Another day, another tower crane. This time, it’s 3Eleven

Posted on August 17, 2016 by danieldschell

Another shiny yellow crane is shooting up through the ground in Chicago.

This one’s at 3Eleven in River North. They planted a seedling last week, and darned if that thing hasn’t thrived in the rich soil at 311 West Illinois Street. There is no physical evidence to suggest it has anything to do with being sewn right up against Assumption Catholic Church, but then again, there’s an equal amount of evidence to disprove that theory.

: Wasting no time. The stub went in the ground just last week.

: Not bad for having my eyes closed.

: Looking down…

: …and up.

: Yellow cranes building yellow cranes. And all is well.

: From the L.

: For now, it shares the view with Centrum Hubbard caisson equipment.

Pre-construction demolition coming for Renelle on the River

Posted on August 14, 2016 by danieldschell

Chicago Architecture Blog had the details Monday about a new condo development, soon to be wedged alongside Trump Tower, at 403 North Wabash Avenue.

A renovation permit was issued August 2, reading:

“DEMOLITION ONLY: NON-STRUCTURAL DEMOLITION OF AN EXISTING PLAZA ABOVE A 4 LEVEL PARKING GARAGE INCLUDING REMOVAL OF PLANTERS, PAVING AND SITE ELEMENTS FOR FUTURE CONSTRUCTION”

That “future construction” is Renelle on the River. The 17-story-high Renelle will bring 45 three- and four-bedroom luxury condominiums to River North. Designed by bKL Architecture, Renelle is being developed by the Belgravia Realty Group (they’re building CA Washington in the West Loop.) McHugh Construction will be on the build.

: The doomed plaza, with 405 North Wabash in the background.

: Renelle has banners along Wabash Avenue.

: A rendering from the Renelle website.

: Another Renelle website rendering. All condos will have river views, even if the tower isn’t *on* the river.

: The demolition-as-renovation permit.

Quick Look: 3Eleven’s freshly-planted tower crane stub

Posted on August 13, 2016 by danieldschell

https://twitter.com/BuildUpChicago/status/763753646416879617

I told you Thursday morning it looked like 3Eleven was getting ready for a tower crane of its own. And just a few hours later, there it was. Here are a few extra looks, from the L, and from the ground:

: Taken quickly, before I could pass out.

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.

Construction Update: Caisson work at Hubbard and Wells

Posted on August 9, 2016 by danieldschell

A CTA Purple Line trains passes construction at Hubbard and Wells.

Case Foundation is on the case at Hubbard and Wells, where Centrum Partners is developing not one, but two new buildings for River North: a 9-story office building at 412 North Wells Street, and a 23-story, 193-unit apartment tower at 221 West Hubbard Street. You can get a great view off progress by hopping a Purple or Brown Line train at Merchandise Mart and riding north.

**Better yet, get on a train at Chicago Avenue, get in the last car, ride south, and take a lap through The Loop. Back-of-the-train views are the best.)**

The two Hirsch Associates projects got foundation permits a week apart at the end of June and early July, the parking lot it used to be was immediately fenced off, and Case brought their big toys in to start drilling caissons. Once that’s all done, Linn-Mathes takes full control of the process, getting these two glass edifices off the ground and heading skyward.

: This is the best way to watch construction, but most of us aren’t allowed to stand there.

: The construction site, from the northeast corner of Hubbard and Wells.

: The unmistakable blue and gold of Case Foundation.

: Rebar field.

: Waiting their turn.

: Train view.

Construction Update: 3Eleven Caisson Work

Posted on July 25, 2016 by danieldschell

Revcon has caisson work well underway at 3Eleven.

Sit back while I tell you everything I know about the goings-on in the 300 block of West Illinois Street in River North.

At 311 West Illinois Street, the John Buck Company is putting up 3Eleven, a 25-story apartment tower, in what used to be the parking lot of Assumption Catholic Church. The FitzGerald Associates Architects-designed building will boast 245 “luxury” rentals, 3,000 square feet of retail, and 109 parking spaces, some of which will be set aside for the exclusive use of the church. Power Construction is on the build, and Revcon Construction is revving up the caissons as we speak.

Separately, on the other side of the church, a one-story addition is being added to the priory building. That is a project designed by McBride Kelley Baurer Architects, with Norcon, Inc. of Chicago handling the general contractor duties. I’d show you photos of that work, but there isn’t much to see. The action is all at the east end of the block.

: Up close and personal with the caisson rig.

: An actual caisson in the wild. Though it’s fenced in.

: The roof of the priory.

: Assumption Catholic Church in the background.

: The Foundation Permit.

: Since we’re here, a couple details of Assumption Catholic Church.

Site Prep Underway at Centrum Hubbard

Posted on July 23, 2016 by danieldschell

First the cars were kicked out of the parking lot. Then the fencing went up. Then the Divvy station got kicked to a different curb. And now, there’s scraping and digging going on at 221 West Hubbard (and 412 North Wells, for that matter) in preparation for Centrum Partners’ two-building development in River North.

Designed by Hirsch Associates Architects, 412 North Wells will be a 9-story office building, next to 221 West Hubbard’s 23-story apartment tower.

Linn-Mathes, general contractor for both structures, must be champing at the bit to get going on this lot. It was hoped building permits would be filed around the first of April, but some soil samples turned up negative results, and that set things back awhile. But they’re up and running now. Jump on a Brown or Purple Line train and enjoy the fun.

: A Hirsch Associates Architects rendering.

: 221 West Hubbard and 412 North Wells will be *very* close to transportation…

Tower Crane Update: 8 East Huron

Posted on July 19, 2016 by danieldschell

If you erect them, they will come watch. Them being tower cranes, they being I.

To be fair, and uncreepy, I was hardly the only interested party spectating at State and Huron Streets Saturday, as a crew from Morrow Equipment Company erected another of its pretty yellow cranes at the 8 East Huron construction site.

Recapping 8 East Huron, it will be a 26-story apartment tower with 105 units. CA Ventures is the developer, Valerio DeWalt Train Associates the designer, and Clark Construction he general contractor. Units are expected to be ready for occupancy in 2017.

: The stub.

: This looks like a scene form Charlie & The Chocolate Factory to me.

: The crane-building crane.

: None of these men are in danger of losing their jobs to me.

: East Huron was closed for the festivities, between State and Wabash.

: Piecing the cab together.

: Lifting crane parts off a truck.

: Staging equipment on East Huron Street.

: The cab.

: Preparing for lift-off.

: Artsy.

: Looking down State Street.

: Monday morning finishing work.

: Monday morning, and the tower crane is almost ready for use.

412 North Wells Joins 221 West Hubbard on the Permit List

Posted on July 9, 2016 by danieldschell

In this rendering from Hirsch Associates, 412 North Wells stands front and center; 221 West Hubbard is to the right.

Last week, the residential tower from Centrum Partners at 221 West Hubbard Street in River North got a permit from the City of Chicago to begin foundation work. And now, officially, that lot at Hubbard and Wells is twice as busy.

Yesterday, a permit was filed for caisson work to get started for the other half of this couple, the 9-story office building at 412 North Wells Street. The two towers, both designs from Howard Hirsch of Hirsch Associates Architecture, were delayed slightly by negative results from soil sampling on the site. But the delay is no more. With permits in hand, general contractor Linn-Mathes can flood that lot with caisson equipment, and get to drilling.

412 North Wells will curve with the L tracks that pass by.

The (Caisson) Permit.

The Hudson Flows Into Chicago

Posted on July 5, 2016 by danieldschell

The Hudson, 750 North Hudson Avenue, will sit on the corner of Hudson and Chicago.

The Hudson is a 25-story apartment tower at 750 North Hudson Avenue being developed by the Onni Group of Companies. Designed by Pappageorge Haymes Partners, The Hudson will have 240 one-, two-, and three-bedroom rental units and 240 parking spaces, with 10,000 square feet of retail space at ground level. Onni Group pulls double duty here by acting as its own general contractor.

If that address, 750 North Hudson, doesn’t ring bells in your head, think of The Hudson as being located at about 425 West Chicago Avenue. That’s where its most prominent facing will be, along Chicago Avenue.