As Wolf Point East digs out from Chicago River flooding, a tower crane permit arrives

Posted on November 22, 2017 by danieldschell

One big pile of slop, waiting to be heaved into a truck and hauled away from Wolf Point East.

Just before this story went to the presses, a permit came through for a tower crane at Wolf Point East. A Liebherr 420 EC-H 16 to be precise. A SHINY YELLOW TOWER CRANE, to be technical.

Wolf Point East got a tower crane permit on Monday.

When I posted an update on foundation work at Wolf Point East at the beginning of November, there was one factor involved I hadn’t been aware of: flooding.

We were away in Australia (you may have noticed some posts from that trip) when torrential rains caused flooding along the Chicago River in October, and the construction pit at Wolf Point East took the brunt of it, filling with water completely. (You can scroll down this photo gallery from Curbed for a look at the deluge) That explains the mud that remains on site. I was back there over the weekend, and noticed just how sloppy things were, but that isn’t stopping work from continuing. You can see how much deeper work has gone, as Walsh Construction oversees progress on the six subterranean levels of the 60-story tower.

Wolf Point East digs in for the long haul

Posted on November 3, 2017 by danieldschell

Excavation crews work atop the trestle bridge as digging continues at Wolf Point East.

Wolf Point East was one of my first stops upon returning to Chicago. Mostly to see that trestle bridge in action, but also to see how much progress Walsh Construction has made on one of the city’s newest skyscrapers. No surprise that the bridge is being used to help with the deep excavation going on now. Truckload after truckload of dirt and mud and Chicago River muck is being hauled away, while diggers great and small eat away at the earth between the bracing.

We should be keeping an eye out for a tower crane permit at Wolf Point East. It could be coming any day now.

Hey, how about more of that trestle bridge at Wolf Point East?

Posted on October 7, 2017 by danieldschell

You know, because it’s cool. Ridiculously cool.

: The Beast.

: We watch. All day.

: Oh, so it’s like a jigsaw puzzle?

The Big Green W is building a bridge at Wolf Point East, and I can’t get over it

Posted on October 2, 2017 by danieldschell

Walsh Construction is building a trestle bridge at Wolf Point East to give equipment easier access the site.

It’s not a building permit you see every day.

CONSTRUCTION OF TEMPORARY TRESTLE BRIDGE FOR CONSTRUCTION PURPOSES ALL WITHIN PRIVATE PROPERTY.

As part of the Wolf Point East tower project, Walsh Construction is building a trestle bridge. Why? Well, they can, for one. But seriously, they gave a much better explanation on Twitter:

Looking like trestle will allow access to adjacent property for job site construction traffic.

— Pete Doherty (@dohertytweets) September 17, 2017

There you have it. Equipment needs to get to the site one way or another. Sometimes, you just have to build “another.”

: A permit you won’t see often.

Walsh Construction and Case Foundation keep doing stuff at Wolf Point East

Posted on September 13, 2017 by danieldschell

Chicago Water Taxi cruises past Wolf Point East on Tuesday.

I thought the caissons were done. I guess they’re not quite. Sheeting might be done, because the pile driver is folded up like it’s driving away soon. But maybe not. I don’t know.

The Big Green W and Case Foundation are doing work at Wolf Point East, and I have no idea what it is. But they have cool toys, and they all seem to know what they’re doing. So I took some photos and now you can see them too.

The end.

: I ain’t the only one out here.

With caissons done, Walsh Construction drives piles at Wolf Point East.

Posted on September 8, 2017 by danieldschell

Walsh Construction drives piles at Wolf Point East, as seen (humble brag) from the 35th floor of 150 North Riverside.

If you’re in Chicago’s Loop, you don’t need to be told that Walsh Construction is driving piles deep into the ground at Wolf Point East. It creates quite a ruckus. But it also creates quite a foundation. And 60-story towers need good foundations. So please forgive the noise for a little while longer, and be thankful the city doesn’t allow work to be done around the clock on a regular basis. The weather just got to where we can keep the windows open at night; pile-driving isn’t particularly conducive to that.

Here’s some video; turn up the volume and enjoy.

If you don’t already know, or if the din has clouded your memory, Walsh is building the 700-unit apartment tower for the joint effort of Hines and the Kennedy Family, which owns the land. Also a joint effort is the design, handled by architect-of-record Pappageorge Haymes Architects and designer Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. It is the second of three towers planned for the confluence of the Chicago River, with Wolf Point West already inhabited, and Wolf Point South slated for future construction.

Wolf Point East presents Caisson Theater

Posted on August 17, 2017 by danieldschell

Across the Chicago River, Case Foundation continues caisson work for Wolf Point East.

It’s Air & Water Show weekend in Chicago. Thousands of people will flock to the Lake Michigan waterfront to watch the boats and fighter jets do their thing. But if you’re looking for entertainment while still being able to move from side-to-side, get thee over to Wacker Drive and the Franklin Street bridge, from where you’ll get a great view of Case Foundation’s caisson work on Wolf Point East.

Case had 50 bell caissons to do (those are almost done) and 14 rock caissons to drill (seven of those are done.) Once foundation work is complete, The Big Green W can set about the task of sending the 60-story, 700-unit apartment tower skyward.

: I love this farmstead porch loo.

: Fresh from a Hot Wheels package. Collect all 4!

: I’ve seen some rebar tubes, but I just can’t get oval this one.

Caisson work is underway at Wolf Point East

Posted on July 24, 2017 by danieldschell

Kayakers get a close-up look at Wolf Point East caisson work.

Rendering of Wolf Point East from Hines.

Who’s ready for Wolf Point East? That’s rhetorical, because ready or not, it’s here.

Skyscraper nerds had already left the fork in the Chicago River for sites like Vista Tower and One Bennett Park, what with Wolf Point West, River Point, and 150 North Riverside all completed and open. But now, time will once again be split, and attention divided, as the next phase begins.

Hines is developing the 60-story, 700-unit apartment tower here, along with land-owners the Kennedy family. A collaboration between architect-of-record Pappageorge Haymes Architects and designer Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, Wolf Point East is the second of the three towers slated for this corner of the river. There will be about 3,500 square feet of retail space as well, plus a whole bunch of parking spots. But don’t worry about eyesores; that parking will be located underground.

Case Foundation is there as we speak, drilling caissons into the ground. Walsh Construction is the general contractor. When their tower crane goes up (soon, please?) it’ll be Walsh’s second in Chicago, having just erected one at 1326 South Michigan, and removing one at Alta Roosevelt over the weekend.

: A kayak river guide explains caissons. I assume.

: This view will be changing very soon.

: A group portrait from across the Chicago River.

: Case Foundation caisson rig parked on site.

: Wouldn’t you park it at home if you had a machine this grand?

Wintrust Arena heads to the fourth quarter up big

Posted on April 11, 2017 by danieldschell

Wintrust Arena, part of The Collection at McCormick Square.

I haven’t seen what’s going on inside Wintrust Arena (though Shia Kapos of the Sun-Times has) but the outside is looking like it could host basketball or a convention any day now. But we’ll have to wait until fall, when the new facility begins hosting DePaul Blue Demon basketball.

Clark Construction still has their game-faces on as they work to complete the 10,000-seat Pelli Clarke Pelli design. Maybe there’s no full-court press on yet, but Fall will be here before we know it.