Alta Roosevelt Tower Crane, September 25, 2016.
There’s more to construction than tower cranes.
But man, tower cranes are cool.
From the West Loop, the photo above shows the tower crane at Alta Roosevelt (801 South Financial Place) with 1001 South State serving as a backdrop.
You remember 1001 South State, right? Yep: Moon Crane
That’s a 12′-diameter, 20′-long caisson on the right, with a longer one being trucked in.
Case Foundation is on the scene (you thought I was gonna say “on the case” didn’t you…You are so predictable) at Vista Tower, boring holes into the earth and sinking caissons. Dozens and dozens of them. Deep ones, too. They’ve got twelve-foot diameter guides on site. These will be serious caissons. Some 100 feet long.
You already know all you need to know about the 93-story Vista Tower. I’ll skip the tired verbiage, and let you get right to the photos.
The photo that gave up the secret of the new tower crane stub.
Yesterday, I showed you the photos 465 North Park sent over of the groundbreaking ceremonies held Tuesday afternoon. That little seedling of a tower crane hiding in the background was enough to prompt me to get over there and capture the little guy myself. So I did. And here are a few shots to prove it.
This is one of two sets of peepholes cut into the plywood fencing at One Bennett Park.
Someone responsible for One Bennett Park gets *us. They get that we’ll reach over a wall or through our fence with our phones to click photos, even when we can’t see what we’re taking pictures of. They get that we’ll climb a tree if that wall is too high (I did it at Wrigley Field.) They get that we’ll look for the nearest parking garage, or rent a helicopter ride, if it getting to a higher point lets us see down inside their construction site.
Someone at One Bennett Park made the decision to install peepholes along Grand Avenue. Was it the developer’s idea, Related Midwest? The general contractor, Lendlease? Whoever did this, thank you. From all of us.
*us – refers to construction nerds. You know who we are. Camera in one hand, phone in the other. At least one of us at every construction site.
Crews work on the foundation for the Centrum Hubbard/412 North Wells tower crane.
This is the time we find out just how well Centrum Hubbard and 412 North Wells get along.
One is an office building, and one is a residential tower. So right off the bat, you’d think there might be tension. They’re being built in a very confined space, at the corner of Hubbard and Wells in River North, so they won’t have much of a chance for alone time. And now, they’ll have to start sharing a tower crane.
Yesterday, crews were busy working on the foundation and base section of a nice red tower crane toward the back and center of the lot. That tower crane will pivot to both sides to service the needs of the two-structure project from Centrum Partners and Hirsch Associates.
Courtesy of 465 North Park – Left to right: Matthew Sharples, MetLife
Jerry Ong, Jupiter Realty
Judith Fryland, City of Chicago
Alderman Brendan Reilly
Don Smith, Jupiter Realty
Michael Pompizzi, Jupiter Realty
Mike Moran, Allstate
Mimi Simon, City of Chicago
Deborah Gershbein, SOAR
On Tuesday of this week, Jupiter Realty Company held groundbreaking ceremonies for 465 North Park, the 48-story, 444-unit apartment tower by Pappageorge Haymes Partners. And hey, you remember that nest Power Construction was building for the future tower crane? Well, guess who photobombed the big ceremony? You got it! A shiny new stub of a tower crane can be seen hovering over everyone’s shoulders, looking for its moment in the spotlight. Which will come very, very soon, I’m sure.
You can read the 465 North Park press release that follows the photos below.
Alderman Brendan Reilly speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony. Photo courtesy of 465 North Park.
Who’s that photobombing Mr. Reilly and Mr. Smith? A Tower Crane!
465 NORTH PARK LUXURY APARTMENT GROUNDBREAKING
MetLife and Allstate partner on new Streeterville development
CHICAGO – September 20, 2016 – Jupiter Realty Company today held a groundbreaking ceremony for a 444-unit luxury rental high-rise project at 465 North Park Drive, in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood. The ceremony was attended by representatives from the project team, investors from MetLife and Allstate, and the City of Chicago, including 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly. Donald A. Smith, Chairman of Jupiter Realty Company, moderated the ceremony.
Smith noted, “Jupiter is delighted to have been selected by MetLife and Allstate to develop what we believe will be a noteworthy addition to the Streeterville landscape. Its strategic location at the intersection of East Illinois Street and North Park Drive will afford it significant neighborhood prominence. Visible from both Michigan Avenue and Navy Pier, the 48-story, 444-unit rental building will contain nearly 600,000 square feet of luxury residences with market-leading amenities.”
Alderman Reilly noted, “465 North Park is creating more than 450 construction jobs and will add 75 permanent leasing, management, operations and retail positions when it opens in the spring of 2018. Ownership and Jupiter worked collaboratively with the community and my office to design a project that will greatly enhance the neighborhood while minimizing the impact on existing Streeterville buildings and residents. Importantly, Jupiter has also agreed to contribute to the redevelopment of Ogden Plaza Park, a 70,000-square-foot, 25-year-old public park, to the west of the development.”
Matthew Sharples, Managing Director and Head of the Chicago Regional Office for MetLife Real Estate, said, “MetLife is excited to make this investment possible. Having owned the 465 North Park site for many years, we are thrilled to be starting construction on this best-in-class residential community. We are excited to have Allstate as our partner, and to be working with a talented development team including Jupiter Realty Company, Pappageorge Haymes Partners and Power Construction.”
“As long-time real estate investors, we at Allstate are seeking high-quality income-producing properties like 465 North Park to achieve attractive returns and further diversify our investment portfolio,” said Michael Moran, Managing Director, Real Estate for Allstate. “As a bonus, our investment in this property and the surrounding neighborhood also benefits our hometown of Chicago.”
The 444 upscale units will include studios, convertibles, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, plus nine two-story townhomes on the fourth and fifth floors. All kitchens will feature high-end appliances and cabinetry, and all units will feature walk-in closets and full-size washers and dryers. The top two penthouse floors will feature top-of-the-line kitchens. The lower level will boast a large bike room including a repair station, a pet spa, resident storage, dry-cleaning service and 24-hour-access package pick-up. A 181-space resident-only parking garage will be located in the lowest levels of the building, accessible from a private internal drive. It is anticipated that the property will be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certified.
Additional project amenities will include 12,000 square feet on the sixth floor dedicated to fitness (including aerobic, weight, yoga, spinning and fitness-on-demand rooms), spa/pool, conference, business, game and party areas, demonstration kitchen and lounge, and conversation/gathering spaces. Outside on the sixth floor, a 22,000-square-foot exterior deck will include a dog run, an outdoor pool with sunning and seating areas, cabanas, multiple green-spaces, fire pits, private kitchenettes, and TV-viewing areas. Another amenity level on the 38th floor will feature a kitchen, private dining and lounge areas, along with an outdoor skydeck with multiple lounge seating areas, fire pits and breathtaking views of Lake Michigan and the city. The building will also provide 12,000 square feet of prime retail space on the first floor.
The redevelopment of Ogden Plaza Park is expected to be complete by 2018. The scope of the redevelopment will include new trees, plantings, seating and lighting, as well as a dog-friendly area and modifications for better overall park access.
Chicago-based Jupiter Realty Company is a privately held, vertically integrated development, investment and management firm since 1985 with its origins in real estate since 1960. Jupiter develops, acquires, finances, renovates, repositions, and sells hotels, mid-rise or high-rise, apartments, residential communities, office parks, office buildings, regional or neighborhood shopping centers, free-standing retail stores, industrial buildings, mixed-use properties and land in response to the ebb and flow of market cycles. Jupiter works closely with corporate clients, major tenants, institutions, pension funds, banks, REITs, lenders and other financial partners. Jupiter and its affiliates operate nationally with a special focus on the Midwest.
About MetLife
MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates (“MetLife”), is one of the largest life insurance companies in the world. Founded in 1868, MetLife is a global provider of life insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management. Serving approximately 100 million customers, MetLife has operations in nearly 50 countries and holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.
About Allstate
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer, protecting approximately 16 million households from life’s uncertainties. Allstate’s real estate investments group has decades of experience and looks for core and value-add opportunities across geographies in the United States and internationally, and in a range of investment vehicles, such as funds, co-investments and joint ventures. Allstate’s real estate investments include retail, multi-family, office and industrial properties.
Contact: Beth at Treacy Marketing Group, 312-343-8900, btreacy@treacymarketing.com
No. 9 Walton, 9 West Walton Street in the Gold Coast.
Over at 9 West Walton Street in the Gold Coast, JDL Development is erecting what may turn out to be one of the crown jewels in an already rather jewel-encrusted neighborhood. No. 9 Walton, a design from Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, originally set out to be a 35-story residential tower comprised of 67 ultra-luxury condominiums. But then, after beginning construction last summer, JDL asked the City of Chicago to go higher:
A proposal for the amendment of residential business planned development #1043, submitted by West Walton Chicago Investors LLC, for the property generally located at 9 W. Walton Street. The Applicant is proposing to increase the maximum allowable height permitted for tower 2 from the previously approved 430’ to 456’ to allow for the construction of 2 additional floors. The increase would allow for the construction of a total of 5 additional dwelling units. The applicant would be using the Neighborhood Opportunity Bonus to allow for an additional 0.29 FAR within the planned development. The Applicant is requesting to rezone the properties from Residential Business Planned Development #1043 to Residential Business Planned Development #1043, as amended. (2 nd Ward)
And sure enough, the Chicago Plan Commission said yes:
https://twitter.com/ChicagoDPD/status/766314903208591361
So now, No. 9 Walton will rise to 37 stories and a height of 456 feet. And if all goes according to plan, Lendlease, the general contractor on the project, will have condos ready for habitation by Summer 2017. Seem optimistic? We’ll just have to sit back and watch them work.
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.
Balconies galore at Niche 905.
Balconies. If you ask me to describe Niche 905 in one word, that’s my answer: Balconies.
Named for its location at 905 North Orleans Street in Near North, Niche 905 continues toward completion. Having dropped its tower crane back in late August, the 18-story, 202-unit apartment tower by FitzGerald Associates is wrapping up exterior work, while evidence can be seen through the windows of the interior work that goes on.
But the balconies are what get your attention. Extending from the west and east sides of the building, they’re spaced vertically and horizontally like an out-of-control climbing wall. Don’t try that, though. That wouldn’t be safe.
Expect residents to start enjoying those outdoor spaces in Spring 2017. Also, expect them to use elevators to get there, not climbing apparatus.
From above, 625 West Adams is starting to look three-dimensional.
It’s about wood and scaffolding right now at 625 West Adams in the West Loop. As the future 20-story office tower begins rising above street level, Power Construction crews are climbing and hammering like some sort of Tool Time playground, and Tim Taylor and Al Borland are getting a lot done. Have a look for yourself…
