Updating the tower crane updates

Posted on April 27, 2017 by danieldschell

The brand new crane at the Wicker Park Connection Monday evening.

Turns out, tracking tower cranes in Chicago can be exhausting.

Tuesday, the crane was coming down from Optima II.

We were at 31 Sunday with the loss of 1001 West Chicago’s crane, but then 1101 South Wabash had its crane in the air, but under (my) radar, and the Wicker Park Connection, which had planted a stub, finished its crane. That made 33. For, like, an hour. Because yesterday I noticed the luffing crane coming down from atop Optima II in Streeterville. (That crane seemed to be there for about 9 years, didn’t it?)

Long story longer, I believe there are now 32 active tower cranes in Chicago. *This is an unscientific poll.

Remember, there are stubs planted at One South Halsted and the Cook County Central Campus Health Center that should be up and running soon. Essex On The Park, Aloft Chicago Mag Mile, and Nobu have been issued crane permits. But 3Eleven, the Landmark West Loop, and (I think?) 171 Aberdeen have topped out, so we could lose those cranes any day now.

Maybe in the next few days, we can speculate about which just-underway or soon-to-be-started projects will require tower cranes. You know, McDonald’s “vendor village”, Hoxton Hotel, 808 West Van Buren, and the like. What about 508 West Diversey? That’s 12 stories. Yeah, this seems like a conversation for another day.

Anyone else ready for Nobu caissons? (corrected)

Posted on March 22, 2017 by danieldschell

Yes, let’s get that thing put together and rip up some earth!

*** STOP THE PRESSES!

Too late? Twitter user and follower @Rjoyce21 informs me that I’m not looking at the assembly of a caisson rig, but rather a “quad sheet press.” So, still a step toward foundation progress, but no caissons. Bummer.

Thank you, Ryan. ***

Because I sure am.

Construction of the Nobu Chicago Hotel at 854 West Randolph Street in the West Loop has been a roller coaster ride at best, a roller coaster ride where you stood in line for two hours and then they closed the ride for repairs just as you got to the front of the line at worst.

All exaggeration, of course. But it’s been interesting. Ground was broken in June. Soil was sampled in July. Then additional height was approved by the Chicago Plan Commission in September, and caisson material was delivered to the site. Then, those materials were gone. Then everything was gone. A foundation permit was issued December 1st, but still no action.

Finally, earlier this month, a crew from Taylor Excavating showed up and started digging. And now yesterday, folks from Hayward Baker were on site setting up a caisson rig. So it looks like the 11-story, 119-room hotel is really happening.

Dig this: There’s action at Nobu. (No, really, there is!)

Posted on March 4, 2017 by danieldschell

https://twitter.com/MalcolmMossman/status/837021488054222849

Just when we were starting to believe the Nobu Hotel project might be kaput, there appears to be whole-scale excavation happening on the lot at Randolph and Peoria Streets in the West Loop.

Twitter user @MalcolmMossman tweeted the above photo on Wednesday, after wandering past the site and noticing Taylor Excavation’s equipment peeking out above the secretive fencing. And sure enough, a closer inspection shows some real-live digging. Foundation work? Let’s hope so. It’s nice to see some ground move after it was broken way back in June.

: A machine that makes big dirt small. Cool.

: Not seeing any action at Nobu was getting tired, so this makes sense.

Whatever Nobu stands for, it’s not yet close to standing at all

Posted on January 31, 2017 by danieldschell

A high lift waits on the site of the Nobu Hotel in the West Loop, just in case anyone needs to reach over nothing.

If SoNo is short for South of North

If MiLa is short for Michigan and Lake

The maybe Nobu is short for No Building.

Despite a very public groundbreaking all the way back in June, despite the brief appearance of caisson equipment (what was the deal there, anyway?) and approval being granted by the Chicago Plan Commission back in September to rise up to 11 stories, and despite a foundation permit being filed by the City of Chicago on December 1, there’s still less than nothing happening at the West Loop site where Nobu will (might?) one day stand.

: Not. Much. Happening.

: See? Photographic proof I didn’t dream about caisson equipment here.

As Nobu Hotel awaits height decision, caisson equipment arrives

Posted on September 2, 2016 by danieldschell

Caisson equipment offloading for the Nobu Hotel in the West Loop.

When the Chicago Plan Commission meets on the 15th of September, one of the decisions they’ll make is whether to allow the West Loop’s Nobu Hotel project to go to eleven. Stories, that is. Per the Commission’s September agenda:

The proposal will establish an 11-story hotel with 119 hotel keys, amenity space for hotel patrons, ground floor restaurant and 35 off-site accessory parking spaces. (27th Ward)

After a big groundbreaking ceremony featuring co-owner Robert “I Heard Some Things” DeNiro back in June, nothing much has happened (besides some soil sampling in July) on the lot along the Randolph Street Restaurant Row. But Thursday, crews could be seen over, under, and around the secretive plywood privacy fencing, offloading caisson equipment. Because whether you know your height allowance or not, you’re still gonna need a foundation.

: This soil sampling rig was on site back in July.

Uncertain Nobu Hotel project broke ground, and now they’re…testing it?

Posted on July 30, 2016 by danieldschell

There’s a soil sampling rig on the site of the Nobu Hotel, more than a month after ground-breaking ceremonies.

In movie-industry terms, the Robert De Niro-led Nobu Hotel planned for the West Loop could be in a production delay. It seems the film has been cast, and it looks like the plot will stay relatively true to the original screenplay. But there’s some doubt as to the length of the movie now. (I’ll let DNAInfo explain that.) Which, of course, could affect budget.

What I do know for sure is there are no permits in place for construction to begin at Nobu, other than a pseudo-demo permit to remove an old foundation from the site. And there was a soil sampling rig on the Nobu site at 846 West Randolph Street this week. That’s not terribly unusual to see at an active construction site, but it still feels odd when a big deal was made of the ground-breaking ceremony.

I guess what I’m saying is, I’d wait to buy your popcorn before seeing this De Niro production. It might get cold before the movie starts.

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