CA Washington making its presence felt in a very busy West Loop

Posted on January 26, 2017 by danieldschell

All that iron work that keeps showing up in the background of McDonald’s construction photos? Yep, that’s CA Washington.

It can be difficult to get noticed in the West Loop these days, as developers buy up property and turn it over into new construction on seemingly every block. So one of the best ways to make waves to to erect a whole bunch of steel on a lot.

Rendering of CA Washington from Belgravia Realty Group.

Enter CA Washington. CA Washington is one of the latest projects from Belgravia Realty Group. Belgravia is building 69 condominiums in a six-story structure designed by Sullivan Goullette & Wilson Architects. All condos will have three bedrooms and three baths, and each will have its own private balcony, terrace, or roof deck, per Belgravia’s website. Maris Construction is the general contractor.

1035 West Van Buren brings the pane

Posted on January 25, 2017 by danieldschell

The first few panes of glazing have been installed at 1035 West Van Buren in the West Loop.

1035 West Van Buren, the 30-story apartment tower Related Midwest is developing in the West Loop, has reached a milestone moment: glass has made its first appearance, one level above the podium.

Designed by the combined forces of New York’s Morris Adjmi Architects and Chicago’s very own GREC Architects, the new tower sits alongside the Eisenhower Expressway, and will deliver 300 rental units to the neighborhood. Lendlease is the general contractor. It is the hope that 1035 West Van Buren will be open before 2017 is closed.

: Spotted the new glass from the B.U.C. office. That earns me a cookie.

: BUC Zoom.

: The first few panes of glazing have been installed at 1035 West Van Buren in the West Loop.

There’s no sun anyway; might as well do McDonald’s HQ caisson work at night

Posted on January 25, 2017 by danieldschell

Night work on caissons, McDonald’s Headquarters in the West Loop.

Caissons continue to sink into the West Loop soil at the new McDonald’s HQ. And not just by the light of day. (Like we’ve had any light during the day around here lately anyway…) Crews were burning the early-evening oil Tuesday night, in addition to their usual shift under the harsh light of another cloudy Chicago day.

165 North Desplaines glass, night edition

Gallery

Posted on January 22, 2017 by danieldschell

This gallery contains 8 photos.

625 West Adams-watch continues in the West Loop

Posted on January 19, 2017 by danieldschell

All’s quiet for the night at 625 West Adams, the SCB-designed office tower coming to the West Loop.

If I haven’t said it already, I highly recommend everyone get a construction site right outside the window. It should be a window that doesn’t open, so you don’t get as much noise. Or dust. Height helps too. Then you just need a zoom lens to keep tabs on the action.

Power Construction is working on the fifth and final parking level at 625 West Adams, the 20-story office tower from CA Ventures and White Oak Realty. Needless to say, it’s mesmerizing to watch.

165 North Desplaines joins glass action

Posted on January 17, 2017 by danieldschell

That’s a pretty row of glass at 165 North Desplaines.

And the glass action suits it.

With lots of new construction comes lots of new glass work. Add 165 North Desplaines to the list of the newly glazed. The 199-unit apartment building has about a floor-and-a-half of glass installed just above the podium, while overall construction has reached the 14th floor. and since this is planned to be a 14-story tower, the math would tell you 165 North Desplaines is close to topping out.

: What? I think I rode one of those at Disney World.

Illume Chicago not going light on the caisson work

Posted on January 5, 2017 by danieldschell

The big blue Stalworth caisson rig drills caissons for Illume Chicago.

Buildings are heavy. Buildings need support. Which explains the presence of the big blue Stalworth machine at 111 South Peoria Street in the West Loop, site of the now-underway Illume Chicago. That’s the beast responsible for drilling caissons into the earth for the future 10-story, 79-condominium project from LG Development and Pappageorge Haymes Partners to rest upon. And rest it will — everyone will — once things quiet down a little bit. Caisson work is loud.

How about a McDouble? There will be a pair of tower cranes at McDonald’s headquarters

Posted on January 4, 2017 by danieldschell

That tower crane obscured by all the caisson equipment doesn’t belong to the McDonald’s HQ site. But soon, there will be two of them here.

By now you know, tower cranes are a favorite of mine. Two tower cranes? I can barely contain my bliss. We’ve seen them here in Chicago within the past 12 months at The Sinclair, the Simpson-Querrey Biomedical Research Center, and most recently, at Vista Tower. And coming soon, McDonald’s HQ. (HQ stand for headquarters, not headquarter-pounders)

On December 15, the City of Chicago filed permits for the two cranes at 110 North Carpenter Street in the West Loop, and look what they did! They’ve already named them West Crane and East Crane! Which really takes the pressure to come up with clever crane monikers off me.

They’re still busy with caisson work at the new Home of the Golden Arches, so don’t expect cranes to sprout right away. But they’ll be here soon enough. Now, if that completes your order, please pull up to the next window.

East Crane.

West Crane.

Is 171 North Aberdeen now 165 North Aberdeen? Either way, it’s halfway high

Posted on January 4, 2017 by danieldschell

165 North Aberdeen from the Morgan Street CTA platform.

There’s a new twist on the mixed-use project in the West Loop from MCZ Development. Nothing earth-shattering, like having to move any more caissons in order to properly support a tower crane. No, this change is about the address, which formerly had been 171 North Aberdeen Street (that’s what the City of Chicago lists on the permits) but MCZ’s own website now shows the project as 165 North Aberdeen.

What hasn’t changed is that Novak Construction continues to make progress on the Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture-designed building, reaching the sixth floor of what will be 11 levels when complete. Expect 90 residential units, with 40,000 square feet of office space and 15,000 square feet of retail space as well. Throw in about 130 parking spots for good measure.

Obvious Update: Driving piles at McDonald’s headquarters is noisy

Video

Crank up the volume on your pc/tablet/phone, and you’ll be able to enjoy what West Loopers are hearing, as piles are driven into the ground at the new McDonald’s headquarters at 110 North Carpenter Street.

But don’t worry. Locals know the importance of bringing such a high-profile company to the neighborhood, so they’re willing to put up with the noise for a few days. Besides, all major construction projects are noisy, and the folks on adjacent properties are always understanding of the temporary inconveniences.

Right?

: This guy was working much more quietly, not disturbing a soul…

: …despite working right beside the pile driver.

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