And then there were 32: The Landmark West Loop lowers the tower crane

Posted on May 4, 2017 by danieldschell

When the crane disappears behind its own building, that’s a good indication it’s coming down.

Chicago’s ever-fluid tower crane count has changed again, as Landmark West Loop begins to lower its crane at 1035 West Van Buren Street. Landmark topped out March 23, so we knew this day was coming. The loss of this shiny yellow Liebherr EC-12 Litronic model brings our count down to 32.

One South Halsted is waiting for a Liebherr, so…

: Tie-in #1

: Hanging out on the sundeck.

: Looks so naked and vulnerable now.

: Looks distraught about losing the tower crane.

Caisson work is underway at Nobu Hotel. For real this time

Posted on May 3, 2017 by danieldschell

You can’t tell me that ain’t a big ole caisson rig, and it’s hard at work at the Nobu Hotel.

This time I’m certain. A caisson rig used for drilling caissons is drilling caissons at the Nobu Hotel site in the West Loop. It’s not a “quad sheet press,” like the one I misidentified back in March. Nope, this is for real. There’s a big red Revcon rig, digging holes. Plus, there are all those augers and, you know, caisson equipment.

The Nobu Hotel is coming to the Fulton Market neighborhood courtesy of Nobu Hospitality. The 11-story, 119-room hotel features designs by Modif Architecture and Studio K. Centaur Construction of West Lake Street is the general contractor. (The Big Green W will be here doing masonry work.)

Take a walk around McDonald’s

Posted on May 1, 2017 by danieldschell

The view from the B.U.C. HQ is still somewhat limited, until McDonald’s rises a few more floors.

If you live in a West Loop condo with a nice balcony (or a drone), you might just have a great view of construction from above the new McDonald’s Headquarters. For the rest of us, circling the block bounded by Randolph, Carpenter, Washington, and Aberdeen is the only way to get a good look at proceedings. So that’s what I did.

Another Flag, Another Tank, Another Crane, for another Friday

Posted on April 28, 2017 by danieldschell

Revisiting a very busy section of the West Loop.

In the foreground, the tower crane at the McDonald’s Headquarters site. To the left, a full view of the tower crane at 171 Aberdeen.

The banner yet waving is atop Venue One.

The water tank belongs to 1035 West Lake Street.

Have a great weekend, construction nerds!

Illume Chicago puts down roots in the West Loop

Posted on April 25, 2017 by danieldschell

Springtime at Mary Bartleme Park. With tower crane and Sears Tower.

It’s been exactly one month since Norcon grew a tower crane at its Illume Chicago site in West Loop. Now, that crane is contributing to the foundation being shored up for the new condominiums from LG Development.

Located at 111 South Peoria Street, Illume Chicago will be ten stories containing 79 condos, with parking in the basement and first floor, designed by Pappageorge Haymes Architects.

: Straight-up crane.

Construction Progress: 625 West Adams

Posted on April 21, 2017 by danieldschell

625 West Adams, as seen from the B.U.C. HQ.

625 West Adams, the 20-story office tower from co-developers White Oak Realty Partners and CA Ventures, continues adding steel beams in the West Loop. After watching the elevator core shoot skyward well ahead of the rest of the building, the main floors are catching up now, so expect to see the core start growing again soon. As of today, Power Construction crews are adding beams to the 17th floor, while concrete gets poured onto the 11th. The SCB-designed tower is on schedule to open in Spring 2018.

: 625 West Adams rising in the West Loop.

: Core and Crane.

: Cold steel.

: Setting a beam in place Thursday morning.

: Stairs.

One South Halsted tower crane stub from the ground, just because

Posted on April 20, 2017 by danieldschell

You’ve seen the overhead shots. Now, the view from street level.

One South Halsted and its shiny yellow tower crane (stub).

: There’s also a large hole in the ground.

One South Halsted is planting a beautiful yellow tower crane, and all is right with the world

Posted on April 20, 2017 by danieldschell

Guess what we’re getting, West Loop! A shiny yellow Liebherr 316-EC-H 12 tower crane (stub), courtesy of One South Halsted.

: Look who’s moving in next door!

: The foundation is ready.

: Move-in day. (I wonder if I could get that light pole moved…)

: On the move.

: It’s really quite fetching.

: Tower crane pad work was in full force Wednesday…

: …as crews readied the foundation.

Hideous Greektown hole soon to be filled by bKL tower

Posted on April 14, 2017 by danieldschell

808 West Van Buren will be built here, at the northwest corner of Halsted and Van Buren Streets in Greektown.

Greektown garbage will have to find another hiding place.

The hole in the ground at the corner of Halsted and Van Buren Streets has a permit to be something more than a landfill. Loukas Development of Uptown, who’ve had a sign on the fence around the vacant lot for almost forever, received a foundation permit Thursday for a 12-story residential tower at 808 West Van Buren. Designed by bKL Architecture, the tower will have 148 units, 65 parking spaces, and ground-floor retail. If, of course, that permit is to be believed.

Lendlease will be the general contractor. That gives Lendlease three big jobs in this corner of the West Loop, joining One South Halsted and the Landmark West Loop.

Look, I don’t mean to pick on this little corner lot. But it’s been collecting trash for years now, and it’s fantastic to see construction will finally get moving.