Quick Look: Tower crane assemblage at 625 West Adams

Posted on August 12, 2016 by danieldschell

This massive street crane was the first piece of equipment on hand for the tower crane assembly.

Most construction companies will tell you they have their own schedules to keep, unaffected by outside influences. That’s okay. I’m still going to pretend I’m responsible for getting the tower crane on site at 625 West Adams.

Parts began arriving Thursday, and crews immediately got to work putting them together. It looks like weather may slow things down today.

: The Central crane stands at the ready.

: The first truck with crane parts arrives.

: Those are paw pads for the street crane.

: This is what greeted me upon my return Thursday night.

: Same shot, more light, Friday morning.

: Friday morning crane meeting.

: The cab waits patiently on Desplaines…

: …and then backs into the lot.

: Cab assembly started as soon as it hit the ground.

Demolition Update: Addison & Clark tears up Wrigleyville

Posted on August 11, 2016 by danieldschell

The old Starbucks building is coming down. They’ve already reopened on Sheffield.

There’s a lot going on up near Wrigley Field. And I’m not just talking about the Cubs winning the NL Central.

A whole lot of demolition is taking place along the Clark Street corridor. On Addison Street, buildings are being removed for Addison & Clark, an 8-story mixed-use project that will see 148 apartments, a whopping 150,000 square feet of commercial space, and over 400 parking spaces. A joint venture from M&R Development and Bucksbaum Retail Properties, Addison & Clark replaces, among other structures, the Starbucks at 1023 West Addison that made Theo Epstein famous in Chicago.

Environmental Cleansing of Markham, IL are out there as we speak ripping stuff apart, then Power Construction will take over the lot and start the new SCB-designed development. Project completion is expected in Summer 2018.

: A rendering of Addison & Clark from SCB.

: This Kris Bryant mural has nothing to do with the Addison & Clark project, but GO CUBS!

: Whoa, gettin’ kinda close there, big fella.

: A latte of the Starbucks building is gone. (sorry)

: Bricks are being salvaged, palletized, and trucked away.

: The Starbucks demolition permit.

: The 1027 West Addison demolition permit.

: The Addison & Clark foundation permit.

With caissons sunk, 3Eleven preps for a tower crane

Posted on August 11, 2016 by danieldschell

The tell-tale sign of a future tower crane, at 3Eleven

Revcon Construction has hauled away most of its caisson equipment, leaving the site at 311 West Illinois Street to Power Construction to start building the 24-story apartment tower from The John Buck Company.

A tower crane permit was filed for 3Eleven waaaay back on June 21. And now, we know where it’s going to stand: in the “back right” (southwest) corner of the lot. Expect the stub to be planted any day now.

: The tower crane foundation.

: The lot is a blank canvas again.

: Caisson equipment being hauled away Wednesday morning.

: See those guys hidden behind the truck? Yep, they’re setting the tower crane foundation.

Will 625 West Adams ever finish my tower crane?

Posted on August 9, 2016 by danieldschell

Last night, I put instant coffee in the microwave, and almost went back in time.” Steven Wright

I’m guessing Steven Wright was not a patient man. I, on the other hand, have unlimited patience. To a point.

Power Construction is getting a lot done on the lot at 625 West Adams Street in the West Loop. But I’ll be darned if I don’t find myself looking out the window every morning and wishing I could put an instant tower crane in the microwave. Or something. To be honest, it’s not really *my* tower crane. At all.

In the meantime, take a look at what’s been done to this point on 625 West Adams, the new SCB-designed 20-story office tower from CA Ventures and White Oak Realty.

: Is it just me, or does that tower crane stub still look kinda stubby?

: Another maze.

: Instead of one big building…

: …it looks like a series of smaller projects…

: …that will all meld together into one office tower.

: The 625 West Adams site.

: Still lots of rebar.

An overview of Chicago’s Apple flagship store

Posted on August 5, 2016 by danieldschell

Looking down at the Apple store construction from LondonHouse Chicago.

You didn’t need another post about the Apple flagship store being built in Pioneer Court on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. You’ve seen the concrete cutters, you’ve seen the tower crane stub. By now, you’re ready to see the actual store.

But I couldn’t help it. From the spectacular 22nd-floor lounge of the brand new LondonHouse Chicago across the river, you can get an amazing bird’s-eye view of the goings-on at Apple down below.

So here, enjoy the third update of the same construction site this week. And enjoy the view from LondonHouse. You’ll want to get up there yourself soon; it really is amazing.

: Looking east out onto Lake Michigan.

: The view up the Chicago River ain’t bad, either.

: A little detail of the rooftop accouterments.

: The view from terra firma.

Construction Update: Viceroy Chicago rises in the Gold Coast

Posted on August 4, 2016 by danieldschell

The Viceroy Chicago rises in the Gold Coast.

Up in the Gold Coast, construction continues on Convexity Properties’ new (though slightly used) Viceroy Chicago hotel. New, as in a new 18-story, 180-room hotel. And used, as in the facade that was painstakingly dismantled from the old Cedar Hotel at 1118 North State Street. That facade is off at a facade spa getting treated like a princess, while Power Construction attends to the new tower. Then the facade will be brought back to the site and reconstructed piece by piece as part of the new building. That, along with the rooftop bar and pool, should be highlights when the Viceroy opens in Summer 2017.

You can download the Viceroy Chicago press release from March 2015 here, or see the full text below the photos:

: The Cedar Hotel. This facade was dismantled, and will be rebuilt on the front of the new Viceroy Chicago.

: A rendering of the Viceroy Chicago from the Power Construction website.

THE RUMORS ARE TRUE – VICEROY TO DEBUT IN CHICAGO IN 2017 LOS ANGELES, California (March 05, 2015) – Viceroy Hotel Group confirmed today plans for the brand’s hotly anticipated expansion to Chicago’s renowned Gold Coast neighborhood with a scheduled opening set for 2017.

Working in tandem with Convexity Properties, the powerhouse luxury hospitality brand will unveil the Goettsch Partners and TAL Studio-designed property, located conveniently for guests on State Street in the Gold Coast. The area occupies the central part of a flourishing neighborhood, quickly gaining momentum as one of the most sought-after modern luxury destinations in the city.

Known for creating authentic and inspired experiences, Viceroy Hotel Group will be using design, art, style and culture to infuse the new property with all the amenities and services of a top-luxury hotel, while simultaneously working to maintain a distinct sense of place for guests eager to explore and experience the Chicago landscape.

“Viceroy recognizes Chicago is a vibrant market and a great destination for our expansion,” said Bill Walshe, CEO of Viceroy Hotel Group. “We are extremely privileged to collaborate with Convexity Properties team to create exceptional and inspiring experiences for our guests in such a highly sought-after location.”

Convexity Properties is collaborating closely with the City, neighbors and community groups to finalize approvals for what will be an extraordinary project for the city.

About Viceroy Hotel Group

Viceroy Hotel Group delivers one-of-a-kind lifestyle experiences that bring together provocative design and intuitive service in sought-after locations. Signature brand amenities and services created for the diverse business and leisure guests include dynamic dining venues featuring world-class culinary talents and destination spas specializing in health, fitness and beauty. Current properties include hotels and resorts in Abu Dhabi, Anguilla, Beverly Hills, Maldives, Miami, New York, Riviera Maya, Palm Springs, San Francisco, Santa Monica, Snowmass, St. Lucia and Zihuatanejo with forthcoming openings in Algarve, Cartagena, Bodrum, and Dubai. For more information, visit www.ViceroyHotelGroup.com.

Tower Crane Update: One up, one to go, for Simpson-Querrey

Posted on August 4, 2016 by danieldschell

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.

: North end: tower crane.

: South end: no tower crane. Yet.

Chicago’s new Apple flagship store plants a tower crane in Pioneer Court

Posted on August 3, 2016 by danieldschell

I should have waited one more day to post about the new Apple flagship store on the Magnificent Mile. Now, for one of the best possible reasons, I have to take you to 401 North Michigan Avenue for the second day in a row: Chicago’s new Apple store has a tower crane stub!

Power Construction, contractors general (is that a thing) for the new gadget haven, anchored the first section into the ground today. And as luck would have it, I was in the very same neighborhood today. Crazy, right?

: You see it, right? Waaaaaay over there?

: Soon, Apple will be able to use their tower crane to pluck kayakers from the Chicago River. Like an iDock.

: Tight quarters.

Apple Store peeling off bits of Pioneer Core

Posted on August 2, 2016 by danieldschell

If Pioneer Court is a sacred place to you, look away.

Yes, it’s “Court.” Pioneer Court. I was trying to make two Apple jokes in one headline. It was a miss. Let’s move on.

The Chicago Tribune printed much of the detail about Apple’s new Chicago flagship store back in November. As for me, I just have a few photos of what’s going on in, and under, Pioneer Court, up to and including the anticipation of a tower crane.

“A tower crane?” you say. “For a 2-story building?” Hey, I don’t make the rules. Or the permits. And there’s a permit for a tower crane.

Crews have cut away a good portion of the south side of the court. Expect more demolition before this space starts looking like a retail store.

: Am I really seeing what you saw?

: Work along the Chicago River, as seen from the Michigan Avenue bridge.

: Some sort of prehistoric elevator system.

: If Lower Pioneer Court was a thing, this would be it.

: Could that be the makings of a tower crane base?

: Sub-work.

: The Tower Crane Permit.

165 North Desplaines is in the Crane Game

Posted on July 28, 2016 by danieldschell

It’s here! 165 North Desplaines fully assembled its tower crane today.

If you’re on my list of having a tower crane permit, but you still haven’t erected your tower crane yet, please step forward.

Hey, not so fast, 165 North Desplaines.

Yep, it’s up. Today, and maybe parts of yesterday, crews in the West Loop assembled a tower crane over top of North Desplaines Street. As you can’t quite tell from the photo above, it extends out over Randolph Street. Not that it will be lifting things that way, but it needs the reach to cover the lot from Desplaines east to Jefferson.

And now, I bring you A Tower Crane From Every Angle: