Renelle on the River drops its tower crane

Posted on May 21, 2018 by danieldschell

Is a tower crane still a tower crane if only the cab remains on the tower? I think not.

It was only November when Renelle on the River made news by erecting Chicago’s 60th tower crane of 2017. It took McHugh Construction and that tower crane just six months to erect the 18-story bKL Architecture design that will soon contain 50 of the city’s newest, nicest condominiums. last week, it came down.

Don’t worry though, there’s still a lot of work to be done here. Only one level of curtain wall has been installed so far, so we’ll have that to watch before all that’s left to do is interior work on those 50 condos.

Now topped out, glass is in session at Renelle on the River

Posted on May 10, 2018 by danieldschell

Thank you @Maxamillianmyr for capturing the glass panel installation at @bKLarchitecture designed Renelle on the River! @belgraviagroup @mchughconstruct https://t.co/cecHMgdFac pic.twitter.com/bKzXwuc4KW

— Thomas Kerwin (@thomaspkerwin) May 8, 2018

https://twitter.com/McHughConstruct/status/993580821100613632

Yep, we just shared two tweets with you. That’s because Renelle on the River celebrated two important milestones: The first pieces of glass, and the last piece of steel.

As you can see in the video shared by bKL Architecture principal Thomas Kerwin, the first level of cladding installation is underway on the bKL-designed tower. And McHugh Construction was kind enough to share with the world that Renelle’s steel has topped out. That means the next milestone will be the sad one, when the tower crane comes down. And then all that’s left for Renelle on the River to accomplish is to open those incredible condominiums to residents, and that’s expected to happen early in 2019.

Union West may now go 15 stories high in the West Loop

Posted on May 9, 2018 by danieldschell

Union West rendering from bKL Architecture. On the left is the first tower at 939 West Washington.

Ready for more construction in the West Loop? Good. Because Tuesday, Union West got its full-build permit for a 15-story residential tower at 939 West Washington Boulevard. Building atop the foundation permitted back in April, the 939 tower is the first of two structures at Union West that will ultimately contain 357 apartments, with 12,000+ square feet of ground-floor retail space and 255 parking spots.

bKL Architecture designed the two-tower development for ZOM Living. Power Construction is the general contractor, adding to their West Loop projects that include the Hoxton Chicago, 333 North Green, 180 North Ada, Milieu, and 900 West. (Wow. They’re really busy.)

There’s a cool-looking iron contraption on the site now. No idea what that’s about, but we’re pretty sure it’s structural and not sculptural.

And now, the photo gallery, with everything from that cool steel thing, to bKL Architecture renderings, to demo work, to now-removed buildings and parking lots.

: All Union West renderings are from bKL Architecture.

: All Union West renderings are from bKL Architecture.

: All Union West renderings are from bKL Architecture.

: All Union West renderings are from bKL Architecture.

: All Union West renderings are from bKL Architecture.

: All Union West renderings are from bKL Architecture.

: All Union West renderings are from bKL Architecture.

: Full Permit for 939 W Washington.

: 939 W Washington foundation permit.

A sunny day at Vista Tower

Posted on April 26, 2018 by danieldschell

Vista Tower rises in Lakeshore East under the watchful eye of the topped-out One Bennett Park.

I know you just saw a ton of Vista Tower photos only a few days ago, but that was about the new curtain wall being installed on the exterior. We got lucky and were in Lakeshore East when the sun was out last week, and Vista was irresistible. So here you go.

: Vista Tower rises in Lakeshore East under the watchful eye of the topped-out One Bennett Park.

Renelle on the River is topped out and ready for glass

Posted on April 26, 2018 by danieldschell

Concrete has topped out at bKL designed Renelle on the River! @BelgraviaGroup @McHughConstruct @thomaspkerwin pic.twitter.com/IGkfsBzcVz

— bKL Architecture (@bKLarchitecture) April 11, 2018

Renelle on the River went up in a hurry. Now, the concrete is topped out, and without any glazing yet, it looks kinda skeleton-like. But that will change soon, as McHugh Construction focuses on getting the outer skin installed and interior work begins. (Then again, maybe that’s what they’re calling an “open floor plan” these days. No windows, no cladding, just you and the elements and your living room.) The bKl Architecture design brings 50 new condos to the River North neighborhood across 18 stories.

GEMS Academy Upper School wedging its way into small Lakeshore East recess

Posted on April 25, 2018 by danieldschell

I desperately wanted to make some sort of school pun. Not sure the recess thing even makes sense, but I tried. Wedged as the new school is between Vista Tower construction and Coast apartment tower, it seemed like a decent analogy.

The Upper School at GEMS World Academy Chicago is rising at 355 East Wacker Drive. Designed by bKL Architecture, as was the first GEMS school, Power Construction has the task of completing the facility.

It’s a Glaze of Glory as Vista Tower raises the curtain wall

Posted on April 9, 2018 by danieldschell

Good glazes!! That’s glass on Vista Tower!

You’ve waited a long time for this. We all have. And now, it’s happening.

Vista Tower has glass.

Not lots of glass. Not big sheets of glass. Just little bits of glass. Almost slivers of it. But it’s still glass. Windows. Cladding. Curtain wall. Whatever you want to call it, it’s here. And it’s glorious to think how this tower will look once it’s entirely glazed.

I thought you might like to see it, so I took some photos.

Now topped out, The Van Buren Glasses up Greektown

Posted on March 26, 2018 by danieldschell

https://twitter.com/bKLarchitecture/status/976578207397924864

That was the tweet bKL Architecture used last week to announce the topping-out celebration at The Van Buren, the 12-story, 148-unit apartment tower they designed for Loukas Development in the Greektown section of the West Loop. As far as we know, there was no party thrown to commemorate the first level of glass being installed on the building, but that’s a big milestone too.

GEMS foundation work includes a tower crane pad

Posted on March 1, 2018 by danieldschell

Sparks fly as the tower crane pad is readied at the GEMS World Academy Upper School.

Caisson work at GEMS World Academy Upper School in Lakeshore East started and finished in the fall. Then, we all settled in for winter. But now that the ground is thawing, Power Construction is back to work on the bKL Architects-designed school.

Will this be the next tower crane erected in March? It sure looks like that pad is just about ready for a stub. That would get Chicago back into the 30s, as long as the crane is fully assembled before any of the topped-out projects bring theirs down. No pressure, Power! (But don’t take 900 West or 465 North Park down too soon…)

The Van Buren is halfway to homes

Posted on February 26, 2018 by danieldschell

The Van Buren, bKL Architecture’s 12-story, 148-unit residential building for Loukas Development the in the West Loop, has risen past the halfway point. Foundation work started in August of last year on the 185,000-square-foot apartment building, a tower crane arrived in the fall, and Lendlease has stacking floors skyward ever since.