Heneghan Wrecking is tearing out concrete slabs at the old Finkl Steel site

Posted on September 8, 2017 by danieldschell

Heneghan Wrecking is tearing up and hauling off the concrete slabs that remain at the old Finkl Steel site.

This blog has no inside information on what exactly Sterling Bay has in store for its recently-purchased* Finkl Steel site. But we’re heartened by activity, as Heneghan Wrecking is back on site, removing the concrete slabs from the empty lots, virtually all that remains of the once-mighty steel yard.

DNAInfo? That’s another story. They *do* have some inkling of what could be coming, and they posted about it back in July here.

*While still at Crain’s, Ryan Ori reported on the Finkl site deal late in 2016. And then the Chicago Tribune’s Ryan Ori reported in July about Sterling Bay adding even more land to its portfolio.

Whatever is coming, it can’t get started without wiping the slate clean of the Finkl remnants. That’s what Heneghan is up to. Does it mean new construction is imminent? That remains to be seen. But we can hope.

: A last reminder of the Finkl Steel site.

: I’d like to have this for my office.

W.E. O’Neil erecting Chicago’s 31st tower crane at The Lincoln Common

Posted on August 25, 2017 by danieldschell

The Lincoln Common south tower crane makes its appearance in the Lincoln Park skyline.

It’s almost here.

Chicago’s 31st (and, eventually, 32nd) tower crane is just about ready to lift the heavy stuff at The Lincoln Common in Lincoln Park. W. E. O’Neil and Central Contractors Service have been on the site since Wednesday setting up the South Tower Crane. That means crew members are climbing around at scary heights, fastening what needs to be fastened, tightening what needs to be tightened. By the looks of progress, there’s no reason to believe Southy won’t be operational for work on Monday.

Still no sign of North Tower Crane, but I don’t want to sound greedy. We can just enjoy one for now.

: Sorry folks, street’s closed. The moose out front shoulda told ya.

First of two tower cranes begins at The Lincoln Common

Posted on August 24, 2017 by danieldschell

The south tower crane starts to rise at The Lincoln Common, seen from the Fullerton “L” platform.

On the red, purple, or brown line today? Take a look to the east from the Fullerton station, and you’ll see the first of two tower cranes being erected at The Lincoln Common. That’s where I spotted it from, because for some reason, I wasn’t staring at my phone as we pulled up. I jumped out and walked over to take a look.

And Twitter noticed. Users @kgburke3 andi @ChiBuildings (too early for a #FollowFriday? You should be following Chicago Cityscape for all things Chicago development) pointed out the street closure of North Lincoln Avenue between Belden and Fullerton Avenues through Friday for the big event.

https://twitter.com/ChiBuildings/status/900581897985810432

https://twitter.com/kgburke3/status/900526288670216192

There’s still a lot of foundation work going on for this dual-tower, 540-unit mixed use project. W.E. O’Neil is the general contractor, and they’ve got a busy site in the works. You’ll see that in the photos below. No word yet though on when to expect the north tower crane to arrive.

: The closed-off Lincoln Avenue.

: Tower crane in the distance, sheeting work up front.

Uplifting news: Two towers, two tower cranes at The Lincoln Common

Posted on August 5, 2017 by danieldschell

Caisson work at The Lincoln Common will include foundations for TWO tower cranes.

Friday was a busy day for important permits in Chicago.

You read in our August tower crane update that The Lincoln Common would soon be on the board with a tower crane for one of the two 20-story, 269-unit apartment towers going up on the site. Well, the City of Chicago just doubled down on that wager, permitting a second tower crane for the site.

We’ll need to work out some names for these. For now, the city’s permits dub them “East” and “West.” But since they’re in position to build the north and south (2335 and 2345 North Lincoln Ave) towers, we may need to use “North” and South” for them. Or, perhaps the cranes will share duties on each tower, as opposed to being dedicated to one single building. Minor details. East Crane and West Crane will suffice for now.

This means W.E. O’Neil will not only get on the board; they’ll storm it. And their two tower cranes will make up for the recent losses at Elevate Lincoln Park and the DePaul School of Music. And don’t forget, we could get a crane across the street when the Belmont Village senior-living facility gets rolling. Tower cranes galore for Lincoln Park.

East Crane

West Crane

Caisson work is at full bore for The Lincoln Common

Posted on July 26, 2017 by danieldschell

Revcon is in, and in deep, as caisson work revs up at The Lincoln Common.

Here’s a ridiculous overhead view from Curtis Waltz at Aerialscapes.

The noisy red machines of Revcon are tearing into the soil at The Lincoln Common, the mixed-use development coming to the former Children’s Memorial Hospital site in Lincoln Park. Foundation permits were issued back in June, allowing general contractor W.E. O’Neil to get started on the project.

“Foundation permits, plural?” you might ask? Yep. The Lincoln Common seems to have a theme of pairs:

There will be two towers, addressed for now as 2335 and 2345 North Lincoln Avenue, each standing 20 stories tall and containing 269 apartments. (There will be some condos too, plus a senior-living facility across the street.)
There are two developers: Hines, and McCaffery Interests
There are two architecture firms involved in the design work: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, and Antunovich Associates.
There are two red Revcon caisson rigs and two caisson cranes working on the site
I went through two bottles of Gatorade while watching caisson work in the oppressive heat (how do crews stay out there all day in this weather?)

You get the idea.

There was *one* tower-crane permit issued on July 17; will there be a second tower crane for the second tower? We’ll have to wait and see about that prospective pair.

Construction Update: Elevate Lincoln Park getting literal as it hits the tenth floor

Posted on June 26, 2017 by danieldschell

Steven Vance at Chicago CityScape elevated high above Elevate Lincoln Park for this fantastic shot!

Elevate Lincoln Park, the ten-story, 191-unit apartment complex from Baker Development, has elevated just about as high as it’s ever going to get. McHugh Construction crews have reached the tenth floor just over one year after demolition started on the site. And as if that isn’t accomplishment enough, the first row of glass has begun installation.

Rendering of Elevate Lincoln Park.

In addition to residences, Elevate Lincoln Park will include ground-floor retail space and three levels of parking. As you can see in the above photo from @ChiBuildings, the SCB design fits perfectly into the odd-shaped lot bounded by Lincoln Avenue, Altgeld Street, and the CTA’s elevated tracks.

The Lincoln Common scores a permit

Posted on June 15, 2017 by danieldschell

The farmland that used to be Children’s Memorial Hospital will soon be transformed into the Lincoln Common.

The Lincoln Common project is ready to roll onto the site formerly occupied by Children’s Memorial Hospital in Lincoln Park.

The first permit, issued Wednesday, calls for a 20-story mixed-use tower, with 269 dwelling units and ZERO parking spaces. A collaboration between Hines and McCaffery Interests, The Lincoln Common also combines the talents of two design firms: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, and Antunovich Associates. W.E. O’Neil will be the general contractor.

A rendering of The Lincoln Common from Antunovich Associates.

The foundation permit.

Will that ugly parking garage go too?

Glass panels hit a high note at DePaul School of Music

Posted on May 30, 2017 by danieldschell

The barrel vault on the roof of the DePaul School of Music.

A couple features of the new DePaul School of Music are standing out amidst the Lincoln Park construction site. One is the red steel forming the barrel vault atop the three-story facility. The other is glass panels on the north elevation. The black-tar wall is kinda cool, too.

: The glass.

: The vault.

Construction Progress: Elevate Lincoln Park

Posted on April 4, 2017 by danieldschell

The old tennis courts with junk strewn about them long since demolished, Elevate Lincoln Park continues to grow along North Lincoln Avenue in (of course) Lincoln Park. Where once stood condos and retail shops will soon be Baker Development Corporation‘s mixed-use project. Designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz, Elevate Lincoln Park will deliver 191 rental units, plus three levels of parking and a whole bunch of ground-floor commercial space. McHugh Construction is on the job as general contractor.

You’ll see signage in the following photos telling you to expect Elevate to be ready this summer. A delay getting started set that back, but Baker Development still hopes to have Elevate Lincoln Park open before 2017 closes.

: Gratuitous tower crane shot.

Instruments of construction keeping good time at the DePaul School of Music

Posted on March 23, 2017 by danieldschell

Rendering of the DePaul School of Music from Antunovich Associates.

Construction of the new DePaul School of Music continues in earnest on DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus. Bulley & Andrews and their ridiculously long tower crane have been going vertical on the site since Spring of 2016. Antunovich Associates has designed a three-story structure that includes two recital halls, a concert hall, student practice and classrooms, and more than 100 below-grade parking spaces. DePaul plans to have the facility open for student use in Spring 2018.