Lendlease drops the tower crane at 1101 South Wabash

Posted on May 21, 2018 by danieldschell

The tower crane sinks below the top of the 2 Hiltons in the South Loop. You know that means doom.

The Hilton Homewood Suites and Hilton Garden Inn aren’t finished yet, but the tower crane is. We got word last week that the tower crane would be removed any day now, and sure enough, crews from Central Contractors Service, Lendlease, and Pepper Construction (as the concrete contractor, it’s technically their crane) were out there Sunday, taking sections down and hauling them off the site.

There remains quite a bit of work to do to make this tower a hotel. Or two. But now the heavy lifting will be up to the skip hoist.

Twelve01West lights up the West Loop sky

Posted on March 7, 2018 by danieldschell

More of this, Chicago!

Dear McCaffery Interests:

I can not thank you enough for the Glowing Tower Crane at Twelve01West.

That is all.

Love, Chicago & I

cc: Central Contractors Service

Twelve01West wins The Great March Tower Crane Race

Posted on March 5, 2018 by danieldschell

In the distance, a tower crane rises at Twelve01West.

Maybe it wasn’t so great after all, if it’s already decided this early in the month.

Last week I speculated that March’s first tower crane would be erected at GEMS World Academy Upper School, since there had just been a stub planted on the Lakeshore East site. Little did I know that a stub had earlier been planted on the Twelve01West site at 1201 West Lake Street in the West Loop. Over the weekend, Central Contractors Service was over there assembling the tower crane. By my count, that would be Chicago’s 35th tower crane of 2018, and the fourth crane currently in the air for W.E. O’Neil.

The University of Illinois at Chicago has its own tower crane

Posted on February 28, 2018 by danieldschell

Central Contractors Service was on the UIC campus Tuesday, schooling the masses on proper tower-crane assembly procedures.

What a teaching tool it could be, that big yellow tower crane across the street from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Higher learning, or something like that.

Anyway, tower-crane assembly at the academic/residential complex UIC is building on West Harrison Street between Peoria and Morgan began Monday, and Tuesday saw the jib lifted into place. A few gears and cables will be attended to Wednesday, and it should be ready to go as we enter March.

This marks Pepper Construction’s first tower crane in town since they removed the self-erecting crane from the Moxy Hotel job in River North.

Normally, the photo gallery below would include the building permit for that shiny yellow crane. However, this project isn’t being built on city land. Therefore, the City of Chicago doesn’t issue any permits at all for it. UIC is responsible for making sure the tower crane is erected properly and safely.

: The rebar is for a different job.

Chicago’s 62nd (and final?) tower crane of 2017 is up at Belmont Village

Posted on December 8, 2017 by danieldschell

This shiny red tower crane is ready to lift heavy stuff at Belmont Village.

Unless you’re a big Tunch Ilkin fan, the number 62 might not mean all that much to you. But it’s somewhat of a landmark here in Chicago, as we’ve reached 62 tower cranes for the year.

And while we still have a stub planted in the ground (at Hayden West Loop) we don’t have a date on that tower crane going up, so Belmont Village may very well be our final tower crane of the year.

Chicago surpassed its all-time high (heh — high) in tower cranes back in September, when the Mayor’s office announced we’d erected our 54th crane of the year. But we didn’t stop there.

The crane at Belmont Village, the 7-story senior living facility being built at 700 West Fullerton, marks the third tower crane for The Lincoln Common, GC W.E. O’Neil, and for Lincoln Park. They make a handsome trio.

If indeed this is our final tower crane of 2017, it deserves a big photo gallery of assembly. So here you go, taken over the course of three days (Dec 6-8)

3833 North Broadway puts up Chicago’s 61st tower crane of 2017

Posted on November 28, 2017 by danieldschell

A pretty sight at the 3833 North Broadway site, as DLG Management erects a tower crane.

We all made a big deal earlier this month about Chicago reaching 60 tower cranes for this calendar year, but that doesn’t mean we can’t erect any more of them. Just ask 3833 Broadway, the Jonathan Splitt Architects-designed, 8-story, 134-unit residential project from DLG Management at the intersection of North Broadway and West Sheridan Road.

I was up there Friday morning, and the tower crane wasn’t complete yet. But another visit Monday showed Central Contractors Service putting the finishing touches on the pretty yellow Liebherr 316 EC-H 12 Litronic machine. As they’re providing their own general contractor service as well, this marks DLG’s first entry into our Chicago Tower Crane count, so congratulations!

Here are a few (it’s never just a few) shots from Friday and Monday:

: 1

The second tower crane is coming down at McDonald’s HQ

Posted on November 17, 2017 by danieldschell

Piece by piece, the West Crane at McDonald’s new HQ is coming down.

West Crane at the new McDonald’s Headquarters in the West Loop was the first one to work, and now it’s the last one to go home. Of the two tower cranes, that is.

The two cranes were erected about a week apart back in February, did what McHugh Construction needed them to do, and East Crane came down back in September. West Crane stuck around to get the last of the heavy lifting accomplished, but this week sees it leaving the site as well. Trucks and personnel from Central Contractors Service were out there Thursday disassembling the second Peiner SK415 and lowering it to the ground.

With a stub in the ground at Hayden West Loop but no crane assembled there yet, the West Loop tower crane count drops to 7, tying it with the South Loop for the neighborhood lead. It’ll get it back soon though.

No time to celebrate #33, as Tower Crane #34 goes up in the West Loop

Posted on October 2, 2017 by danieldschell

The gang’s all here, as Leopardo Companies, Adjustable Forms, and Central Contractors Service set up the tower crane at 210 North Carpenter.

The West Loop is in a full-fledged tower-crane frenzy these days, and it won’t let up any time soon. We’ve barely had time to enjoy Tower Crane #33 in Chicago (raised over the weekend at 900 West) and already #34 is being erected, at Sterling Bay’s 210 North Carpenter.

This will be Chicago’s 57th tower crane of 2017, and the seventh crane operating currently in the West Loop.

Crews from Leopardo Companies, Adjustable Forms, and Central Contractors Service are all on site today, getting the Manitowoc MD485 set up, less than a week after the permit was issued, and only five days after the stub was planted in the ground.

: The cab was trucked in early this morning.

: The stub was planted Thursday.

: Crane parts await assembly on Randolph Street.

: Another crane will sit right next to the CTA Green and Pink Line L tracks.

It’s time to go vertical, as the Hoxton Chicago erects a tower crane

Posted on September 25, 2017 by danieldschell

Chicago’s newest tower crane is at the Hoxton Chicago hotel in the West Loop.

The Hoxton Chicago hotel in the West Loop can start shooting upward toward its 12-story goal, now that Power Construction has installed a shiny new tower crane to do the heavy lifting. Power and Central Contractors Service spent most of the weekend putting up the Peiner SK-415 beauty on the lot at Lake and Green Streets in the ridiculously busy Fulton Market District.

The GREC-designed hotel got its tower crane permit from the City of Chicago back on August 4, so we had to wait awhile for this one. And, as usual, it was worth the wait.

: This is the view from the upper level of the Morgan Street L platform.

: Epic backdrop.

: Also a pretty decent backdrop.

: Sears Tower visitors had the best views over the weekend.

: The view from the Clinton L platform.

: The foundations looks to be shored up.

It’s Craning Day Part II at The Lincoln Common

Posted on September 18, 2017 by danieldschell

North Crane’s stub is set in its foundation, and the rest of the crane is being erected starting today.

Out at The Lincoln Common in Lincoln Park. W. E. O’Neil and Central Contractors Service are back at it again, erecting the second tower crane for the dual-20-story-tower mixed-use project from Hines and McCaffery Interests.

The site was blessed with a pair of tower-crane permits back in July and August. The South Crane (The permits call them “East” and “West.” This is a struggle for me.) was erected in late August. And this morning, work is starting on the North Crane. Funny, North got its permit first, yet was erected after South, but that means nothing at all, so it isn’t worth mentioning, even though I did anyway.

As for construction itself, the south tower is starting to go vertical, with the core reaching above street level. Meanwhile, the north tower area is still mostly underground. You’ll notice, in particular, the tower-crane foundation is well below street level. Which is further proof this will be a fascinating site to watch.