Essex On The Park celebrates the Poureth of July

Posted on by
Reply
Essex On The Park concrete pour

A swarm of activity at Essex On The Park as the concrete flows freely.

Monday is Concrete Day for Essex On The Park, as Power Construction crews spend the day between the holiday weekend and the actual holiday pouring concrete into the foundation for the new 56-story apartment tower from Oxford Capital Group. And of course, we’re not talking about little bits of concrete. We’re talking trucks lined up down the street, waiting to get their pour on.

One segment of the concrete being poured today is the foundation for the tower crane. The stub was planted almost two weeks ago, sitting there looking all lonely. But now it will have a home, and the crane can be fully assembled, and soon (we hope.) If it goes up before any other cranes come down, it will be #34 on the Chicago Tower Crane Survey.

1326 + 1 = 33: 1326 South Michigan erects Chicago’s 33rd tower crane

Posted on by
Reply

It’s the new math. 1326 South Michigan put up a tower crane last week, raising Chicago’s total to 33.

That tweet from Twitter used @skenrou Saturday morning confirmed the shiny yellow luffer (not fighter) was up and ready to do Walsh Construction’s heavy lifting. 1326 still looks like a barren lot, albeit with a tower crane now poking up through the north edge of the site. But that will all change quickly, as the 47-story tower can now begin to go vertical.

It’s demolition, man! Get ready for The Bentham

Posted on by
Reply
The Bentham

Demolition started Thursday at the Erie-LaSalle Body Shop on Erie Street, making way for The Bentham.

As if this little corner of River North wasn’t busy enough…

Add The Bentham to the list. A little birdie let us know that Quality Excavation had begun demolition Thursday afternoon at the old Erie-LaSalle Body Shop at 146 West Erie Street, as well as the two-story building at 668 North LaSalle. Now a block that already includes work on The Ardus and Marlowe greets The Bentham.

The Bentham is the latest venture from Sedgwick Development. The 15-story, 172-foot-tall tower will have just 31 3-bed/3-bath residences.

We already know Adjustable Forms will handle the masonry work; they tweeted their excitement about getting started earlier in the week, along with a stellar rendering.

 

The Bentahm

This lovely two-story model at 668 North LaSalle has to go as well.

 

 

 

 

A Hard-Hat Tour of 625 West Adams with Power Construction

Posted on by
Reply
625 West Adams hard hat tour

Luis Monroy, Project Engineer at 625 West Adams, discusses all things tower crane with Emily East and Rashad Young. All three work for Power Construction.

A huge thank you to Luis Monroy and Power Construction, who led me on a hard-hat tour of 625 West Adams on Wednesday. Power topped out the SCB-designed office tower back on May 22. Now, cladding is being installed and has reached the 11th-floor terrace.

Come take a walk with me.

625 West Adams hard hat tour

The bracing you see in the photo above (also visible in the top photo) is part of the tie-off reinforcement for the tower crane. The steel braces run from the crane to the core.

625 West Adams hard hat tour

Remember the oculus I’ve been showing you on the 19th-floor terrace? We’re now looking at it from eye-level, way off in the corner. This is taken on the 21st (penthouse) floor. Yes, it’s a 20-story tower with a penthouse for a mechanical floor.

This is Eddie. Eddie is a master at hanging glass panels. You can watch him work in the time-lapse video below.

Luis, Emily, and Rashad standing out on the soon-to-be terrace of the 19th floor. Behind them, the inverted tripod that supports the oculus. You may also notice the Sears Tower.

More from the 21st floor.

21st floor looking east.

21st floor looking south. 

21st floor looking north toward the B.U.C. HQ.

21st floor looking west.

Looking out toward the 11th-floor terrace.

The 11th-floor terrace.

A terrace I didn’t know about. This one is on the 7th floor, on the south elevation of the tower. The rebar surrounds what will be planters.

Old St. Patrick’s Church.

 

I was close enough to the tower crane to climb it. I did not.

The top of the ramp leading to the 6th floor, the last level of parking.

These stairs go up.

These stairs go down.

The ceiling, for now, of the lobby. The lobby ceiling will be about 25 feet high.

The lobby at ground level.

The sun came out after the tour was finished. Thanks a lot, sun. \

And thank you for joining me.

 

Marlowe utilizes its tower crane to rise upward

Posted on by
Reply
Marlowe

Marlowe is starting to go high in River North.

Marlowe is the 15-story River North apartment development by Lennar Multifamily Companies, and also the proud owner of one of Chicago’s newest tower cranes. The project by Antunovich Associates, at 675 North Wells Street, got its start in early May with caisson work, and now Power Construction has things moving skyward.

When complete, Marlowe will have 176 rental units in studio, one-bed, and two-bedroom sizes, plus 11,000 square feet of retail space at ground level. Lennar plans to have it open for residents in 2018.

 

 

Brace for an entire Summer of a Loop without a tower crane

Posted on by
Reply
145 South Wells

The now-empty lot at 145 South Wells. Case Foundation will begin caisson work in September.

The Loop, Chicago’s central business district, has been without a tower crane since 151 North Franklin dropped its crane back in April. And it looks like The Loop shall remain craneless until late summer/early fall.

A Facebook post from Case Foundation on June 22 lets us know they’ll begin caisson work for Clark Construction in September at 145 South Wells, the office tower project from developer Moceri + Roszak and design architect Thomas Roszak Architecture.

There aren’t many jobs on the immediate horizon for The Loop, so it’s highly unlikely anything else will get started before 145 South Wells. Of course, we should keep our eye on the empty lot at 130 North Franklin, just to be safe.

Addison & Clark has begun its climb into the Lake View skyline

Posted on by
Reply
Addison & Clark

Addison & Clark on the rise in Wrigleyville.

No longer a large demolition and excavation site, old buildings and sand have given way to new construction, as Addison & Clark makes its way into the Lake View neighborhood.

Power Construction has gone three-dimensional across the sprawling, odd-shaped lot at — you guessed it — Addison and Clark Streets. SCB designed a mixed-use development for M&R Development and Bucksbaum Retail Properties that will include 148 apartments, 146,000 square feet of retail space, and enough parking for 400+ cars. (Remember, Wrigley Field is right next door, so 81 days out of the year, those parking spaces will be full.)