Progress Update: Inspire West Town is a wonder of concrete stalagmites

Posted on May 18, 2021 by danieldschell

Took a quick peek at Inspire West Town (670 North May) Monday to see how progress was coming along, and wasn’t disappointed. New growth is shooting up all over. Of course, it *is* spring.

Bond Companies is the developer of this eight-story, 118-unit building, a project designed by FitzGerald, with Global Builders in charge of construction.

Inspire West Town progress, on a gray May day.

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670 North May is on its way

Posted on March 23, 2021 by danieldschell

Hey Chicago. We only have 12 tower cranes in the air right now. I better start paying attention to some of the smaller projects too, while I have the time, or there won’t be much to post.

Here’s one such development, at 670 North May in River West. It’s just getting started. It was issued a foundation permit back in February, and I quote:

FOUNDATION AND PARTIAL SUPERSTRUCTURE PERMIT FOR NEW 113 UNIT, 8 STORY RESIDENTIAL TOWER. SCOPE OF PERMIT INCLUDES ALL UNDERGROUND WORK THROUGH 1ST STORY PODIUM AND 8 STORY CORES. **2019 BUILDING CODE** CONSULTANT REVIEWER: GLOBETROTTERS ENGINEERING

I think what that means is we’ll see all eight floors of elevator core before the rest of the building starts going up. But I could easily be wrong, as I really just take pictures of stuff.

According to that permit, Bond Companies is the developer here, of a project designed by FitzGerald, with Global Builders in charge of construction.

Here’s the presentation from the August 2020 Chicago Plan Commission meeting, when the development was approved. (“Hotel use”?) 1140 West Erie was the name then, as well as the address of the building that was demolished to clear the lot. But you’ll notice “670 North May” on the building in some of the renderings.

Anyway, here are the exciting iPhone shots of the beginnings of foundation work. Yeah, the above renderings are much more exciting, until work amps up.

1001 West Chicago (Spoke) buttons up the exterior

Posted on June 19, 2017 by danieldschell

Spoke, at 1001 West Chicago Avenue, as well as 728 and 738 North Morgan Street. Yeah, it’s big.

Perhaps you’ve heard folks speak of Spoke, the mixed-use development from Bond Companies formerly referred to as 1001 West Chicago, on the grounds of the former Gonnella Baking Company. Though we haven’t Spoken to an official Spokesman for Spoke, it has its own website now, so that name must be official.

I made the Spokes of a Divvy bike go round and round to get up to River West and check on Power Construction’s progress. With the tower crane long gone (Spoke topped out on March 9), glass and brick have taken over the site, and the exterior is close to being finished. The FitzGerald Associates design for the dual-tower project brings 15- and 13-story buildings containing 363 apartments, 300 parking spots, and 10,000 square feet of retail space.

The heavy lifting ain’t over at the topped-out 1001 West Chicago

Posted on March 21, 2017 by danieldschell

The two towers of 1001 West Chicago have reached peak height in River West.

Sure, the highest of the high stuff is lifted at 1001 West Chicago, which celebrated topping out back on March 9th. But there’s still some heavy hoisting to do. If, of course, you consider giant concrete slabs “heavy.” While the tower crane remains on-site, a street crane is handling the podium work.

There’s also the matter of installing windows at the two-tower development by FitzGerald Associates. These are big square windows, as opposed to the full glass walls we’ve been seeing on so many projects. It’s a nice change.

: ALifting a concrete slab for the podium…

: …as another slab awaits its turn.

: Don’t stand there.

: Glass.

: More glass.

: And more glass.

1001 West Chicago goes green

Posted on February 2, 2017 by danieldschell

1001 West Chicago from a passing Metra train.

Both components that make up the two towers of 1001 West Chicago have reached the twelfth floor. And more importantly, both have added some color. And every little splash of it helps in this cloudy, dreary winter. Thanks for that, Power Construction.

1001 West Chicago filling up old Gonnella site

Posted on December 28, 2016 by danieldschell

The pair of towers at 1001 West Chicago rise in River West.

The dual-tower, 363-unit apartment development 1001 West Chicago from Bond Companies and Morgan Holdings keeps rising in River West, as Power Construction crews have reached the eighth and ninth floors on the respective structures, on their way to 15 and 13 stories. Not bad for having only broken ground in September.

The FitzGerald Associates project will also include 10,000 square feet of retail space and parking for 300 cars. Remember, some of that parking is necessary for the retail space, especially considering a grocery store will take some of that allotment.

Gallery I: Construction Progress

Gallery II: Anatomy of a Beam Lift

Construction Update: 1001 West Chicago rises in River West

Posted on October 17, 2016 by danieldschell

1001 West Chicago, with an impressive photobomb by Saint John Cantius, which I hope you visited during Open House Chicago.

1001 West Chicago is rising on the site of the old Gonnella Baking Company site, which is the yeast of the bread puns I could have made. Developed by Bond Companies and Morgan Holdings, designed by Fitzgerald Associates, the dual-tower project will deliver 363 apartments and 10,000 square feet of retail space. Power Construction is on the build.

: Gratuitous tower crane shot.

: Gloomy crane.

1001 West Chicago plants itself a tower crane

Posted on September 14, 2016 by danieldschell

A crane builds a crane at 1001 West Chicago.

If it seems Power Construction is everywhere around Chicago these days, it’s because Power Construction is everywhere around Chicago these days. Tuesday, while most of the crew continued work on the foundations for 1001 West Chicago, the rest of the gang took part in yet another tower crane erection. The design from FitzGerald Associates brings 360 apartments in two mid-rise towers, 10,000 square feet of retail (including a grocery store) and 300 parking spaces for all those residents and shoppers.

: Spotted from the Building Up Chicago HQ.

: NOPE

: Let’s give the non-tower crane a little love. It’s important, too.

: Foundation work continues.

A tower crane juts into the River West sky

Posted on September 13, 2016 by danieldschell

As seen from the Building Up Chicago offices, the new tower crane at 1001 West Chicago.

Crews are assembling Chicago’s latest tower crane at 1001 West Chicago today. The crane was permitted back on August 23. Look for more photos in this space as they become available. (In other words…”when I can get up there to take some.”)

The Tower Crane Permit.

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-apartment mixed-use 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.