Darn Near Done: North Union’s 868 North Wells

Posted on March 9, 2024 by danieldschell

868 South Wells, the second tower at North Union, is Darn Near Done

The thing about taking a break is that projects in the middle of construction suddenly seem completed when you miss a few months. Take 868 North Wells. I blinked, and now there’s no more tower crane, the glass is full to the top, and there isn’t much left to see.

Granted, I did stop by North Union a few times in late summer, but didn’t get around to posting photos. So what the heck. Let’s post some photos from visits in August and September of 2023, and a few of the Darn Near Done tower from March 2024, starting with the most recent.

Congrats to the development team on topping out at 868:

JDL Development – Developer
Intercontinental Real Estate – Co-Developer
Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture – Design Architect
Power Construction – General Contractor

868’s permit history:

Foundation – issued 09/06/2022
Tower crane – issued 10/12/2022
Full building – issued 01/04/2023
Hoist – issued 03/03/2023
Tower crane phase 2 – issued 04/06/2023

And finally, photos from my last 4 visits to 868 North Wells:

March 2024:

September 2023:

August 2023:

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 using the form below.

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Topped-out, craneless, fully-clad 920 North Wells updates

Posted on March 30, 2023 by danieldschell

A CTA train passes 920 North Wells and the tower crane at 868 North Wells, Feb 2023

I have another 2-fer to throw your way, without leaving North Union.

Here are progress photos of the topped-out, fully-glazed 920 North Wells, North Union’s first tower. Almost the same team as today’s earlier 868 North Wells post, including JDL Development, design architect Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, and general contractor Power Construction, but with Adjustable Concrete as the concrete contractor.

First set of photos are the more recent, from March 29. Second set was taken February 26.

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A pair of visits to 868 North Wells as North Union brings more apartments to the Near North Side

Posted on March 30, 2023 by danieldschell

Moon and tower crane over 868 North Wells, 2/26/2023.

Know what’s great about procrastination? It means you get two updates within a single space.

868 North Wells is the second phase of JDL Development’s sprawling North Union project on the Near North Side. I stopped by here in September when caissons got started, then didn’t come back until February 26. And even then, I took a bunch of photos, yet posted nothing. But today, I shall make up for that, as you not only get to see those February photos, but also a new set of pictures taken March 29. The added benefit, of course, is getting to see and compare progress without leaving this page. Because I like you. Stay awhile.

General contractor Power Construction, with an assist from concrete contractor McHugh Concrete, has elevated all of 868 above street level, rising to the second floor overall. I’m going to guess the concrete core is about about the fifth floor. They’ll eventually rise to 27 stories containing 411 units. Around the back, there’s another project going up to five stories, but I couldn’t begin to tell you where one ends and the other begins.

Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture designed this one, just as they did Phase One of North Union, 920 North Wells.

All the big permits are official for 868 North Wells, including:

foundations permitted 9/6/22
tower crane permitted 10/12/22
full building permitted 1/4/23
hoist permitted 3/3/23

Below, you’ll find both sets of photos, with the more recent edition first (920 North Wells makes several cameos):

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920 North Wells is Flying

Posted on September 12, 2022 by danieldschell

I took these photos on Wednesday last week. At the rate it’s going, 920 North Wells might be done by now. AT the very least, there’s likely another full floor done.

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North Union II/III get started at 868 North Wells

Posted on September 8, 2022 by danieldschell

One of the first caissons for 868 North Wells at North Union.

One day after getting a foundation permit for the next two buildings at North Union, crews were drilling holes in the earth and filling them with concrete at 868 North Wells Street in Near North.

That single permit issued Tuesday allows Power Construction and Keller North America to work on two structures here: a 27-story residential tower with 411 units, and a five-story building with 23 units. (JDL Development shows a 25-story tower, so we’ll assume the two extra floors are the two below-grade parking levels mentioned in the permit, which includes 129 spaces. They also show 428 units instead of 411; we’ll just wait and see how many there will be when the dust settles and the appliances are installed.)

As they were for North Union’s first tower, a block north at 920 North Wells, Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture is the design architect. McHugh Concrete joins the team as concrete contractor.

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Going up, and going, going, gone — 920 and 868 North Wells at North Union

Posted on August 24, 2022 by danieldschell

868 North Wells has been reduced to rubble, while 920 North Wells has produced up to the fifth-floor slab, at JDL Development’s sprawling North Union project.

Here are the pics from last week (they could well be on the sixth floor by now):

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920 North Wells rises above street level as demolition continues for North Union next door

Posted on August 5, 2022 by danieldschell

The North Union megadevelopment from JDL Development is now evidenced in two locations. 920 North Wells, the first building to get started, has risen above street level. At 868 North Wells one block to the south, demolition is underway to clear space for another residential tower. 868 will be a 25-story building with 428 units and 12,000 square feet of retail space.

The most fun thing about this is you get two galleries; one for 920 construction by Power Construction, and one for 868 demolition by Atlas Industries. It’s like getting extra free stuff with the free stuff you already got.

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The first of many North Union tower cranes is up at 920 North Wells

Posted on June 21, 2022 by danieldschell

Not only is the tower crane up at 920 North Wells, but there’s construction fencing up in the next block south on Wells Street. Call it 868 North Wells or 210 West Chestnut, but you better call it soon, because that fence means demolition is imminent for the former Irwin A Moon building on the Moody Bible Institute campus. Demolishing it will make room for 878 North Wells, the 25-story, 428-unit second tower on JDL Development’s North Union agenda. All we need do now is watch for the demo permit.

Tower crane enthusiasts are salivating.

Today’s gallery is a two-fer. You get to see 920’s brand-spankin’-new tower crane, and you get a few shots thrown in of 868 before its demise. Sorry I wasn’t patient enough to wait for the sun to show up. Enjoy.

920 North Wells tower crane 1 — From the L

920 North Wells tower crane 2 — From the L

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920 North Wells, in serious Not Messing Around mode, plants a tower crane

Posted on June 7, 2022 by danieldschell

The way 920 North Wells keeps crashing through milestones, I’m worried if I blink, it’ll be done. Its latest trick is planting the tower crane stub, which was permitted May 17. Keep an eye out, as it’s likely, the way things are going, for the tower crane to be completely erected by the end of this week.

In the meantime, have a whole mess o’ photos of a tower crane base at a construction site. (iPhones come in handy for peeking over fences)

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920 North Wells scores North Union’s first tower crane permit as caissons wrap up

Posted on May 22, 2022 by danieldschell

It took <check’s sun dial> less than two weeks for Power Construction and Stalworth Underground to get caissons drilled at 920 North Wells. I’ve left dirty dishes in the sink for longer than that. Regularly. But there’s no time to be wasted on JDL Development’s latest endeavor, the North Union mega project, so it’s out with caisson equipment, and in with the earth movers. They’ve got a foundation to dig out, not just for the building, but also for the tower crane, and Manitowoc MD485 to be precise, which received a foundation permit of its own on Tuesday, May 17.

Since I once again fell asleep on the job, the following gallery includes photos of caisson work taken May 12, and post-caisson work taken May 19.