These caissons are awfully far from the pit of despair.
Question #1. Are we getting two tower cranes here?
Question #2. There are a few caissons well to the south of the Spire hole. Is the footprint of the North Tower that large? Or are some of the caissons for the South Tower being drilled now?
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The scene Monday, March 11, at 400 lake Shore in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood.
CaissonFest is underway at 400 Lake Shore, as Keller North America and team have begun drilling into the earth around the old Chicago Spire’s cofferdam. I’m told about 50 caissons need to be drilled & filled to supplement the support offered by that big hole in the ground, the one that just got a boatload of concrete dumped into it. So this crew should be around for awhile.
Lots of equipment, lots of people on site. So, lots of photos.
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I’ve been posting a lot about 400 Lake Shore. I know it. No, I’m not in the pocket of the developer or the contractors. (I’m available though.) This is just the next big thing in Chicago, I have some free time available, and the Divvy ride from Montrose down to Navy Pier is really, really good exercise. So indulge me.
Here’s a thing I know for certain: caisson work is about to begin in earnest at 400 Lake Shore. Equipment that started pouring onto the site Wednesday tells us Keller North America is about to dig deep. If you’re reading this today (Thursday the 7th) it was expected that the first caisson would start drilling today.
Here’s something I don’t know for certain: one tower crane? Two tower cranes? Chicago’s first tower crane permit of 2024 was issued January 11, for this construction site. And now, another tower crane has been issued for the site on March 5. Thing is, this new permit is identical to the first one. So I can’t clarify if it’s an erroneous duplicate of that first one, or if we can expect two tower cranes to erect this tower. Someone out there knows the answer; let’s hope they read my stuff.
More pics!
Breakin’ rocksInstalling an outer fence
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As you can see above, Nick was at the Big Mat Pour 2024 at 400 Lake Shore last week. I wasn’t, even though he told me himself that morning it was happening. Too cold for me. I’m delicate. (Yeah, I shoulda gone.)
But I was there two days later, on Saturday, when there was absolute silence. Silence. Not an unusual sound at the old Chicago Spire Site. But at least now we know that temporary stay in action will only last over a weekend.
Here, look how quiet it was. If you can “see” quiet:
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The Ol’ Spire Pit, now the future home of 400 North Lake Shore Drive
400 Lake Shore is a thing. And now 400 Lake Shore is happening.
More than a decade after foundation work for The Chicago Spire was halted (or just about as long since my last gallery post), Related Midwest has picked up the torch and construction has begun in earnest on their new 72-story, 850-foot-tall North Tower.
The glamorous address for this one is, of course, 400 North Lake Shore Drive. The permit address is 462 East North Water Street. To date, three permits have been issued; Caissons on 12-6-2023 The tower crane on 1-11-2024 “Three levels of superstructure” on 2-0-2024.
Back in mid-January, 400 Lake Shore was the proud recipient of 2024’s first tower crane permit. No idea how long it will be until that crane arrives on site, but it’s another milestone to look forward to.
The first Tower Crane permit of 2024 was issued yesterday. Related Midwest will use it to (finally) put a tower at The Spire site. pic.twitter.com/HJwSLCVZd1
Tough to get close to this one for a decent view, without walking with traffic on Lower LSD (which I prefer not to attempt.) Of course, once this project starts rising above street(erville) level, there will be lots to see. In the meantime, if you live in a nearby high-rise and have a view, send me an invite. I’ll bring some beverages and we’ll watch construction together. Until then, these photos from distance will have to suffice.
Beginnings of construction for 400 Lake Shore at the Chicago Spire site
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Latest rendering of The Row Fulton Market courtesy of Related Midwest.
New name, same tall slim apartment tower in the West Loop, as what used to be known during construction as 900 Randolph, at 164 North Peoria, is now The Row Fulton Market, though the North Peoria address remains.
I saw the topped out tower for the first time since late summer this past weekend. As you know, Sunday wasn’t a very pleasant day. Thankfully, there’s a new batch of renderings available, courtesy of Related Midwest, that depict the new tower on warm sunny days. Which I think we’re all looking forward to.
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900 Randolph has been fun to watch. Nothing fancy, nothing out of the ordinary. But tall, sleek, and darn near topped out. The skip is numbered up to 34; there are at least six poured floors above the 34th floor. That puts it into the 40s. It’s a 43-story building I was told there would be no math, but even I know that only leaves a couple levels to go.
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I missed the first few pieces of glazing at 900 Randolph by one day last week. Luckily when I went back over Wednesday, it was still there. This is what I saw with my own eyes and lens:
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900 Randolph, the 43-story, 300-unit apartment tower from Related Companies and Morris Adjmi Architects, has grown pretty tall out in the West Loop. I’m told crews were pouring concrete on level 37 when I stopped by Wednesday. I was also told to expect topping out early in early October, along with a pleading “we’re hoping the windows arrive by then.” Supply chain delays. Not at all unusual these days.
But Thursday came the above tweet from Twitter user @MrFernGully2U, who captured the first few pieces of glass on the exterior. One day. I got there one day too early. But thanks to the Fern Gully for looking up, and looking out for us.
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You can see the photos I took Thursday of last week while Lauren and Allen (they’re probably tired of hearing this by now, but thank you SO MUCH for doing this with me) watched me (along with a few others I took later in the day) of 900 Randolph here:
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