You’d think someone was in a hurry to see One Bennett Park accomplish completion, as fast as it’s risen so far. Not me. I want progress to slow down while it’s still close enough to the ground to get a good look. At least until we put a deposit down on our penthouse unit. Then we’ll need construction to ramp up considerably so we can move in before another month’s rent is due.

Also, how has it been a month and a half since I’ve stopped by? Oh, that’s right, it was my own refusal to see it on anything but a beautiful sunny day.

Well, I got one. And that means you get many. Photos, that is. Here ya go:

To my dearest readers, followers, and stalkers:

It is my goal to avoid posting about the same projects too often. Which is why I don’t just stare out the living room window behind me and post hourly updates of 625 West Adams. No, I try to give you some variety, getting to as many construction sites as I can to keep things fresh, so you don’t get bored. But…

The rare occurrence of sunshine and blue skies in Chicago forces a change of the rules. I know I just sent out three dozen shots of One Bennett Park last week, but that was a grey, overcast day. under cloudy skies. But Thursday? Thursday was glorious. And I assure you, every skyscraper nerd in the city was out there Thursday, snapping photos like it’s their job. And few buildings looked as spectacular bathed in sunlight than One Bennett Park.

And so, because I simply can’t help myself around this beauty, I give you, yet again, more of One Bennett Park.

One Bennett Park, 451 East Grand Avenue in Streeterville.

As One Bennett Park continues to sprout up through Streeterville, it seems to get brighter as well. Which isn’t a bad thing, since the sun doesn’t shine in Chicago anymore. Might as well have something in the sky that’s yellow and shiny. Not that One Bennett park is that high yet. Hard to tell with that golden shroud wrapped around it, but the core seems to be about 6 or 7 floors up. But oh, how high it will rise. 69 stories. And no, it won’t be yellow.

One Bennett Park is on its way to 69 stories in Streeterville.

It’s barely been more than 2 weeks since the last update on One Bennett Park in this blog space, but skyscraper warrant extra attention while they’re still low enough to the ground to see. Plus, One Bennett Park has changes a lot in the past 14 days or so. Not only is the core growing, but there’s more ground work being done as well. And iron work. And there are lots of pretty colors.

Oh shoot, don’t take my word for it. Take my pictures instead. And take these friendly reminders about One Bennett Park as well:

Developer: Related Midwest

Architects: Robert A.M. Stern (with a hand from GREC Architects)

General Contractor: Lendlease

Address: 451 East Grand Avenue

69 stories, 280 apartments, 70 condominiums

Completion in 2019

One Bennett Park, rising above the streets of Streeterville.

The tower crane is up, so there’s no stopping One Bennett Park now. All Lendlease crews need to do now it use it to stack 69 stories on top of each other, and the Robert A.M. Stern-designed (I’m infatuated with the project they designed for 220 Central Park South, remember?) tower will be ready for move-in. Seems pretty simple, right?

A render of One Bennett Park from Related Midwest.

One Bennett Park, the 69-story skyscraper currently burying caissons at 451 East Grand Avenue in Streeterville, received its next level of achievement (if construction was one of those silly games you play on your phone) yesterday with a full-build permit from the City of Chicago.

Being developed by Related Midwest, the tower was designed by New York’s Robert A.M. Stern Architects, with an assist from Chicago’s own GREC Architects. One Bennett Park will have a mix of 348 luxury condominiums and rental apartments, plus a brand new 1.7-acre park from landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh & Associates.

Related Midwest plans to have One Bennett Park move-in ready in 2019. Lendlease is the general contractor that’ll make that completion goal happen.

Hovering above One Bennett Park

There it is. The Permit.