Tag Archives: South Loop

June must be 50s month in Chicago; Essex on the Park reaches another milestone

Posted on by
Reply
Essex on the Park hits 50 stories

46…47…you do the math. But that’s *at least* 50 where I was schooled.

Must be something in the water. All the spring rain, perhaps. Whatever it is, 50 seems to be a popular number in the Chicago skyline these days, as our population of new skyscrapers continues to grow up.

A close look at the numerals stenciled into the front of Essex on the Park show that it too, along with recent 50-achievers Vista Tower and NEMA Chicago, has reached the 50th level. For a 56-story apartment tower, that’s pretty darn close to topping out.

Congratulations to the team of Power Construction, Oxford Capital Group, and Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, on achieving the milestone. Just a handful of floors to go.

McHugh Construction Instagrams NEMA Chicago’s 50th

Posted on by
Reply

There was another Golden Anniversary of sorts to celebrate last week, as McHugh Construction posted the above photo to their Instagram page announcing the start of Floor #50 at NEMA Chicago. The South Loop tower by Rafael Viñoly Architects, which started life as 1200 South Indiana, became One Grant Park, and has now settled in as a member of Crescent Heights’ NEMA franchise, will eventually grow to 76 stories.

Views of Chicago, from the18th Street Bridge

Posted on by
Reply
Chicago 18th Street Bridge

My town, Chicago, as seen from the 18th Street Bridge.

I walk across the South Loop’s 18th Street Bridge once or twice a year, whether I need to or not. And that’s a shame. It’s a great perspective of the city, including the skyline and the magnificent St. Charles Air Line Bridge. For six months, it was all in my back yard. Now that I’m gone from the neighborhood, I realize how unappreciative I was of my proximity to it.

I need to get here more. A lot more.

I may have gotten a tad carried away with cropping photos into panoramas here. Indulge me. As usual, I couldn’t decide which ones *not* to include.

Chicago 18th Street Bridge Chicago 18th Street Bridge Chicago 18th Street Bridge Chicago 18th Street Bridge Chicago 18th Street Bridge Chicago 18th Street Bridge Chicago 18th Street Bridge Chicago 18th Street Bridge Chicago 18th Street Bridge Chicago 18th Street Bridge Chicago 18th Street Bridge

St. Charles Air Line Bridge

Canal Street Railroad Bridge

Ping Tom Park

Construction on the horizon

 

 

Progress Update: Columbia College Student Center

Posted on by
Reply

It’s time to check in with Pepper Construction on their progress in the South Loop. That’s where they’re erecting the Gensler-designed Columbia College Student Center at 8th Street and Wabash Avenue. The 114,000-square-foot facility is slated for opening in 2019.

A June look at The Paragon Chicago’s progress in the South Loop

Posted on by
Reply
The Paragon Chicago June 2018

You can see where the next “split” in the curtain wall will be on The Paragon Chicago.

It looks like The Paragon Chicago is up to the 32nd floor or so. That’s not quite three-quarters of the way to the top, which is fine by me. The Paragon continues to be one of Chicago’s prettiest under-construction towers, so hurrying to that 47th floor isn’t something I need The Big Green W to do.

A friendly reminder that The Paragon is a joint effort by Murphy Development Group and CIM Group. The SCB design will deliver 500 new units to the South Loop upon its opening next spring.

 

A few more from The Cooper at Southbank

Posted on by
Reply
The Cooper at Southbank Park

Southbank Park is claiming some of the Chicago River.

The Cooper at Southbank is fast approaching its Fall 2018 opening. Last week we told you about the new name for the apartment tower in Lendlease’s also-newly-named Southbank development. We took another walk around the site Wednesday to see the tower, as well as continued work on the grounds that will become Southbank Park.

I’ve seen it for myself: Alta Grand Central really is a thing

Posted on by
Reply

Late last week, we learned from Instagram that Alta Grand Central was a real real estate developing about to begin in the South Loop.

Now, here’s the thing. Instagram is on the internet. And if something’s on the internet, it has to be true. So we had no reason to believe we were just seeing soil pushed around on a farm outside DeKalb. But there’s an old saying in news: “If your mother says she loves you, check the liquor cabinet.” Or something along those lines. What I’m saying is, we needed to see Alta Grand Central for ourselves.

And sure enough, there’s the site. A larger plot of land than we expected to see, at the southwest corner of Wells and Harrison Streets. Soon, all that dirt will be turned into two 14-story, Pappageorge Haymes Partners-designed apartment towers, boasting 346 units. Wood Partners is the developer and Walsh Construction the general contractor, just like they were around the corner at Alta Roosevelt.