Milieu has a clean West Loop slate to begin construction

Posted on May 22, 2018 by danieldschell

Demolition is complete at the corner of Adams and Peoria Streets in the West Loop, leaving just a silky-smooth lot with which to begin Milieu, the 275-unit apartment project from co-developers White Oak Realty Partners and Crayton Advisors.

It looks like Stalworth Underground will hit the site first, as they’re equipment is already on the lot. They’ll help take care of foundation work for GC Power Construction, tasked with sending Milieu up to its desired 19-story height. Designed by the West Loop’s own FitzGerald, Milieu brings 13,000 square fete of retail space, as well as parking spots for nearly 200 cars.

For now, Power has a permit to build up to the 5th floor. Soon they’ll get a tower crane permit as well, then the full-build will follow. Milieu is expecting a Summer 2019 opening.

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.

Caisson work has begun for Shapack Partners’ 801 West Fulton Market office building

Posted on August 28, 2017 by danieldschell

Equipment stands at the ready over the weekend at 810 West Fulton Market, waiting to tear into the soil.

Stalworth Underground began drilling the first caissons on Monday for 801 West Fulton Market, the new seven-story office building from Shapack Partners. Stalworth tells us there will be 24 bell caissons for the site, and then Power Construction will begin going skyward. The Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture design will include commercial space at ground level, a green roof on top, and a surface parking lot. The building replaces a surface parking lot at the corner of Fulton Market and Halsted Street, just below the nearly-famous “FULTON MARKET DISTRICT” sign.

: Rendering of 811 Fulton from Shapack Partners.

: Rendering of 811 Fulton from Shapack Partners.

: The Permit, issued June 26.

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.

Hoxton Chicago hotel scores a tower-crane permit amidst foundation work

Posted on August 7, 2017 by danieldschell

As Chicago gets dangerously close to dipping below the 30-tower-crane plateau, some good news came in at the end of last week. Along with the second crane permit for the Lincoln Common project in Lincoln Park, Friday also saw the issuing of the tower-crane permit for the Hoxton Chicago hotel in the West Loop.

As you can see in the slow-motion pile-driving drive-by video above, Stalworth Underground continues foundation work on the 12-story, 175-room hotel from developers Ennismore and Shapack Partners, and design architect GREC Architects. Soon, Power Construction will swarm the site, which got its foundation permit back on June 21, and progress will start going vertical.

A rendering of the Hoxton Chicago hotel from Ennismore.

The tower crane permit, issued August

West Loop site now a clean slate, awaiting the Hoxton Chicago hotel (and it just got a permit!)

Posted on June 22, 2017 by danieldschell

From a green line train, a soil-sampling rig tastes the dirt at the future Hoxton Chicago site.

Hoxton Chicago render from Ennismore.

Heneghan Wrecking has finished making space at 832 West Lake Street in the West Loop, where Grant Park Packing and Vaia Auto once stood. The bare dirt lot stands ready for the impending arrival of the Hoxton Chicago, a 175-room boutique hotel from London-based developer of the Hoxton brand, Ennismore, with Shapack Partners. Designed by GREC Architects, the Hoxton Chicago needs only a building permit to get started. ** And there it is!**

The permit was issued Wednesday, June 21.

The Stalworth Underground caisson rig is getting ready to roll. And drill.

Power Construction will be the general contractor. The arrival of a Stalworth Underground caisson rig gives a strong clue as to who will be performing foundation work. **Thursday morning, and that caisson rig is being set upright, ready for work. It’s show time for the Hoxton Chicago.