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.
Enjoying the photos? Metra and CTA rides (and Amtrak trains to Milwaukee), Zipcars, Divvy Bikes, camera lenses, domain fees, snacks & energy drinks, and comfortable walking shoes add up. You can help offset expenses by making a greatly-appreciated donation to Building Up Chicago.
The Habitat Company today announced pre-leasing has opened at Cassidy on Canal, their 33-story, 343-unit apartment tower at 350 North Canal in the Fulton River District. The development, built on the site of the former Cassidy Tire building, expects to welcome its first tenants in May. Apartments include a mix of studios, one- and two-bedrooms, plus penthouse units. Rents range from ~$2,500 per month up to over $10,000 per months for penthouses.
You can read the entire press release on pre-leasing here.
September 2023:
Enjoying the photos? Metra and CTA rides (and Amtrak trains to Milwaukee), Zipcars, Divvy Bikes, camera lenses, domain fees, snacks & energy drinks, and comfortable walking shoes add up. You can help offset expenses by making a greatly-appreciated donation to Building Up Chicago.
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
Enjoying the photos? Metra and CTA rides (and Amtrak trains to Milwaukee), Zipcars, Divvy Bikes, camera lenses, domain fees, snacks & energy drinks, and comfortable walking shoes add up. You can help offset expenses by making a greatly-appreciated donation to Building Up Chicago.
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:
Enjoying the photos? Metra and CTA rides (and Amtrak trains to Milwaukee), Zipcars, Divvy Bikes, camera lenses, domain fees, snacks & energy drinks, and comfortable walking shoes add up. You can help offset expenses by making a greatly-appreciated donation to Building Up Chicago.
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
Enjoying the photos? Metra and CTA rides (and Amtrak trains to Milwaukee), Zipcars, Divvy Bikes, camera lenses, domain fees, snacks & energy drinks, and comfortable walking shoes add up. You can help offset expenses by making a greatly-appreciated donation to Building Up Chicago.
1000 West Carroll will be demolished to clear space for 350 North Morgan. That’s another Sterling Bay office building, 345 North Morgan, in the background.
There’s demolition fencing all around the former Pioneer Wholesale Meat facility, located at 1000 West Carroll. Atlas Industries has equipment on site, prepared to act on the demolition permit the City of Chicago issued August 22. Once that’s dispatched, Sterling Bay will begin construction on their latest office tower.
350 North Morgan is a creation by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. They’ve designed an 18-story office building with 600,000 rentable square feet, 18,000 square feet of retail space, 36,000 square feet of amenity space, and 142 parking spots.
We’ll be on the lookout for building permits soon, and then we’ll know who the general and concrete contractors all.
800 Fulton is an 18-story office tower at the literal gateway to the Fulton Market District. Really. There’s a sign. Developed by Thor Equities, it is a design by SOM and a build by Lendlease. It should be open any minute now.
800 Fulton. It could be 300 North Halsted. Or 801 West Wayman. or 303 North Green. But none of those have the panache of 800 Fulton.
And 800 Fulton (that link includes an Oxblue webcam!) keeps sprouting up from this West Loop block, thanks to the efforts Lendlease and crew. Have a look:
Three weeks ago, 800 Fulton was a difficult spectator sport. High fences, deep excavations, attack dogs that clearly knew my scent and were expecting me. Okay, the dog thing is a lie. But I digress. Point is, 800 Fulton is starting to jut above street level, and now we can get a great look at progress Lendlease is making on the future 19-story office tower from Thor Equities.
And so, without further ado, I present a whole mess o’photos:
Building Up Chicago 