Here, through a scratched, filthy CTA window, is the Atrium Village tower crane.
I did what I could from a fast-moving Brown Line train Tuesday evening to capture an image or two of the tower crane being set up at Atrium Village in the Near North neighborhood. That’s where Onni Group is building a 31-story apartment tower designed by Hartshorne Plunkard Architects.
That’s one of the two tower cranes at The Sinclair in the background.
This is now “Aurélien”, Ryan Companies’ apartment tower at 833 North Clark Street.
With a press release earlier this afternoon, Ryan Companies announced its new residential tower at 833 North Clark Street has topped out. And, in bigger news, it now has a name: Aurélien.
Sadly, this means another tower crane will exit the Chicago skyline soon, but the way things are going, it will probably just be moved to another construction project.
You can follow this link to the Ryan Companies press release, or read it in full below the photos.
Rendering of Aurélien Chicago from Ryan Companies.
Hang in there, tower crane. Hang in there.
CHICAGO (July 22, 2016)—The luxury Gold Coast apartment tower being co-developed by Ryan Companies US, Inc. and Lincoln Property Company at 833 North Clark Street in Chicago has reached two noteworthy milestones. Simultaneous to the ceremonial “topping out” phase of the 31-story, under-construction structure, Aurélien was unveiled as the name and brand identity of the multi-family high-rise community.
Aurélien is a $100-million-plus, 368-unit luxury apartment tower currently under construction at the southeast corner of Clark and Chestnut streets on a 41,000-square-foot land site. Construction on the project began last July and is slated to be completed by early 2017. Daiwa House Texas Inc. is the primary equity investor in Aurélien.
To celebrate the topping out, a 1,200-pound, 9’-0” linear foot steel beam was lifted from the ground to the top of the building’s shell some 340 feet above. Development, design and construction team members and trades workers gathered on site for a private event to sign the beam and observe it being hoisted to the top of the building. Logos of those closely linked to the project were displayed on the beam.
“The topping out ceremony is an appropriate point in the construction process to highlight the progress that has been made to date, while anticipating the completion of this significant downtown development,” said Jim Herbst, Division Manager, Ryan Companies US, Inc. “Raising that steel beam gives further definition to Aurélien’s architectural scope. Celebrating that milestone with those working to make the project a reality was also very appropriate.”
Herbst noted some interesting statistics about the construction of Aurélien. At this point in the construction cycle, 132 tons of steel beams have been used to shape the shell of the building. Additionally, 1,355 tons of rebar has been used, 20,150 cubic yards (2,239 truckloads) of concrete has been poured above grade, more than 500 panels of precast concrete have been installed and 411,000 pounds (or about 150 miles) of post tensioning cables have been utilized thus far during construction.
Herbst also acknowledged that approximately 50 different subcontractor companies, and counting, have been instrumental in building Aurélien. The number of construction workers has averaged about 70 per day, swelling to 130 during the concrete pours. In total more than 155,400 safe hours have been logged to date.
The name Aurélien makes an appropriate yet subtle reference to the development’s prominent location within Chicago’s renowned and highly sought-after Gold Coast neighborhood. Further, the European-based name portrays an image that is both classic and contemporary, reflecting the target audience of future residents that includes technology-driven, educated, young professionals or urban couples who desire a luxury living experience in the upscale neighborhood.
“The name Aurélien, which starts with A-U, the scientific symbol for gold, along with the richness of the finishes being incorporated into the building, is a very appropriate name for this luxury apartment tower,” said Irini Boeder, Assistant Vice President of Marketing, Lincoln Property Company. “Everything about Aurélien, from its name and location to its finishes, design schemes and color palettes, speaks to understated elegance, exceptional customer service and lifestyle convenience.”
When it opens in early 2017, Aurélien will comprise 368 luxury apartments, including 78 studios and convertibles, 209 one-bedroom units, 75 two-bedroom units and 6 penthouse apartments. Unit sizes, except for the penthouses, will range from 563 square feet to 1,252 square feet. Penthouse units will range from 1,179 square feet to 3,250 square feet.
Aurélien’s location is ideal for residents living, working and playing in or near the Gold Coast. The site is situated in close proximity to transportation including two CTA stations and other public transportation options important to those who work downtown. It offers easy access to Lake Shore Drive and the Kennedy Expressway for those traveling by car to suburban destinations.
The building is within walking distance of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile (North Michigan Avenue), the downtown CBD, the Northwestern and Loyola University graduate school campuses, and the Northwestern medical center. Located nearby are an abundance of restaurants, clubs, retail amenities, and cultural facilities. It is also within close proximity to the lakefront, from Oak Street Beach to Navy Pier.
For leasing information for Aurélien, visit the property’s website at www.AurelienChicago.com.
About Ryan Companies US, Inc.
Ryan Companies US, Inc. is a 3rd generation, family-owned national developer, designer, capital investment consultant, builder and real estate manager specializing in fully integrated solutions for over 75 years. Key market sectors include: retailers, industrial, healthcare, senior living, and corporate build-to-suit; and product experience includes work on office, retail, mixed use, hospitality, multi-housing, industrial, medical office building, senior living, distribution center, public sector, and mission critical facilities. Ryan serves customers throughout the United States with offices in the North, Midwest, Great Lakes, SouthEast, SouthCentral, SouthWest and West regions. Ryan was named the 2007 National Developer of the Year by NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association. For more information, visit www.ryancompanies.com.About Lincoln Property Company
Since its inception in 1965, Lincoln Property Company has acquired and developed multi%u210family properties valued in excess of $17 billion. A vertically integrated, multi%u210national real estate firm, Lincoln employs over 5,500 people and operates in over 50 markets across the United States via 21 regional and satellite offices. Lincoln manages over 6,000 apartment units in the Chicagoland area with over 3,000 of those units in the City of Chicago itself. For more information, visit www.lincolnapts.com.
McHugh Construction’s Morrow tower crane rises in the distance.
‘Tis time for another installment of the three tower crane updates from early July, when three stubs were anchored into the ground around Chicago. Monday, the DePaul School of Music got all the attention. Yesterday, 8 East Huron. Today, it’s the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse at 822 North Clark Street in Near North.
This is another of those pretty yellow Morrow cranes. They’re like sunshine on a cloudy day.
833 North Clark Street Apartments.
At 833 North Clark Street in the Near North neighborhood, the multi-talented Ryan Companies is getting close to the top of its new rental tower, 833 North Clark Street Apartments.
Fans of keeping things in-house, Ryan Companies is the a) design architect, with assistance from architect of record Antunovich Associates, b) developer, along with Lincoln Property Company, and c) general contractor of 833 North Clark.
What they’re building is a 31-story, 373-unit rental building with a sundeck,outdoor pool, private cabanas and outdoor fireplaces on the rooftop. Ryan broke ground on the site in July of last year, and expects to be ready for move-ins next spring.
Work crews were using the 111 West Chestnut excavation as a parking lot. Has to be a good reason for that, right?
The Chestnut Row Homes were approved by the Chicago Plan Commission way back in February 2015. And the commission didn’t just approve the Tawani Enterprises development. They raved about them.
The foundation permit, issued 9 months ago.
The City of Chicago filed a foundation permit for the project, at 111 West Chestnut Street in the Near North, on October 21. Dirt was dug, piles were driven.
And then…nothing.
Until now. Maybe. As 833 North Clark rises across the street, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse begins its foundations next door, and the Bush Temple project rolls along next to that, there’s activity at Chestnut Row Homes as well.
Part of the reason for the delay, or a result of it, could be a change in general contractors. Cordos Development is out. Berglund Construction is in. They’re job? Eight townhomes designed by Booth Hansen, each three floors, each with two private parking spaces. And these will be rentals, by the way. To the tune of about $15,000/month.
Tawani originally hoped to have these homes completed by now. 2017 is now the targeted finish.
A render from Dixon + Associates of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 822 North Clark Street.
At 822 North Clark Street in the Near North neighborhood, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is building a new 7-story church. Designed by architect David Dixon of Dixon + Associates in Salt Lake City, the new project started stirring up dust back in May, when the City of Chicago filed a foundation permit. (A tower crane permit was also filed in May, more than two weeks before the foundation permit.)
Rendering courtesy of Dixon + Associates.
Mr. Dixon sent the following about the new church development:
The new building in Chicago is unique for the Church.
While they typically complete a new standard single-story meetinghouse every day somewhere in the world, this project is specifically designed for Chicago. Following the Neoclassical Romanesque Revival style of architecture, the building will incorporate the traditional red brick and limestone appearance that is prevalent in this area of Chicago. It will be six stories above grade (three meetinghouse and three parking levels) with a partial story of parking below grade. The building will open in about a year with a two-story chapel and associated classrooms. The top floor can accommodate another smaller chapel and classrooms in the future. Three or four congregations from the downtown area will utilize the building with staggered meeting schedules. A unique feature of this building is a landscaped courtyard on the fourth story. The courtyard provides semi-private outdoor space that could be used for receptions, mingling between meetings, or children’s activities. Plans were presented to the local neighborhood and were very well received.
McHugh Construction will handle the general contractor duties. As you’ll see in the photos below, piles have been driven, and a tower crane has been planted.
Onni Group works on the foundation for Atrium Village.
Ready for another tower crane in Chicago?
Onni Group sure is. Onni is up at 1140 North Wells Street in the Near North neighborhood, working on the redevelopment of Atrium Village. It’s a huge, multi-phase plan to transform the entire development. And Phase One is in full effect.
Onni has been digging through the dirt since February, when the City of Chicago filed a foundation permit for Phase One, which will be a 31-story apartment tower designed by Hartshorne Plunkard Architects. It will have 400 rental units, ground-floor retail, and some 300+ parking spaces.
And since it’s a high-rise, it’ll need a tower crane, which was permitted by the City of Chicago yesterday. If you’re familiar at all with Onni Group, then you probably already figured it’s the general contractor on this development as well.
Sleek, shiny new glass adorns Niche 905 in the Near North neighborhood.
Along what has become in recent months a very busy stretch of roadway for construction, Niche 905 continues onward and upward at 905 North Orleans Street in Near North. And you may now add another achievement to the list of construction milestones: GLASS.
A rendering of Niche 905 from FitzGerald Associates.
Niche 905 is an 18-story, 202-unit apartment tower designed by West Loop architecture firm FitzGerald Associates. Since breaking ground in November, Power Construction has steadily stacked floors atop floors at the site, which used to be the surface parking lot serving St. Luke Church of God across the street.
Included in the final development will be three levels of parking for 152 cars, 110 spaces to park bicycles, and 1,750 square feet of retail space. And, a SKY DECK POOL! (Someone have me over. Please.)
Niche 905 is scheduled for Summer 2017 occupancy.
Building Up Chicago 