First look at what’s coming to 1723 South Michigan

Posted on June 19, 2024 by danieldschell

1723 South Michigan rendering via Gensler.

Gensler has released renderings of the 12-story building under construction at 1723 South Michigan in the South Loop. I hadn’t seen even a hint of what this development was going to look like, so I’m grateful to Gensler for letting us have a peek.

1723 South Michigan started out as a 13-story building when first permitted last year. That’s changed, as of a revised permit issued in January. It’s now a 12-story, 149-unit building with 89 parking spaces built into the first two levels. There is no below-grade parking. There *is* ground-floor retail space, and lots of glass and balconies. What looks like a glass railing along the top of the building gives the appearance of a rooftop deck. We’ll have to wait on that detail.

1723 South Michigan is being built by Brandts Build, with Goebel Forming on concrete. (Not cement. Concrete.) CMK Companies is the developer, and Gensler, of course, is the design architect.

Oh, and those renderings show “1717” on the building. So maybe we’re in for a name change soon on this development. We’ll have more news on that as it…develops.

Revision permit via Chicago Data Portal.

Chicago’s newest tower crane goes to work at 1723 South Michigan

Posted on June 7, 2024 by danieldschell

There’s a new tower crane in town, picking stuff up and setting it back down, and it’s going to send 1723 South Michigan vertical. This 12-story, 149-unit rental building is being developed by CMK Companies. Along with retail space on the ground floor, the first three levels will include 89 parking stalls.

Congratulations to Brandts Build for their first tower crane on my count. Hopefully there will be a couple more one block west when this one’s finished. Shout-out as well to Goebel Forming, the concrete contractor here.

And now, the tower crane photos:

1723 South Michigan gets in on the tower crane fun

Posted on May 21, 2024 by danieldschell

The tower crane stub rises from the construction site at 1723 South Michigan in the South Loop

A tower crane base has been set at the 1723 South Michigan construction site. A long stroll down through the South Loop was timed perfectly, as it appeared the crane base was being planted in concrete Tuesday just before I got there.

Will this tower crane be erected in time to make it onto the June count? We started May with nine. The stub at 220 North Ada in the Fulton Market District and this one could get us to 11, sparing any others being taken down.

1723 South Michigan is a 12-story, 149-unit rental building being developed by CMK Companies. (They also have a couple sites a block west on South Wabash. Those should get going once the South Michigan property is well underway, if not completed.) Along with retail space on the ground floor, the first two levels will include 89 parking stalls.

Gensler is the design architect. Brandts Build is the general contractor, a company I’m adding to my tower crane count for the first time.

Permits received for 1723 South Michigan (they were issued some time ago) include:
Vertical pile — 150 of them — issued 07/11/2023
Foundation/partial superstructure — issued 08/14/2023
Full building — issued 09/05/2023

There is a permit pending for the tower crane; as of Tuesday May 21, that permit has not shown up on the City of Chicago’s issued permits page.

Cool look at demolition of the former 1723 South Michigan via Google.

Foundation/superstructure permit issued 08/14/2023

1400 South Wabash hits the teens in Chicago’s South Loop

Posted on August 24, 2022 by danieldschell

I haven’t posted an update at 1400 South Wabash since May? That’s barely tolerable, if not entirely unacceptable. Let’s fix that now, as there’s been a lot of progress by Lendlease and Pepper Construction here. Looks like they’ve reached level 14-ish.

Some reminders:
Developer – CMK Companies
Design Architect – Pappageorge Haymes Partners
General Contractor – Lendlease
Concrete Contractor – Pepper Construction
30 stories
299 apartments
155 parking spaces
3,300 square feet of ground-level retail space
Scheduled opening – early 2023
Quirky-but-true fact – Green and Orange line trains practically run right through the parking deck

Enjoying the photos? Metra and CTA rides (and Amtrak trains to Milwaukee), Zipcars, Divvy Bikes, camera lenses, domain fees, snacks & energy drinks, and comfortable walking shoes add up. You can help offset expenses by making a greatly-appreciated donation to Building Up Chicago.

Progress Photos: 1400 South Wabash

Posted on May 24, 2022 by danieldschell

1400 South Wabash has gone 3D

Posted on April 14, 2022 by danieldschell

You don’t have to be up in the sky to watch progress at 1400 South Wabash anymore. Construction has risen above street level, on its way to 30 stories and 299 units. That’s Lendlease and Pepper Construction sending the Pappageorge Haymes Partners design onward and upward.

1400 South Wabash: An insider’s view

Posted on March 30, 2022 by danieldschell

Hey, do you all remember that time I posted a photo of 1400 South Wabash sent to me by Chad Czerwinski at Pepper Construction? Of course you do, because it was yesterday.

Well, I just hit the jackpot. Or Chadpot, if you will. Because Chad sent over a whole slew of photos documenting the early stages of construction, beginning February 2 and continuing through this past week.

There are some BIG files in the following gallery, all courtesy of Chad, but they’re fantastic images, so I included them all.

Thanks again SO MUCH, Chad!

1400 South Wabash rises beneath Chicago’s newest tower crane

Posted on March 29, 2022 by danieldschell

Chad Czerwinski from Pepper Construction sent over this photo, looking down at the first signs of three-dimensionalness (it’s a word now) at 1400 South Wabash.

Chicago’s newest tower crane is at 1400 South Wabash, and it’s just beginning to send this new South Loop tower vertical.

A 30-story tower from CMK Companies, 1400 South Wabash will deliver 299 rental apartments to the neighborhood. If “CMK” and “South Wabash” sound like a familiar combination, then you’ve heard of Coeval, they’re recently-opened development on the east side of Wabash.

Lendlease is the general contractor on 1400 South Wabash, with the assist on concrete by the aforementioned Pepper Construction. Pappageorge Haymes Partners is the design architect.

There are two permits issued here: the foundation permit came through 11/30/2021, and the ever-important tower crane permit was issued 1/20/2022. The crane was erected a couple weeks ago, which Chad also documented on his Linkedin page.

Imprint raises the glass, drops the crane

Posted on March 9, 2020 by danieldschell

Move along, folks. No tower cranes to see here.

Make it 17.

One of Chicago’s 18 March tower cranes is already gone, with Imprint (717 South Clark) now topped out and craneless. The good news is, we won’t have to wait long to replace that 18th crane, and add a 19th. But more on that later.

As you can see in the photos, curtain wall progress is inching toward the top of the 30-story Imprint. A Spring 2020 opening is planned, though not all units will be available for immediate occupancy in the spring. Click on the Imprint link and you’ll see what’s gonna be ready when.

Stuff That’s Done: Coeval

Posted on February 13, 2020 by danieldschell

Coeval has two addresses: 51 East 14th St. and 1419 South Wabash. Ave

I had surgery on a knee as a young adult. I was fascinated by the effects of anesthesia. One moment after drifting off to sleep, my eyes popped open in the recovery room. To me, the surgery happened faster than the snap of the fingers. Like time travel in Back To The Future.

Those questionable analogies are a means of explaining Coeval. I stopped by 14th and Wabash twice; once during demolition of 1415 South Wabash, and once as the rolling crane was being set up on the freshly-demoed lot. The third time I visited, this past week, Coeval was open. Heck, I didn’t even know it was called Coeval until now. If only construction could be instantaneous like that.

Coeval is a two-towered apartment development from CMK Companies. Consisting of a 14-story tower to the north, and a 10-story tower to the south, the project contains about 260 units in total. It was designed by Pappageorge Haymes Partners and built by Clark Construction. It opened to residents last summer.