What if 1000M was renamed for Helmut Jahn

Posted on May 10, 2021 by danieldschell

JAHN rendering of the original plan for 1000 South Michigan.

We lost a titan of the industry over the weekend when architect Helmut Jahn was struck and killed while riding his bike in the western suburbs. We can honor him.

I’m in no position to make demands. Or even requests. This is merely a suggestion. When work on 1000M resumes, once the city and developers work out the details on how halted construction of his South Loop tower should continue, let’s rename it for him. Jahn Tower. Helmut Jahn Tower. Jahn on Grant Park. Jahn On Michigan. Anything to remember him.

It seems like a good thing to do.

Stubless, progress-less 1000M takes another beating

Posted on March 15, 2021 by danieldschell

Its caissons are done, the tower crane stub was set, and things were rockin’ and rollin’ at 1000M, the new residential tower next to Grant Park in the South Loop. But it hasn’t seen new progress in almost a year now, and Crain’s Chicago Business reported Monday that no one within the potential shadow of the future tower seems at all pleased with the new direction developers would like to take the tower in. Apartments? Condos? A mix? Heck, even that website seems to be dead.

Bummer. Here are a couple shots of the sad, idle construction pit at 1000 South Michigan Ave.

More Chicago Stub News: 1000M plants a tower crane

Posted on March 9, 2020 by danieldschell

A freshly-planted stub takes root at 1000M.

It’s an embarrassment of riches for stub fans, with Chicago’s second planting last week of a tower crane. This one is at 1000M, and it too will be fulling erected this week. The rebar beds that will soon be filled with concrete provide one serious crane pad. It’s funny; the Crane Company Building is right around the corner. Coincidence? Yeah, probably.

Imprint raises the glass, drops the crane

Posted on March 9, 2020 by danieldschell

Move along, folks. No tower cranes to see here.

Make it 17.

One of Chicago’s 18 March tower cranes is already gone, with Imprint (717 South Clark) now topped out and craneless. The good news is, we won’t have to wait long to replace that 18th crane, and add a 19th. But more on that later.

As you can see in the photos, curtain wall progress is inching toward the top of the 30-story Imprint. A Spring 2020 opening is planned, though not all units will be available for immediate occupancy in the spring. Click on the Imprint link and you’ll see what’s gonna be ready when.

1000M foundation work pivots to piles with caissons complete

Posted on February 24, 2020 by danieldschell

No longer on site.

Caisson work is complete at 1000M in the South Loop. Now, foundation work continues as piles are driven and earth is moved. In fact, the pile driving might be done; I didn’t notice the Keller rig I saw earlier this month still on site Sunday with which to pound them into the ground.

A tower crane permit was issued January 16 for 1000 South Michigan, so that’s another milestone to keep an eye out for. I wish could say I spotted the caissons sticking up out of the ground that I think will be the crane’s location, but I ain’t that smart. I’ll keep guesses, assumptions, and speculation to myself.

The basics on 1000M: Designed by Helmut Jahn. James McHugh Construction is the general contractor. There’s a three-member development team — Time Equities, JK Equities, and Oak Capitals. It will be 74 stories and 832 feet tall, and if you live there, I will invite myself over constantly. Now you know that.

Stuff That’s Done: Coeval

Posted on February 13, 2020 by danieldschell

Coeval has two addresses: 51 East 14th St. and 1419 South Wabash. Ave

I had surgery on a knee as a young adult. I was fascinated by the effects of anesthesia. One moment after drifting off to sleep, my eyes popped open in the recovery room. To me, the surgery happened faster than the snap of the fingers. Like time travel in Back To The Future.

Those questionable analogies are a means of explaining Coeval. I stopped by 14th and Wabash twice; once during demolition of 1415 South Wabash, and once as the rolling crane was being set up on the freshly-demoed lot. The third time I visited, this past week, Coeval was open. Heck, I didn’t even know it was called Coeval now. If only construction could be instantaneous like that.

Coeval is a two-towered apartment development from CMK Companies. Consisting of a 14-story tower to the north, and a 10-story tower to the south, the project contains about 260 units in total. It was designed by Pappageorge Haymes Partners and built by Clark Construction. It opened to residents last summer.

The tower crane I missed at Aspire is missed no more

Posted on February 12, 2020 by danieldschell

You all are The. Best.

Just a day after I posted about not making it to 2111 South Wabash in time to snap the tower crane, Robert Burke comes along and fills my inbox with photos. Crane going up, crane coming down, crane building a building, the whole sequence. Thank you, Robert!

All photos are from Robert Burke:

2111 South Wabash Aspires to be clad all over

Posted on February 11, 2020 by danieldschell

Aspire Residences, at 2111 South Wabash, glassing up the joint.

Our final project to top out in 2019 – congrats to the team at 2111 S Wabash on reaching the top elevation of their 24-story mixed-use tower! @PMAGetsIt @ujamaaconstruct @draperandkramer @scbchicago pic.twitter.com/LSLvXvtDxr

— Power Construction (@Power_Construct) December 16, 2019

That’s Power Construction in the tweet above, letting the world know about the topping out of 2111 South Wabash in the South Loop back in December. That same week, Draper & Kramer, the developer of 2111, announced not only the topping out, but also the project’s new name — Aspire Residences.

The 24-story, 275-unit apartment building took down the tower crane in late January. (A tower crane I saw, but didn’t get a photo of. I hate missing them.) Aspire is a design by SCB. It’s on schedule to open this summer.

Stuff That’s Done: Essex on the Park

Posted on February 7, 2020 by danieldschell

Essex On The Park, standing tall over Grant Park in Chicago’s South Loop.

This is Essex On The Park. Built at 808 South Michigan Avenue, the shiny new tower brought 476 new apartments to the South Loop. It stand 56 stories and 620 feet high, looming over the western edge of Grant Park. Essex On The Park opened to residents in March 2019.

The Team:
Developer — Oxford Capital Group
Design Architect — Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture
General Contractor — Power Construction
Foundations — Keller NA
Demolition — Heneghan Wrecking

You’ll see all their work, in one form or another, in the gallery below, spanning from January 2017 to February 2020.

Stuff That’s Done: NEMA Chicago

Posted on January 24, 2020 by danieldschell

With only a few weeks remaining on-site, our team will soon be vacating #NEMAChicago, and the tenants are already enjoying the amazing views and the luxurious amenities.

We thank our project team and partners for helping us bring this fantastic building to Chicago's #SouthLoop. pic.twitter.com/yMo1TTYBYp

— McHugh Construction (@McHughConstruct) January 23, 2020

NEMA Chicago started out as One Grant Park. I liked that name. It didn’t give you the address, but you still knew right where it must be. You know, that really really tall one at the south end of the park. Alas, things and names change.

Thursday, James McHugh Construction sent out the above tweet, announcing they’ve done all they can do at NEMA, more than three years after taking control of the empty lot at Indiana and Michigan Avenues, and Roosevelt Road.

There are 800 apartments in this brand new 76-story skyscraper, and if the views of Chicago aren’t enough for you, it also has about a kajillion square feet of amenity space. It’s a marvelous design by Rafael Viñoly Architects. Crescent Heights is the developer. NEMA Chicago opened to residents in July 2019.