Centrum Bucktown digs a foundation at 1767 North Milwaukee

Posted on August 18, 2016 by danieldschell

Centrum Bucktown is being built at 1767 North Milwaukee Avenue.

Centrum Bucktown, another collaboration (see also: Centrum Hubbard, 412 North Wells, among others) from Centrum Partners and Hirsch Associates (Forum Studio is the architect of record), is digging foundations along the Bloomingdale Trail in Bucktown.

Centrum Bucktown will sit in the large lot at 1767 North Milwaukee Avenue, at North Leavitt Street. The site is the former home of an Aldi store, and will be again. Plans call for a 6-story building with 100 dwelling units, plus a new Aldi store at ground level. Surface parking will be provided for shoppers, while underground parking will be included for residents. Arco/Murray is the general contractor.

Another day, another tower crane. This time, it’s 3Eleven

Posted on August 17, 2016 by danieldschell

Another shiny yellow crane is shooting up through the ground in Chicago.

This one’s at 3Eleven in River North. They planted a seedling last week, and darned if that thing hasn’t thrived in the rich soil at 311 West Illinois Street. There is no physical evidence to suggest it has anything to do with being sewn right up against Assumption Catholic Church, but then again, there’s an equal amount of evidence to disprove that theory.

: Wasting no time. The stub went in the ground just last week.

: Not bad for having my eyes closed.

: Looking down…

: …and up.

: Yellow cranes building yellow cranes. And all is well.

: From the L.

: For now, it shares the view with Centrum Hubbard caisson equipment.

Demolition Update: Children’s Memorial Hospital

Posted on August 17, 2016 by danieldschell

Looking down Lincoln Avenue from Halsted Street, demolition of Children’s Memorial Hospital is hard to miss.

Demolition of the old Children’s Memorial Hospital in Lincoln Park continues at the hands of Omega Demolition crews. They set about the task of tearing the place down on June 7, and have been at it since. And will be for quite some time.

In its place will be The Lincoln Common, a venture from Hines and McCaffery Interests. Planned are two luxury apartment towers boasting 540 dwelling units, 60 low-rise condos, and over 100,000 square feet of retail space, designed by Antunovich Associates in collaboration with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

Here’s another round of photos.

A 5-day Tower Crane event at 625 West Adams

Posted on August 16, 2016 by danieldschell

Pictured above is the crew from Central Contractors Service, calmly going about their day from the middle of the sky.

If you didn’t know by now, a tower crane was assembled at 625 West Adams over the past few days. Here now are several thousand photos showing the chronology of that process:

: It all started on Thursday the 11th, when Central brought this giant street crane to 625 West Adams.

: Then crane parts started showing up.

: Crane parts were offloaded…

: …and the Central crew started to piece together the street crane.

: Yada yada yada, and this was what greeted me when I got home Thursday night.

: Friday morning, before the weather turned,

: The cab.

: Friday morning.

: The Central crane, from ground level.

: Tower crane parts everywhere.

: There’s the “spire” that will sit atop the main shaft.

: Waiting in line.

: Saturday morning, and parts are lined up.

: More parts are arriving, even as Central assembles what’s on site already.

: NOPE

: The man platform is lifted into place.

: The cab is secured to the main platform.

: Deadlifts.

: Sunday morning now, and the spire is lifted to the top of the main shaft.

: This is when I got queasy. Well, again.

: My fancy time-lapse set-up.

: The first, shorter piece of the boom starts to rise.

: …and comes in for a landing. It looked like the Space Shuttle docking with ISS.

: The first piece is in place.

: If you don’t notice the cable he’s holding, it looks like he’s dancing. He is *not* dancing.

: Double NOPE.

: Climbing down after a long Sunday shift.

: The crew reassembles Monday morning.

: Monday morning, after the climb. The sky crew’s ready.

: The larger section of the boom is lifted.

: Forrest Gump sits on a bench in the background, oblivious to the action behind him.

: Almost…

: Should you be out there?

: It’s a tower crane!

: Tuesday morning, at full staff.

Construction Update: 465 North Park wraps up caissons, starts digging

Posted on August 15, 2016 by danieldschell

I’m still struck by how barren a lot looks just after caisson work concludes. This is 465 North Park, once again a blank canvas.

“Life moves pretty fast” Ferris Bueller once said. “If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” For instance, wait three weeks to go check on caisson progress at 465 North Park, and find out you’re too late. Yep. Life moves pretty fast.

Power Construction has begun digging a foundation, now that the heavy drilling is out of the way. They’re working on Jupiter Realty Company’s 47-story, 444-unit apartment tower at 465 North Park Drive in Streeterville. The Pappageorge Haymes design will include 11,650 square feet of retail/commercial space, and 181 parking spaces.

: Large hole to the left, storm puddles to the right.

No more loafing on old Gonnella site as foundation crews rip into the earth

Posted on August 15, 2016 by danieldschell

Ahhh, the familiar din of caisson work.

Surely this development will have a cool name soon. But for now, 1001 West Chicago will have to suffice (despite the two foundation permits being filed as 728 and 738 North Morgan Street.) That was the address of the Gonnella Baking Company when it was on this site in River West. Now, the entire lot is leveled, and crews are busy drilling caissons for a huge 360-unit apartment project from Bond Companies, which came up with the bread to get this development on a roll.

The design from Fitzgerald Associates will include 10,000 square feet of retail space, and parking for 300 cars. As you can see in the photos, Revcon is out there on the caisson work; Power Construction is handling the general contractor duties.

: A rendering of 1001 West Chicago from FitzGerald Associates.

: The 728 North Morgan permit.

: The 738 North Morgan permit,

Pre-construction demolition coming for Renelle on the River

Posted on August 14, 2016 by danieldschell

Chicago Architecture Blog had the details Monday about a new condo development, soon to be wedged alongside Trump Tower, at 403 North Wabash Avenue.

A renovation permit was issued August 2, reading:

“DEMOLITION ONLY: NON-STRUCTURAL DEMOLITION OF AN EXISTING PLAZA ABOVE A 4 LEVEL PARKING GARAGE INCLUDING REMOVAL OF PLANTERS, PAVING AND SITE ELEMENTS FOR FUTURE CONSTRUCTION”

That “future construction” is Renelle on the River. The 17-story-high Renelle will bring 45 three- and four-bedroom luxury condominiums to River North. Designed by bKL Architecture, Renelle is being developed by the Belgravia Realty Group (they’re building CA Washington in the West Loop.) McHugh Construction will be on the build.

: The doomed plaza, with 405 North Wabash in the background.

: Renelle has banners along Wabash Avenue.

: A rendering from the Renelle website.

: Another Renelle website rendering. All condos will have river views, even if the tower isn’t *on* the river.

: The demolition-as-renovation permit.

Quick Look: 3Eleven’s freshly-planted tower crane stub

Posted on August 13, 2016 by danieldschell

https://twitter.com/BuildUpChicago/status/763753646416879617

I told you Thursday morning it looked like 3Eleven was getting ready for a tower crane of its own. And just a few hours later, there it was. Here are a few extra looks, from the L, and from the ground:

: Taken quickly, before I could pass out.

Tower Crane Update: 625 West Adams

Posted on August 13, 2016 by danieldschell

There are tower crane parts all over the West Loop today. And you know what? It’s fantastic.

Crews continue assembly of the giant yellow Liebherr 542 HC-L 18-36 Litronic (I can read permits) at 625 West Adams.

: NOPE

: More parts on the way, even as present parts are being put together.

Soil Sampling on Randolph can only mean one thing. Or more.

Posted on August 12, 2016 by danieldschell

https://twitter.com/vidlerd/status/762688007694680064

Thanks to that heads-up from Twitter user @vidlerd, we know there’s been some soil sampling happening in the almost-always-empty parking lot at 180 West Randolph Street in The Loop. (You still get in big trouble if you park there though.)

Sometimes, soil sampling means construction is imminent. And sometimes it doesn’t. This parking lot is up for sale, and so far there’s nothing to indicate a transaction. Is the soil being tested for the sake of a prospective buyer? By the lot owner, just so they know all there is to know about the lot they’re selling? The answers to these and many other questions are out there. The question is, are the questions?

Building Up Chicago

An Eye on Chicago Construction.