Foundation work for the Toyoko Inn Chicago is underway

Posted on May 21, 2018 by danieldschell

320 South Clinton is officially no longer a parking lot, as foundation work begins for the Toyoko Inn Chicago.

Stalworth Underground is on site at 320 South Clinton Street in the West Loop, drilling caissons upon which will stand the Toyoko Inn Chicago. A foundation permit was issued by the City of Chicago April 11. That permit shows the general contractor to be Denken USA, Inc., located in the Civic Opera Building at 20 North Wacker Drive, which also happens to be the address of the hotel’s ownership, again according to the permit.

The permit calls for a 24-story hotel, so of course there will be a tower crane. Not unusual lately for the West Loop, but a bit of an oddball in that it will be east of the Kennedy Expressway. We haven’t seen one of those since EMME at 165 North Desplaines, and 625 West Adams.

Work continues below the surface at 3833 Broadway

Posted on February 26, 2018 by danieldschell

Hard to believe it’s been close to a year since we first stopped by the 3833 North Broadway construction site to see have a look at the 8-story, 134-unit residential project DLG Management is building up in up in Lake View. As our friends at Stalworth Underground continue to shore up the foundation, DLG itself (they’re also the GC) is getting ready to go vertical on the Jonathan Splitt Architects design.

Caisson equipment arrives as site prep is underway at 61 East Banks

Posted on December 29, 2017 by danieldschell

Back those caissons right on in here! It’s go time at 61 East Banks.

The 8-story, 60-unit apartment building at 61 East Banks is in site-prep mode, and caisson equipment is starting to pour into the lot. The Booth Hansen design is parking itself on the former surface parking lot at Banks Street and Lake Shore Drive, assuring spectacular Lake Michigan views for some lucky tenants.

According to Booth Hansen, expect two-story townhomes on the first two floors, with one, tow, and three-bedroom apartments on the levels above. A shared amenity terrace will adorn the green roof, and parking will be added below grade.

Draper & Kramer is the developer of 61 East Banks; Leopardo Companies is handling general contractor duties. Expect to see Stalworth Underground out there in the cold starting caisson work very early in 2018.

: Here comes a whole bunch of renderings…

: …all from Booth Hansen.

: Typical floor plan.

: Amenity deck plans.

: The Building Permit, issued December 12.

: The parking lot is gone; spaces will be added below grade.

Home2 Suites has a stub; expect the tower crane this weekend

Posted on November 2, 2017 by danieldschell

Home2 Suites River North is getting a pretty yellow tower crane this weekend.

The Home2 Suites at 110 West Huron in River North planted a tower crane stub some time during my absence, and we’re being told here at B.U.C. that crews will begin assembling the full tower crane Friday.

You’ll remember that the Home2 Suites River North will be a 17-story, 185-room hotel being developed by Akara Partners and designed by NORR. Stalworth Underground was out there doing caissons work last time we stopped by, but they’ve completed those and moved on. That means M.A. Mortenson Company has come down from Wisconsin to take complete control of the build.

: Stalworth Underground tackling caissons last month.

: Stub.

Home2 Suites by Hilton gets a caisson workout in River North

Posted on October 6, 2017 by danieldschell

The 17-story Home2 Suites by Hilton will stand atop caissons Stalworth Underground is drilling and filling now.

The Home2 Suites by Hilton coming to River North at 110 West Huron Street is in full-blown caisson phase these days. Stalworth Underground is doing the caisson work for general contractor M.A. Mortenson Company, and has their big blue machines hard at work on the corner of Clark and Huron. Akara Partners is developing the hotel, a design by NORR Inc., which will bring 185 rooms across the 17-story tower.

: Home2 Suites rendering, taken from across the street.

900 West digs in, and scores another permit

Posted on August 17, 2017 by danieldschell

Stalworth Underground drills caisson at 900 West in the West Loop.

900 West, the 10-story, 22-unit condominium building coming to the West Loop from Taris Real Estate, has permission to go vertical, after receiving its full-build permit Wednesday from the City of Chicago. (They thought they could trick me by using 904 West Washington Blvd as the address, but I catch on quick.)

In the meantime, Stalworth Underground continues to rip holes in the earth and then fill said holes with concrete. Then once they’re done with caissons, Power Construction will start bringing the Northworks Architects + Planners design to life, with the goal of a Summer 2018 opening.

And yes, Power Construction assures us there *will* be a tower crane at 900 West.

: The full permit, issued August 16.

Essex On The Park wraps up caisson work; sheet driving up next

Posted on June 8, 2017 by danieldschell

Time to dismantle the caisson rig and let the sheet driver get at it.

Case Foundation is done, and now it’s Stalworth Underground’s turn, as foundation work at Essex On The Park continues in the South Loop. With all the big holes drilled into the earth, up next comes the piles of sheeting stacked in the southwest corner of the site, and then Essex can get a tower crane moved in. I hope.

: There’s your sheeting, waiting to be driven into the ground. Some life, huh?

1326 South Michigan rings in summer with more H-Pile driving

Posted on June 5, 2017 by danieldschell

Yeah, it’s loud. If you’re anywhere near the South Loop, you probably realize that already.

Stalworth Underground continues driving the 360 H-Piles into the ground that will support the weight of 1326 South Michigan. This one can’t have caissons; the soil just isn’t meant for that type of foundation. Those H-piles will do the work instead. 46-story residential towers are heavy, apparently.

: Even the moon can hear it.

: Rig and crane.

: A few in the ground…

: …and a few soon to be.

Pile driving has begun at 1326 South Michigan

Posted on May 8, 2017 by danieldschell

A few of the first H-piles at 1326 South Michigan.

If you’re out searching for caisson work, don’t waste your time at 1326 South Michigan. The 46-story, 500-unit tower from Murphy Development Group and CIM Group won’t have them. Instead, the SCB-designed tower will sit atop H-piles, which Stalworth Underground is on site attending to now. According to Stalworth, the South Loop soil simply isn’t made for caisson work, so H-piles will be driven about 90 feet down into the bedrock.

How many H-piles does it take to support a 47-story building? 360, again according to the folks at Stalworth. Each pile is capable of supporting 350 tons, so that’s 252 million pounds of concrete and steel and glass and sofas and appliances that can be supported. Oh, and 190 cars. That’s a decent amount of weight there, too.

Stalworth started driving piles at 1326 South Michigan last week.

: A view of the pile-driving rig, from above.

: The same rig, hiding in the shadows.

Caissons begin at Marlowe in River North

Posted on May 3, 2017 by danieldschell

Stalworth Underground drills the first caisson for Marlowe, 675 North Wells Street in River North.

Just over a week after caisson work started on the other side of the block (676 North LaSalle) at The Ardus, caisson work got underway this morning at 675 North Wells Street in River North, home of the future Marlowe development from Lennar Multifamily Companies. Stalworth Underground has the honor of ripping holes in the soil and filling them with concrete for the 15-story, 176-unit apartment project. Antunovich Associates took care of the designs; Power Construction will be on the build.

The good word from Stalworth is there will be 59 bell caissons dug at Marlowe, down to about 80 feet. Diameters range from 2-and-a-half to 3-and-a-half feet, with bells up to 10 feet.