Category Archives: West Loop

180 North Ada begins construction along the Lake Street elevated tracks

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180 North Ada

180 North Ada, seen here from a Green Line train, has begun digging in to the West Loop.

Yesterday in this very space, we talked about the two walls of development going up on either side of the CTA’s elevated tracks along Lake Street in the West Loop. That development isn’t going to slow any time soon.

One project that’s just getting started is 180 North Ada. Approved by the Chicago Plan Commission back in August, 180 North Ada got its first building permit on December 18, 2017. That permit allows for the foundation through Level 2 of a “14-story, 263-unit apartment building with 148 parking spaces.” The permit doesn’t mention retail space, but that was included in the August approval.

180 North Ada caisson work

Foundation work is precisely what’s happening now, as Revcon has their big red rigs on site, drilling into the earth. When they’re done, Power Construction (very busy in the West Loop, with the Hoxton Chicago, 900 West, and 811 Fulton all in progress) will set about the task of sending the Marquette Companies development upward. The tower crane permit issued February 9 will help facilitate that growth.

Neighbors of the West Loop posted about 180 North Ada back in April. You can see their information, including a rendering from design firm Brininstool + Lynch, at the link here.

 

 

Caisson work is underway at Twelve01West

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1201 West Lake

1201 West Lake caisson work is underway, as seen from the Green Line.

We’re still in the West Loop, and we’re still watching the goings-on along Lake Street.

Caissons are in the works for Twelve01West, the new seven-story office building at 1201 West Lake Street from McCaffery Interests. (You know them from The Lincoln Common project.) Revcon is on site as we speak, drilling holes into the earth just two blocks from another gig of theirs over at 180 North Ada. This time, they’re working with W.E. O’Neil, the general contractor on 1201 West Lake. This is familiar territory for W.E. O’Neil; their Chicago office is just a couple blocks away on Washington Blvd.

Designed by Antunovich Associates, Twelve01West got a foundation permit back in October, and a tower crane permit in January. The building will include 135,000 square feet of office space, and 11,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space, plus parking for 45 vehicles. McCaffery plans an early 2019 opening.

 

Power Construction brings the pane to (a topped out?) 900 West

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900 West

The green & glass of home at 900 West.

What stands out to you more at 900 West in the West Loop, the fresh glass? or the green insulation?

There’s no wrong answer here, as both features are rather striking. We suggest putting your sunglasses on if you plan to drive across Washington Boulevard any time soon.

Power Construction has been working on Taris Real Estate’s 10-story, 22-unit condominium tower since the foundation permit was issued back in July 2017. Designed by Northworks Architects + Planners, the building was the subject of a major transaction back in May, when Crain’s reported a penthouse sale for over $5 million.

Sterling Bay’s 210 North Carpenter office building hits double digits

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210 North Carpenter February 2018

From the Ashland L platform, 210 North Carpenter rises against the Chicago skyline.

Construction progress has reached the tenth floor of Sterling Bay’s 12-story office building, 210 North Carpenter, in the West Loop. Those responsible for the progress, Leopardo Companies, get to choose from the most prime of spaces within the new digs, as Leopardo will be moving their headquarters here upon completion. The 200,000-square-foot, SCB-designed facility is slated for opening late this year.

Stay glassy, West Loop: 727 West Madison rises and shines in Greektown

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727 West Madison February 2018

Old Glory waves triumphantly at the foot of 727 West Madison in the West Loop.

It’s only reached about half of its eventual height, and already 727 West Madison is cutting quite a figure along the Kennedy Expressway in Greektown. The FitzGerald-designed apartment tower, like most under-construction skyscrapers, is best seen on a sunny day, and that was the case on Tuesday when we strolled over to the West Loop for a peek.

Twitter introduces Chicago’s two newest tower cranes

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Chicago started 2018 with 30 tower cranes in the air. Now, that number of 2018 cranes has risen to 32.

Recent tweets from Twitter users @WestLoopTom and @TheBigGreenW introduced me to the two latest cranes, at Hayden West Loop and Wolf Point East, respectively. For Walsh Construction, WPE marks their second currently operating crane in Chicago, along with 1326 South Michigan. Also celebrating their second crane is Macon Construction over at Hayden.

You can see the tweeted photos of the pretty yellow Liebherr cranes below:

No tower crane? No worries for Hayden West Loop

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Hayden West Loop

The Hayden West Loop tower-crane stub stands amidst erected steel, waiting for the rest of its parts to arrive.

Unless that’s a Magic Tower Crane Stub planted at 1109 West Washington, Hayden West Loop is erecting an impressive amount of steel on the site at Aberdeen and Washington without the use of a tower crane. That should change very soon, as the tower crane, permitted way back on September 7, should be erected within the first few days of the new year. Hayden West Loop will be Macon Construction’s second tower crane in Chicago, joining No. 508 at 508 West Diversey.

There won’t be much competition to be first in 2018; the only other permits outstanding are for Wolf Point East, which has a bit of digging left to do and hasn’t planted a stub yet, and The Bentham in River North, which has gone eerily silent.

Glass is in session at Seven-Two-Seven

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727 West Madison cladding

5 degrees in Chicago, but some still insist on having the windows open.

As if being curvy wasn’t enough, 727 West Madison is gettin’ all glassy now too. The first two levels of curtain wall above the podium are complete, and a third level has been started. Overall, it looks like Lendlease has progressed up to about the 20th story. Almost halfway home!

 

 

 

 

H2O = Heneghan 2 Obliterate, as 845 West Madison turns to rubble

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845 West Madison demolition

The old H2) building no longer holds water. Or anything.

And it isn’t taking them long.

Take a walk around the old H2O site at 845 West Madison in the West Loop, and you may not notice much change in the doomed three-story masonry commercial building. But stand on the sidewalk at Madison, and you’ll see that Heneghan Wrecking has cut a swath right through the middle of the beast, allowing them to work outward. So while 95% of the visible exterior may be intact, its insides are quickly being hollowed out.

Heneghan is making space for the new 845 West Madison, a joint development from The John Buck Company and Lendlease. Approved by the Chicago Plan Commission back in June, the key feature of 845 West Madison will be the two 17-story towers, providing a total of 586 units. Also included in the GREC Architects-designed project will be nearly 300 parking spaces, plus about 10,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. Expect Lendlease to double-up as general contractor as well as co-developer.

With two towers being built on a rather expansive full-block site, the most pressing question so far is, will 845 West Madison require one tower crane, swinging back and forth between the two towers? Or two tower cranes? Stay tuned, as we’ll be on the lookout for the first construction permits.

 

The tower crane comes down from Illume Chicago

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We told you last week that Illume Chicago had topped out over in the West Loop. And topping out always means certain doom for tower cranes. Sure enough, over this past weekend the crane came down from the construction site at 111 South Peoria. We all got an up-close look from Instagram user @skyboom150 that you see above.

Then first thing Monday morning, Twitter user @WestLoopTom tweeted the photo below, showing the tower crane has been completely removed. Here’s hoping it finds another gig soon.

https://twitter.com/westlooptom/status/940227771502071808