Two more buildings added to Lincoln Common demolition plan

Posted on October 3, 2016 by danieldschell

2350 and 2356 North Lincoln Avenue, permitted for demolition to make room for Lincoln Common.

They don’t carry quite the glamour Children’s Memorial Hospital has garnered during demolition, but two more buildings along North Lincoln Avenue were slated for destruction last week, as the Lincoln Common project moves along in Lincoln Park.

The pair being torn down next are 2350 and 2356 North Lincoln. The City of Chicago filed demolition permits for each structure on September 28. McDonagh Demolition will do the honors, according to those permits.

: This rendering from McCaffery Interests shows the building that will replace and North Lincoln Avenue.

: The demo permit for 2350 North Lincoln Avenue.

: The demo permit for 2356 North Lincoln Avenue,

: 2356 North Lincoln Avenue.

: 2350 North Lincoln Avenue.

: Meanwhile, demolition of Children’s Memorial Hospital continues.

As Children’s Hospital disappears, are the rats appearing?

Posted on September 15, 2016 by danieldschell

No rats visible in this view of Children’s Memorial Hospital demolition, from atop the John Hancock Center.

Back in the spring, everyone (Crain’s, Trib, DNAInfo, to name a few) with access to a pen and paper wrote of the impending influx of rats in the Lincoln Park neighborhood once demolition of Children’s Memorial Hospital began.

Well, demolition is in full swing, and it occurs to me I haven’t heard anything at all about rats over the past couple months. So, to you, denizens of Lincoln Park, I ask: Are you seeing more rats, or signs of more rats, than you’d seen before demolition began?

This is what comment sections are for; sound off!

Demolition Update: Children’s Memorial Hospital

Posted on September 10, 2016 by danieldschell

Children’s Memorial Hospital demolition, as seen from atop the John Hancock Center.

The coolest place to see Children’s Memorial Hospital demolition? At 360 Chicago atop the John Hancock Center. The best place to watch Children’s Memorial Hospital demolition? On the sidewalks along Lincoln Avenue and Orchard Street. And soon, Fullerton Street too.

Demo crews from Omega Demolition have wiped out the corner of Lincoln and Orchard, and are moving their way north toward the tower portion of the former hospital. It’s fun to watch buildings being torn down, especially, as I’ve mentioned before, when they’ve already been replaced by newer facilities.

: The corner of Lincoln and

: Demo starting at the tower portion.

Elevate Lincoln Park gets a building permit

Posted on September 9, 2016 by danieldschell

A rendering from Baker Development of Elevate Lincoln Park, which received a building permit Thursday.

You may not recognize the address (930 West Altgeld Street) but Baker Development‘s latest project, Elevate Lincoln Park, is a go. It will occupy the spaces previously known as 2518-2534 North Lincoln Avenue. On the way are 191 apartments, three levels of parking, and ground-floor commercial space, designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz.

The original schedule of events for Elevate Lincoln Park had foundation work beginning in June, so things are still a tad behind schedule. McHugh Construction may not be able to catch up to those lofty plans, but fear not. They’ll complete work all in good time.

: The Permit, issued September 8, 2016.

: Remember the tennis courts along the Red/Brown/Purple Line tracks? Yep, they’re gone.

: Demolition started in May.

: This is the blank canvas on which McHugh Construction will build Elevate Lincoln Park.

With demolition complete, Elevate Lincoln Park can up its game

Posted on August 19, 2016 by danieldschell

The signs are everywhere: ELEVATE Lincoln Park is coming.

There isn’t even rubble left of Lincoln Centre; just memories. Memories of an R before an E that just never looks right. Those tennis courts are gone too.

With the lots at 2518-2534 North Lincoln Avenue scraped clean, ELEVATE Lincoln Park can now begin construction. A project of Baker Development, ELEVATE Lincoln Park brings a 10-story, 200-unit rental complex, designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz, plus 16,300 square feet of retail space, to the Lincoln Park neighborhood. McHugh Construction will be the general contractor, with completion slated for October 2017.

: A rendering of ELEVATE Lincoln Park from Baker Development.

Demolition Update: Children’s Memorial Hospital

Posted on August 17, 2016 by danieldschell

Looking down Lincoln Avenue from Halsted Street, demolition of Children’s Memorial Hospital is hard to miss.

Demolition of the old Children’s Memorial Hospital in Lincoln Park continues at the hands of Omega Demolition crews. They set about the task of tearing the place down on June 7, and have been at it since. And will be for quite some time.

In its place will be The Lincoln Common, a venture from Hines and McCaffery Interests. Planned are two luxury apartment towers boasting 540 dwelling units, 60 low-rise condos, and over 100,000 square feet of retail space, designed by Antunovich Associates in collaboration with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

Here’s another round of photos.

Demolition Update: Elevate Lincoln Park

Posted on July 18, 2016 by danieldschell

ELEVATE Lincoln Park isn’t technically being demolished. Lincoln Centre is being demolished, to make room for ELEVATE Lincoln Park. And there isn’t much of it left, as anyone who rides the Red, Brown, or Purple line can tell you.

Tower Crane Update: DePaul School of Music

Posted on July 18, 2016 by danieldschell

In the first week of July, three tower cranes were planted around Chicago. My job was to go find them. Then, it was my duty to follow up on them. Because no one wants part of the story. Or part of the tower crane, for that matter.

Our first update is at the DePaul School of Music. Warning: Don’t get too close to this one, or it won’t fit in your photo. This won’t be a tall undertaking, but it’s a big lot. And a tower crane needs to reach every corner of that lot. So this one is as long as any I’ve seen.

: I thought the best way to get the whole thing into one shot was an iPhone panorama. I was mistaken. If your tower crane looks like this, start over.

: July 14th was the big day, when tower crane assembly began.

: None of these people are in any danger of losing their jobs to me.

: Evening of July 14th. Taken from a moving train. Cut me some slack.

: Monday morning shot from the Fullerton L platform.

Lincoln Park Lost Its Edge. Now It’s Getting Schooled.

Posted on July 13, 2016 by danieldschell

A rendering of Altschool, 2720 North Clark Street, courtesy of Hirsch Associates Architects.

AltSchool’d, that is.

At 2720 North Clark Street in Lincoln Park, Centrum Partners and Hirsch Associates Architects have teamed up for a two-story mixed use project that will be the home of AltSchool, and a Banana Republic Factory Store. (If the Centrum Partners/Hirsch Associates combo sounds familiar, they’re the two responsible for bringing the just-permitted 412 North Wells and 221 West Hubbard project to life.)

AltSchool provides education for pre-kindergarten through 8th-grade students. Chicago will be its fourth location, joining San Francisco, Palo Alto (CA) and New York City.

William A. Randolph Inc. of Gurnee is the general contractor. Construction is expected to be completed in time for the 2017-2018 school year.

: AltSchool render from Hirsch Associates Architects.

: The Edge bar and grill formerly stood on this site.

Children’s Memorial Hospital Being Reduced to Scrap

Posted on June 26, 2016 by danieldschell

Piles of scrap are growing on the Children’s Memorial Hospital site. Do Not Enter. Says so right on the sign.

You already know about the demolition of Children’s Memorial Hospital in Lincoln Park, and the development that will take its place at North Lincoln and West Fullerton.

Fewer words, more pictures. That’s what you came here for.