Caisson work completed at Centrum Hubbard

Posted on September 2, 2016 by danieldschell

It’s back to a clean slate for Centrum Hubbard and 412 North Wells.

That didn’t take long.

The last pieces of Case Foundation equipment have left the (future) building(s) at Hubbard and Wells in River North. Now, Linn-Mathes can get to the task of digging foundations, so Centrum Hubbard and 412 North Wells can begin to rise up from the dust.

The development, from Centrum Partners and the architects at Hirsch Associates, received foundation permits back in late June and early July. Up next, expect to see full-build and TOWER CRANE permits.

: The last piece of Case Foundation’s caisson equipment leaves the site Friday morning.

: This was the scene Wednesday, as equipment was being disassembled and removed.

Construction Update: Caisson work at Hubbard and Wells

Posted on August 9, 2016 by danieldschell

A CTA Purple Line trains passes construction at Hubbard and Wells.

Case Foundation is on the case at Hubbard and Wells, where Centrum Partners is developing not one, but two new buildings for River North: a 9-story office building at 412 North Wells Street, and a 23-story, 193-unit apartment tower at 221 West Hubbard Street. You can get a great view off progress by hopping a Purple or Brown Line train at Merchandise Mart and riding north.

**Better yet, get on a train at Chicago Avenue, get in the last car, ride south, and take a lap through The Loop. Back-of-the-train views are the best.)**

The two Hirsch Associates projects got foundation permits a week apart at the end of June and early July, the parking lot it used to be was immediately fenced off, and Case brought their big toys in to start drilling caissons. Once that’s all done, Linn-Mathes takes full control of the process, getting these two glass edifices off the ground and heading skyward.

: This is the best way to watch construction, but most of us aren’t allowed to stand there.

: The construction site, from the northeast corner of Hubbard and Wells.

: The unmistakable blue and gold of Case Foundation.

: Rebar field.

: Waiting their turn.

: Train view.

Site Prep Underway at Centrum Hubbard

Posted on July 23, 2016 by danieldschell

First the cars were kicked out of the parking lot. Then the fencing went up. Then the Divvy station got kicked to a different curb. And now, there’s scraping and digging going on at 221 West Hubbard (and 412 North Wells, for that matter) in preparation for Centrum Partners’ two-building development in River North.

Designed by Hirsch Associates Architects, 412 North Wells will be a 9-story office building, next to 221 West Hubbard’s 23-story apartment tower.

Linn-Mathes, general contractor for both structures, must be champing at the bit to get going on this lot. It was hoped building permits would be filed around the first of April, but some soil samples turned up negative results, and that set things back awhile. But they’re up and running now. Jump on a Brown or Purple Line train and enjoy the fun.

: A Hirsch Associates Architects rendering.

: 221 West Hubbard and 412 North Wells will be *very* close to transportation…

412 North Wells Joins 221 West Hubbard on the Permit List

Posted on July 9, 2016 by danieldschell

In this rendering from Hirsch Associates, 412 North Wells stands front and center; 221 West Hubbard is to the right.

Last week, the residential tower from Centrum Partners at 221 West Hubbard Street in River North got a permit from the City of Chicago to begin foundation work. And now, officially, that lot at Hubbard and Wells is twice as busy.

Yesterday, a permit was filed for caisson work to get started for the other half of this couple, the 9-story office building at 412 North Wells Street. The two towers, both designs from Howard Hirsch of Hirsch Associates Architecture, were delayed slightly by negative results from soil sampling on the site. But the delay is no more. With permits in hand, general contractor Linn-Mathes can flood that lot with caisson equipment, and get to drilling.

412 North Wells will curve with the L tracks that pass by.

The (Caisson) Permit.

221 West Hubbard Construction Claims Its First Inconvenience: A Divvy Station

Posted on July 5, 2016 by danieldschell

This photo from Divvy shows the old and new stations.

The new construction permitted June 30 for the residential tower at 221 West Hubbard Street in River North has already claimed its first victim, and it’s a Divvy station.

According to an email from Divvy, the Divvy bikes that could be found until today at the southwest corner of Hubbard and Wells are being moved. It’s no cross-country move, but it’s not exactly close either. As seen in the photo above from Divvy, the new station will be at Ohio and Orleans.

If you’ve been using the Hubbard and Wells station (when it isn’t full, which is common after the morning rush) to park your bike before heading into the Merchandise Mart (raises hand) this will make your walk considerably longer. Looks like I’ll be aiming for Orleans/Mart Plaza, or the Kinzie station at the East Bank Club.

221 West Hubbard Gets a Permit

Posted on July 1, 2016 by danieldschell

A rendering of 221 West Hubbard (and 412 North Wells) from Hirsch Associates.

This one took awhile.

When last I heard about the proposed office and residential development at 221 West Hubbard Street in River North, it was February. Crews were working in the dirt, and I jumped the gun, assuming construction was ready to begin. It wasn’t. Turns out, soil sampling results were less than ideal, stalling the entire process.

The Permit

I was told it was hopeful a construction permit would be filed for 221 West Hubbard around April 1. And here we are three months later, and finally, the City of Chicago has filed a permit to begin foundation work on the 23-story residential tower portion of the two-structure project.

Designed by Howard Hirsch at Hirsch Associates Architecture, the Centrum Partners development will have 193 apartments in the tower on the west end of the lot at Hubbard Street and Wells, and a 9-story office building with 41,000 rentable square feet on the east end. 91 parking spaces will be included in the residential portion.

For folks getting on and off the Brown and Purple Line trains at the Merchandise Mart, like me, this will be a prime spectating venue as LInn-Mathes, the general contractor, gets to work.

: 221 West Hubbard will curve along with the passing L trans.

: The lot has been closed to parking for several weeks now.

: Bye bye cars, hello shiny new glass.

: Twice I jumped the gun on this one. Once, when the CTA used the lot to stage equipment…

: …and once when crews scraped some asphalt after a negative soil sampling result.

: View of the lot and the tracks, 221 West Hubbard Street.

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