construction Progress

Gallery II: Anatomy of a Beam Lift

St. John Cantius Church again a standout of Open House Chicago 2016

Posted on October 18, 2016 by danieldschell

St. John Cantius Church, Chicago, IL.

Sometimes I forget the first word of Open House Chicago is, indeed, “open.” I walked into Saint John Cantius Church in River West for the first time, camera and tripod in hand. I looked around and so no one else with a tripod, and wondered if what I was doing was okay. So I asked. “Of course!” was the answer. I wouldn’t be intruding on a wedding. I wouldn’t be interrupting worshipers. It was an Open House.

Never participated in Open House Chicago? Leave your weekends available in October 2017. It’s a whole new window on the City of Chicago.

Here now, my favorite photos from my favorite site in 2016. (Sorry, Yale Building. You had been the front-runner until late Sunday.)

Construction Update: 1001 West Chicago rises in River West

Posted on October 17, 2016 by danieldschell

1001 West Chicago, with an impressive photobomb by Saint John Cantius, which I hope you visited during Open House Chicago.

1001 West Chicago is rising on the site of the old Gonnella Baking Company site, which is the yeast of the bread puns I could have made. Developed by Bond Companies and Morgan Holdings, designed by Fitzgerald Associates, the dual-tower project will deliver 363 apartments and 10,000 square feet of retail space. Power Construction is on the build.

: Gratuitous tower crane shot.

: Gloomy crane.

830 North Milwaukee is now Linkt

Posted on October 17, 2016 by danieldschell

Linkt Apartments, 830 North Milwaukee Avenue.

For a long time, it was known by its address, 830 North Milwaukee. Now, the apartment development from Akara Partners in River West shall henceforth be called Linkt Apartments. (Just think, if they added a few hotel rooms, they could call a portion of it the Linkt Inn. We could all post our resumes in the lobby.)

The bKL Architecture-designed project brings 47 new luxury apartments over five stories to the neighborhood, with 24 parking spaces. Summit Design + Build is the general contractor, tasked with having Linkt Apartments ready in Spring 2017.

: A rendering of Linkt from bKL Architecture.

: bKL rendering.

: bKL rendering

: February progress.

: April progress.

: Linkt was a pretty yellow back in July.

: The south end.

: The back.

Bundling bricks after a Grand demolition

Posted on September 21, 2016 by danieldschell

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.

: Bricks and blocks.

: 708-712 West Grand, now a vacant lot.

: Now gone.

: A render from Brininstool + Lynch of what’s coming to 710 West Grand.

: Another Brininstool + Lynch render.

Kenect kenstruction kentinues toward kempletion

Posted on September 15, 2016 by danieldschell

Kenect looks ready to open. And look at that beautiful subway entrance!

Kenect is a residential development from Akara Partners at 500 North Milwaukee Avenue in River West comprised of a 14-story tower on the west side of the 500-block of North Green Street with 179 apartments, and a 4-story structure on the east side of Green Street with 48 units. Designed by Pappageorge Haymes Partners, Kenect also includes 122 parking spots and 14,000 square feet of retail space. Tishman Construction is the general contractor.

Kenect is throwing a big Grand Opening bash on October 6, 2016. Both buildings look close to being done, especially the taller of the two, the “west” tower. There’s even some furniture and grills on a few balconies. Even the Blue Line entrance on the sidewalk at Milwaukee and Chicago, right out in front of Kenect, looks great.