West Loop lot ready for transition to McDonald’s HQ

Posted on October 25, 2016 by danieldschell

Spotted: A yellow street crane is assembled on the future McDonald’s HQ site.

Yes, there’s still “demolition” work taking place on the former site of Harpo Studios in the West Loop. But only if you count the big hole Heneghan Wrecking has been digging as demo work. Because other than that, the block lying within Randolph, Carpenter, Washington, and Aberdeen is a smoothed-over dirt field, ready to play canvas to Sterling Bay’s development.

As we wait for the inevitable influx of equipment onto the McDonald’s site, a street crane (surface crane? We need a definitive name for non-tower cranes) has begun assembly.

Construction Update: Fulton West adds glass

Posted on September 28, 2016 by danieldschell

Fulton West, now with windows installed.

Fulton West, the nine-story, 290,00-square-foot office building from Sterling Bay, has reached another milestone in the West Loop. And since it’s also reached its full height, that means the tower crane’s days at 1330 West Fulton are numbered.

Leopardo Construction crews have been installing glass along the south facing of the part renovation, part new construction project. Designed by Gensler, the development will include 600 parking spots, plus 20,000 square feet of green space. Sterling Bay plans to have Fulton West open in Spring 2017.

: The new glass on Fulton West, from a distance.

: That tower crane might be gone soon.

: The back of Fulton West. Yet strangely, not called “Fulton North”.

The bricks hit the wall at Fulton West

Posted on August 29, 2016 by danieldschell

The front of Fulton West is bricked in, up to the setback.

Fulton West is looking a lot less like an old skeleton, and a lot more like its renderings. Sterling Bay is developing Fulton West, which will provide 290,000 square feet of office space and 610 parking spots to the Fulton Market District.

Leopardo Construction crews have added five additional floors to the existing 4-story structure, and now some major brick work covers the facades. The Gensler-designed office building is destined for an April 2017 opening.

: From the northwest corner of Fulton and Ada.

: Admit it. This rendering from Sterling Bay is starting to resemble the actual work taking place at Fulton West.

: Gratuitous south facade with tower crane shot.

: Is this a means to go up? or a way to come down? I’m guessing the ladder.

: Duct work around back.

: The west facade is in on the brick act too.

Sterling Bay sampling soil at 210 North Carpenter

Posted on August 5, 2016 by danieldschell

A soil sampling rig at 210 North Carpenter.

Sterling Bay has plans to develop property alongside the L tracks on Lake Street in the West Loop. Situated between Carpenter and Aberdeen Streets, Sterling Bay’s rendering of 210 North Carpenter shows a 13-story building that will practically kiss passing Pink and Green Line trains.

According to its website, Sterling Bay would like to have 210 North Carpenter ready for use late in 2017 or early 2018. And with a soil sampling rig on site this week, it’s very possible ground could be broken any day now. Of course, we still have to wait for a permit to be filed before construction can begin.

A Sterling Bay render of 210 North Carpenter

The soil sampling rig, sampling soil.

This fancy Google Map shows the location of 210 North Carpenter.

Sterling Bay Finds An Ace The West Loop Can Keep

Posted on July 14, 2016 by danieldschell

That tower crane off in the distance is building the Ace Hotel, with the help of that cement rig.

An Ace Hotel is on the rise at 311 North Morgan Street in the West Loop. Developed by Sterling Bay, the Ace is dealing 159 keys to the primo location directly across the street from Google’s office building at 1000 Fulton Market.

The design, by Chicago’s GREC Architects, will feature a green roof, first-floor retail, and 30 underground parking spaces. Power Construction has been on the build since last fall, including painstaking efforts to preserve the historic facade that faces Morgan Street.

Because the word “boutique” is fun to use, I will mention that the Ace will be a boutique hotel.

: Those aren’t just industrial-style billboards. The shipping containers are supporting the historic facade along Morgan Street that’s being preserved.

: Pouring cement barely within view of the buildingupchicago office.

: Gratuitous tower crane shot, from a much nicer day.

Fulton West Takes It Up a Level

Posted on June 16, 2016 by danieldschell

Leopardo Construction crews work atop Fulton West.

Take more than two steps anywhere in the Fulton Market District, and you’ll find signs, both literal and figurative, of Sterling Bay’s presence. In its own words, that’s how the west is getting done.

A rendering of Fulton West.

One of Sterling Bay’s latest and most noticeable projects is Fulton West, a combination of renovation and new construction going on now at 1330 West Fulton Street. From the remains of a three-story parking structure, the Gensler Chicago office has designed a nine-story, 290,000-square-foot office building slated for an April 2017 opening. Over 600 parking spaces will be included, plus 20,000 square feet of green space.

Fulton West also boasts one of the longest tower cranes on the Chicago construction scene, a necessity for overall reach, what with the crane being rooted in the “back” (northeast) corner of the project. As you can see from the photo above, that crane has already helped Leopardo Construction crews add a fourth floor to the existing base.