Construction Update: 151 North Franklin

Posted on December 16, 2016 by danieldschell

The tower crane that isn’t a tower crane at 151 North Franklin still soars high above Randolph Street.

I missed the memo that said 151 North Franklin would be growing like a weed in spring, despite Chicago heading into winter. On the lot that only yesterday still seemed to anchor that worn-out old Walgreen’s store, the future CNA Center already appears to be about 18 stories into the sky. You can credit Lendlease for that miracle growth, for even in Thursday’s inhuman temperatures, there was still a construction crew on site. That’s not just a core shooting up through the center of The John Buck Company’s 820,000-square-foot office tower, that’s hard-core.

Here are a few shots on 151 North Franklin, which has outgrown all the adjacent parking garages, and their prime vantage points.

: Lendlease. Still Flying The W!

: last time we stopped by here, there were tower crane pieces awaiting assembly.

3Eleven doesn’t have glass yet. Or does it?

Posted on December 9, 2016 by danieldschell

A lone panel of glass adorns 3Eleven, at 311 West Illinois Street in River North.

You know that one guy who keeps showing up for work, so you find a job for him somewhere he can be on his own, out of the way, even though you don’t have anything for him to do? Meet the lone glass panel at 3Eleven in River North.

3Eleven has risen 8-10 stories high in River North, just enough to start rendering the parking garage next door obsolete for construction photos. And though it’s clearly too soon (or is it) to begin the curtain wall, there is one piece of glass securely fastened to the north wall. Some sort of place-holder, I presume.

You surely recall that 3Eleven is a development from the John Buck Company, featuring 25 stories of 245 apartments, and 3,000 square feet of retail space. There will also be parking, some for the apartments, and some set aside for the exclusive use of Assumption Catholic Church, from which the lot was purchased. The design is by FitzGerald Associates Architects; Power Construction is doing the heavy lifting.

: Lone glass, nighttime edition.

: it would be cool to have food delivered straight to your window like this.

Construction Progress: 151 North Franklin

Posted on October 28, 2016 by danieldschell

Kudos to Lendlease; they #FlyTheW while they #FlyTheIron.

The CNA Center, 151 North Franklin Street in the Loop. A 35-story office tower with 820,000 rentable square feet.

Enough words. More pictures.

3Eleven grows, and Assumption Catholic Church gets a new story

Posted on October 13, 2016 by danieldschell

3Eleven, at 311 West Illinois Street in River North, being constructed on what used to be the parking lot of Assumption Catholic Church.

Progress continues on the 25-story apartment tower 3Eleven in River North. The future home of 245 “luxury” rentals, 3,000 square feet of retail, and 109 parking spaces by the John Buck Company broke ground back in June in the parking lot of Assumption Catholic Church. 3Eleven is a design by FitzGerald Associates Architects. Power Construction is doing the build.

A related project to this is the one-story addition Assumption Church is getting to the priory on the west end of the lot. The architecture firm of McBride Kelley Baurer Architects designed the priory portion; Norcon is the general contractor for the addition.

: The single-story addition to the priory at Assumption Catholic Church.

Quick Look: Crews climbing the walls to get back to work at 3Eleven

Posted on September 12, 2016 by danieldschell

Power Construction crew gets busy after a weekend off at 3Eleven.

Some of us are better at relaxing than others. Some take a couple days off for the weekend reluctantly, and pace and fidget until Monday morning arrives, and they can get back to the work week.

Like these guys, climbing the walls to get back at it on the 3Eleven construction site.

151 North Franklin gets crankin’

Posted on September 3, 2016 by danieldschell

The core of the CNA Center has reached the top of the 7-story garage next door. So I’m gonna say it’s about 7 stories high right now.

Admittedly, I became so infatuated with that funky tower crane at the new CNA Center, at 151 North Franklin Street in The Loop, that I forgot to notice how much of the core had risen from the earth. Then, all of a sudden, there it was, right in front of me.

General contractor Lendlease looks to be having a wonderful time pouring concrete and hammering lumber and such. I went ahead and took some pictures, figuring you wouldn’t mind seeing them…

: I strongly suggest stopping by when the sun i hitting it.

: That funky tower crane setup.

: Sorry for the vertigo.

Another day, another tower crane. This time, it’s 3Eleven

Posted on August 17, 2016 by danieldschell

Another shiny yellow crane is shooting up through the ground in Chicago.

This one’s at 3Eleven in River North. They planted a seedling last week, and darned if that thing hasn’t thrived in the rich soil at 311 West Illinois Street. There is no physical evidence to suggest it has anything to do with being sewn right up against Assumption Catholic Church, but then again, there’s an equal amount of evidence to disprove that theory.

: Wasting no time. The stub went in the ground just last week.

: Not bad for having my eyes closed.

: Looking down…

: …and up.

: Yellow cranes building yellow cranes. And all is well.

: From the L.

: For now, it shares the view with Centrum Hubbard caisson equipment.

With caissons sunk, 3Eleven preps for a tower crane

Posted on August 11, 2016 by danieldschell

The tell-tale sign of a future tower crane, at 3Eleven

Revcon Construction has hauled away most of its caisson equipment, leaving the site at 311 West Illinois Street to Power Construction to start building the 24-story apartment tower from The John Buck Company.

A tower crane permit was filed for 3Eleven waaaay back on June 21. And now, we know where it’s going to stand: in the “back right” (southwest) corner of the lot. Expect the stub to be planted any day now.

: The tower crane foundation.

: The lot is a blank canvas again.

: Caisson equipment being hauled away Wednesday morning.

: See those guys hidden behind the truck? Yep, they’re setting the tower crane foundation.

That sure looks like a real tower crane at 151 North Franklin

Posted on August 1, 2016 by danieldschell

So it’s not rooted into the ground. Big deal. This one may be even better, because of that glorious steel truss anchoring it above street level.

151 North Franklin, the new CNA Center in The Loop, started putting up its tower crane this weekend. And while the permit only costs half as much as your standard tower crane permit, it’s full-price-impressive.

Standing on the southwest corner of Franklin & Randolph.

Lendlease, the general contractor for the office tower, will have the luxury of reaching across 4 different blocks if need be. Though I doubt that will be necessary. Or even encouraged. But yes, this monster stretches across the corner of Franklin and Randolph. (It’d be kinda fun to pluck cars from the corner parking lot and put them atop the the parking deck at 200 West Randolph. But that might be why I’m not allowed to operate cranes.)

WARNING: This is a lot of pictures of a tower crane. But when you see it being assembled, you can’t just walk away.

: Tower crane parts on the Kennedy Expressway Sunday, bound for 151 North Franklin.

: Truss me, this is awesome.

: Counterweight lift.

: Looking east on Randolph Street.

: Dude….

: They were lifting weights this morning.

: Seems like a good workout.

: Setting counterweights in place.

Quick Look: Steel stealing the spotlight at 151 North Franklin

Posted on July 27, 2016 by danieldschell

Construction at 151 North Franklin is rising above street level, highlighted by the steel on the south side of the lot.

I’m kind of obsessed with this steel work going on right now at 151 North Franklin. It reminds me of the glorious contraption on the south end of 150 North Riverside when it first went up. Sadly, the CNA Center requires no massive red crane on a barge.

: Ready for your close-up?

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