Construction Update: Blue Plate Catering

Posted on September 28, 2016 by danieldschell

Progress continues in the Fulton Market District on the new Blue Plate Catering facility.

Way off in the outer reaches of the Fulton Market District, Blue Plate Catering continues working on a recipe for its new facility. The caterer is leaving the current site at 1061 West Van Buren once construction has wrapped up on the three-story project that will house its corporate offices, the catering kitchen, and a commercial commissary. The design is by Jonathan Splitt Architects. 41 North Contractors of Lisle, IL is the general contractor.

Could Blue Plate be getting new neighbors just across Fulton Street? It’s already being built right next to Fulton West, and Wednesday morning, Ryan Ori of Crain’s Chicago Business reported that a new 18-story, 300-unit apartment building is proposed for 1375 West Fulton. Stay tuned. This quiet section of the far West Loop is no longer so quiet.

Construction Update: Fulton West adds glass

Posted on September 28, 2016 by danieldschell

Fulton West, now with windows installed.

Fulton West, the nine-story, 290,00-square-foot office building from Sterling Bay, has reached another milestone in the West Loop. And since it’s also reached its full height, that means the tower crane’s days at 1330 West Fulton are numbered.

Leopardo Construction crews have been installing glass along the south facing of the part renovation, part new construction project. Designed by Gensler, the development will include 600 parking spots, plus 20,000 square feet of green space. Sterling Bay plans to have Fulton West open in Spring 2017.

: The new glass on Fulton West, from a distance.

: That tower crane might be gone soon.

: The back of Fulton West. Yet strangely, not called “Fulton North”.

Ironwork as artwork at 312 North Carpenter

Posted on August 29, 2016 by danieldschell

The artwork of ironwork, at 312 North Carpenter.

New York City’s Madison Capital is renovating its three-story building at 312 North Carpenter in the Fulton Market District. And while the front still looks like an old brick facade in desperate need of some fixing up, the rear of the building is nothing short of an iron work of art.

LG Construction is the general contractor for the 312 project, designed by Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, which includes some demolition work of the building next door at 328 North Carpenter, allowing 312 to be more accessible for renovation. (Madison Capital owns both properties.) A permit was filed back in February to, and I quote (copy, actually…)

RENOVATIONS AND ADDITION TO EXISTING 3 STORY OFFICE AND MERCANTILE BUILDING. CONVERT 1ST FLOOR RETAIL, 2ND AND THIRD FLOOR INTO OFFICE SPACE. 3 STORY ADDITION, ROOFTOP AMENITY DECK TO BE ADDED IN PLACE OF DEMOLISHED 1 STORY WAREHOUSE AS PER PLANS

**Some emergency demo work was necessary back in September when a large portion at the back of the structure collapsed (see the DNAInfo story here.)**

: The Carpenter Street frontage of 312 North Carpenter.

: 328 North Carpenter in the foreground. Madison Capital’s website shows big plans for that structure as well.

: 312 and 328 North Carpenter Street.

: The emergency demolition permit, filed when a portion of the building collapsed.

: The renovation permit.

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The bricks hit the wall at Fulton West

Posted on August 29, 2016 by danieldschell

The front of Fulton West is bricked in, up to the setback.

Fulton West is looking a lot less like an old skeleton, and a lot more like its renderings. Sterling Bay is developing Fulton West, which will provide 290,000 square feet of office space and 610 parking spots to the Fulton Market District.

Leopardo Construction crews have added five additional floors to the existing 4-story structure, and now some major brick work covers the facades. The Gensler-designed office building is destined for an April 2017 opening.

: From the northwest corner of Fulton and Ada.

: Admit it. This rendering from Sterling Bay is starting to resemble the actual work taking place at Fulton West.

: Gratuitous south facade with tower crane shot.

: Is this a means to go up? or a way to come down? I’m guessing the ladder.

: Duct work around back.

: The west facade is in on the brick act too.

On The Blue Plate Catering Menu: New Digs

Posted on July 13, 2016 by danieldschell

Construction is ongoing at the new Blue Plate Catering facility, seen here from the corner of Fulton and Ada Streets.

Blue Plate Catering, recognized nationally for being a top-notch caterer, is in the process of serving up a new facility in West Town. Currently located at 1061 West Van Buren Street, a location rumored to be in line for redevelopment, Blue Plate’s new building is at 305 North Ogden Avenue. The quadrilateral-shaped lot (yes, I had to Google that) is bounded by Ogden and Carroll Avenues, and Market and Ada Streets.

The future site is a combination renovation/new construction, with permits from the City of Chicago categorized only as renovations. While fixing up an older single-story structure, Blue Plate is erecting a three-story facility that will house its corporate offices, the catering kitchen, and a commercial commissary. There will be 25 on-site parking spaces included, as well as, I assume, plenty of space for Blue Plate’s catering fleet. The foundation permit was issued in October of 2015; the full-build permit followed in February of this year. The design is by Jonathan Splitt Architects. 41 North Contractors of Lisle, IL is the general contractor.

: Looking past the one-story brick renovation at the three-story new construction.

: Blue Plate Catering, with Fulton West rising in the background.

Fulton West Takes It Up a Level

Posted on June 16, 2016 by danieldschell

Leopardo Construction crews work atop Fulton West.

Take more than two steps anywhere in the Fulton Market District, and you’ll find signs, both literal and figurative, of Sterling Bay’s presence. In its own words, that’s how the west is getting done.

A rendering of Fulton West.

One of Sterling Bay’s latest and most noticeable projects is Fulton West, a combination of renovation and new construction going on now at 1330 West Fulton Street. From the remains of a three-story parking structure, the Gensler Chicago office has designed a nine-story, 290,000-square-foot office building slated for an April 2017 opening. Over 600 parking spaces will be included, plus 20,000 square feet of green space.

Fulton West also boasts one of the longest tower cranes on the Chicago construction scene, a necessity for overall reach, what with the crane being rooted in the “back” (northeast) corner of the project. As you can see from the photo above, that crane has already helped Leopardo Construction crews add a fourth floor to the existing base.

: A rather raw Fulton West site in March.

: One early demo project centered on this “notch” along Fulton Street.

: “The Notch”

: Leopardo crews went to work making the notch larger.

: Notch demolition.

: By May, The Notch was considerably larger.

: But today, The Notch has been filled in, creating a continuous facade along Fulton Street.

: That huge tower crane.

: Seriously, it’s a massive tower crane.

: The tower crane rises from the northeast corner of the construction site. Its length is necessary to reach all sections.

: More demo work on the existing structure as renovation got underway.

: March demo work.

: Ouch. That had to hurt.

Foundation Equipment Standing By at 171 Aberdeen

Posted on June 10, 2016 by danieldschell

I don’t know how much it costs per day to have one of those pretty yellow Hayward Baker machines in your lot, in this case the lot being 171 North Aberdeen Street, but I’m guessing Novak Construction would like to put it to good use sooner rather than later.

The latest project from MCZ Development and designed by Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, 171 Aberdeen promises 75 luxury apartments, 15,000 square feet of retail space, 40,000 square feet of office space, and up to 140 parking spots at the corner of Lake and Aberdeen Streets in the molten-lava-hot Fulton Market neighborhood.

Curiously, there’s a permit on file with the City of Chicago. But it’s a foundation permit for a tower crane. That seems a tad cart-before-horse-ish to me, but it’s happened before. Novak Construction, the general contractor on 171 Aberdeen, will get to work as soon as the city says “go.”

Here’s the tower crane permit, displayed at the 171 Aberdeen work site.

And here’s a rendering from MCZ Development of the finished 171 Aberdeen.

All that prime tagging canvas will be gone once 171 Aberdeen construction gets rolling.

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