They say don’t count your chickens if the eggs are all in one basket. Or something to that effect. Whatever. Point is, maybe I shouldn’t call what 3501 North Halsted has a “tower crane” just yet. But we love cranes. We need cranes. So we’re counting this one as being up in the air, even if it’s (obviously) not functional yet. My trusty iPhone6 took some photos Tuesday afternoon so you wouldn’t have to.
Chicago’s favorite unofficial tower crane survey has dropped from 16 to 15, as the rig atop ALLY at 1229 W Concord has come down in the Lincoln Yards megadevelopment. The video above was taken from in inbound Metra train Tuesday. If you watch it in reverse, it looks like it was taken from an outbound train. Cool, right?
There’s good crane news on the horizon though, as 1044 West Van Buren, 160 North Morgan, Embry, 3501 North Halsted, and maybe 1475 North Kingsbury(?) all have crane permits, and have all begun construction.
I’d be lying if I said I understood who all is involved, and how they’re involved, in the construction of The Obama Presidential Center. What I do know is where you can go to learn some of that very information. First, visit Lakeside Alliance. To me, that’s sorta like your general contractor information. Next, visit Concrete Collective. That’s got your concrete contractor info.
The Concrete Collective was responsible for erecting the first of three tower cranes on the site last week. And you might be wondering just how many photos of a tower crane you need to see.
I say, about this many:
Two sunny days in a row, coupled with a day-and-a-half of free time, let me get to the far reaches of Chicago construction to chase down the last of the unphotographed tower cranes. That includes one, at 1306 E 61st St, that I wasn’t at all sure was happening, had already happened, or had been scrapped. Well, it’s real. And up until a few days ago, it was Chicago’s southernmost and easternmost tower crane. But no more. The rig at The Obama Presidential Center takes that prize. Fortunately for 1306, I don’t give trophies out for these titles, so it didn’t lose out on much.
Our northernmost and westernmost cranes are also a single construction site: at 4445 W Irving Park, where Northwestern Medicine is building a healthcare facility.
Residential projects dominate our cranes, with 11 of them going towards building new housing. There’s one for education (that’s how I’m categorizing the Obama Center until I come up with a better category); one for parking (1306 E 61st is a parking garage for the University of Chicago); one for Life Sciences (ALLY): and one for healthcare (4445 Irving Park)
If I missed your tower crane, hit me up. If you’ve got a tower crane out in the ‘burbs, let me know that too. It’s about time for a jaunt out of the city.
Starting south and working our way north, here are Chicago’s 16 active tower cranes:
Enjoying the photos? Metra and CTA rides (and Amtrak trains to Milwaukee), Zipcars, Divvy Bikes, camera lenses, domain fees, snacks & energy drinks, and comfortable walking shoes add up. You can help offset expenses by making a greatly-appreciated donation to Building Up Chicago.
The City of Chicago has issued three new tower crane permits in the span of six days, the kind of growth spurt that warms hearts here at the B.U.C.
Last week, Tandem got a crane permit for 1044 West Van Buren. They’re building an 18-stort, 196-unit apartment tower designed by Antunovich Associates. Tandem will be their own general contractor, just as they were at Avra West Loop across the street.
Monday, Howard Brown Health got a crane permit for 3501 North Halsted. They’re building a five-story clinic with offices and a pharmacy designed by Eckenhoff Saunders. McHugh Construction is the general contractor.
And Wednesday, Sterling Bay got a crane permit for 160 North Morgan. They’re building a 30-story, 282-unit apartment tower where that purple monster was for a few weeks back in 2020. bKL Architecture designed the tower, and Walsh Construction is the general contractor.
So, you know, LET’S GO!
Chicago’s newest tower crane is at 1400 South Wabash, and it’s just beginning to send this new South Loop tower vertical.
A 30-story tower from CMK Companies, 1400 South Wabash will deliver 299 rental apartments to the neighborhood. If “CMK” and “South Wabash” sound like a familiar combination, then you’ve heard of Coeval, they’re recently-opened development on the east side of Wabash.
Lendlease is the general contractor on 1400 South Wabash, with the assist on concrete by the aforementioned Pepper Construction. Pappageorge Haymes Partners is the design architect.
There are two permits issued here: the foundation permit came through 11/30/2021, and the ever-important tower crane permit was issued 1/20/2022. The crane was erected a couple weeks ago, which Chad also documented on his Linkedin page.
110 North Wacker (Bank of America Tower to some of you) is open to the public this weekend for Open House Chicago 2021. The 55th floor is a continuous, wide-open space, and a great vantage point to see Chicago. If you’re like me, and think the Sears Tower is just a tad too high for your modest camera-lens collection, this is the ticket.
I got a good view of our five remaining tower cranes from up here.
And an honorable mention for 300 North Michigan, which is being taken down.
The space:
I don’t usually do a tower crane count mid-month, but dang, only five of them?
Yeah, our tower crane count has dipped to five, with 2050 West Ogden and 300 North Michigan recently (or currently) being taken down.
But take heart, Chicago. We have more on the way soon, with eight having permits and expected to be in the air relatively soon:
410 South Wabash has completed caissons, but we’re still waiting for a tower crane permit for it.
Don’t forget, 1000M (1000 South Michigan) had a stub in the ground, but the crane was never erected. And 178 West Randolph and 320 South Clinton have permits, but . . . who knows.
Let’s keep an eye on LG Development’s HUGO project at Hudson and Chicago. Maybe one tower crane to build both nine-story buildings?
166 North Aberdeen is in caisson mode. That’s a 20-story tower, and will need a TC for sure.
Here are the five tower cranes we *do* have:
Chicago closes 2017 having had a record 62 tower cranes operating across the skyline throughout the year. Before 2018 takes over, let’s recap them all.
* One crane built Hubbard 221 (residential) and 412 North Wells (office) hence the half-crane in those two categories. The two tower cranes at Vista Tower are building residences and a hotel, so one crane goes to each of those two categories.
And now, photographs of all our 2017 Chicago Tower Cranes:
Chicago construction, and the enthusiasts who enthuse it, needed this bit of news.
Saturday, the City of Chicago issued a permit to drill caissons for three tower cranes in Jackson Park at the Obama Presidential Center.
With only seven in the air now, three on one site, a rare feat in Chicago, would give us a nice jolt in the crane count.
Turner Construction is the general contractor on the Obama Center. W.E. O’Neil is the concrete contractor. Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects — Partners is the design architect.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held on the site September 28.
Building Up Chicago 