New heavy metal at the Simpson-Querrey Biomedical Research Center.
The concrete came first, and it’s still being piled high. Fitting, as this was once the home of the brutalist Prentice Women’s Hospital. But now there’s steel to be gawked upon at Northwestern University’s Simpson-Querrey Biomedical Research Center in Streeterville. This is Phase One of the center, with 14 floors planned. 16 more stories will be added in Phase Two.
The Simpson-Querrey Biomedical Research Center rises in Streeterville.
The new Simpson-Querrey Biomedical Research Center has gone full-3-dimensional in Streeterville. This is why you don’t turn your back on construction. One day everything’s at street level, and the next thing you know, there are concrete towers 8 or 9 stories into the air. I don’t know why I underestimated progress here though. With two tower cranes, anything is possible.
Learn more about Northwestern University’s Simpson-Querrey project here.
The Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center
They had to dig for what seemed like an eternity, but excavations have long been complete, and now the Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center has risen above street level in Streeterville.
At the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, construction continues on the Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center. As the video above from Northwestern illustrates, work has been ongoing for over a year now. You know all about the two tower cranes on this job. What you should also know is the two-phase project will eventually provide 1.2-million square feet of research and support space next to the existing Lurie Medical Research Center at 303 East Superior Street.
Now that the digging, and more digging, and the last of the digging, are complete, those two tower cranes are starting to divvy up materials so Power Construction crews can get the 14-story tower of Phase One in the air. Designed by Perkins+Will, Phase Two will eventually bring 16 additional stories to the project, according to the SQBRC fact sheet.
Northwestern plans to have Phase One completed before the end of 2018. Here now, a few photos of progress.
In the foreground, South Crane grabs the spotlight, as North Crane fades to the back, like that other guy in Wham!
At the beginning of August, I promised you a second tower crane would appear at Northwestern University’s Louis A. Simpson and Kimberly K. Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology in Medicine in Streeterville. Problem is, I told you to wait until the end of August at the earliest, yet upon visiting Tuesday, there was South Crane, standing even taller than North Crane.
The Simpson-Querrey Institute joins The Sinclair in the Gold Coast as the only two projects in Chicago requiring dual tower cranes. Double the fun!
A crane grows up in Streeterville. A red crane up in Streeterville. (Apologies to Ben E. King)
You remember that tower crane bulb planted at Northwestern University’s Louis A. Simpson and Kimberly K. Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology in Medicine from a couple weeks ago, right? Well, that has bloomed into a beautiful crane butterfly. Of sorts. But before you wander off aimlessly looking for more crane photo ops, bear in mind there will be another tower crane on this construction site. Though I’m told that likely won’t appear until the end of August at the earliest.
In the meantime, the foundation dig continues, particularly at that south end, where Crane #2 will rise from the earth. But for now, one is reason enough to snap off another round of pictures.
Tower Crane alert!
They’ve been digging a hole — a real big hole — since breaking ground in May of 2015 at 303 East Superior Street in Streeterviile for Northwestern University’s Louis A. Simpson and Kimberly K. Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology in Medicine. This is Phase One, which calls for a 14-story tower designed by Bridget Lesniak of Perkins + Will that will fully integrate with the Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center next door. Phase Two will add an additional 16 stories atop Phase One.
The Chicago Architecture Blog spotted a new tower crane stub against the north wall of the pit. How did I miss this one coming? It didn’t make my list of six to watch for because it’s been so long — January 26th — since the City of Chicago filed the tower crane permit. So I simply failed, again, to scroll far enough.
There’s another surprise ahead for me, though. There are two tower cranes permitted for the site. One for the north end, one for the south end. Will the south crane be coming any day now? Or will the north have a chance to get some work done before the second crane arrives?
Oh my goodness, do you realize what this is? North vs South! It’s a Tower Crane Civil War!
Building Up Chicago 