Cloudy-day construction update: Cassidy on Canal

Posted on January 31, 2023 by danieldschell

It’s pretty easy to remember when I was last at Cassidy on Canal; just scroll back a couple pages. In mid-September, caisson work had just begun on The Habitat Company’s 33-story, 343-unit, SCB-designed apartment tower where Cassidy Tire once stood in the Fulton River District.

Now, McHugh & McHugh have reached the underside of the fifth floor. Have a look at their progress on a cold, cloudy January ’23 Sunday (I love having the Fulton House condo building as a backdrop):

Enjoying the photos? Metra and CTA rides (and Amtrak trains to Milwaukee), Zipcars, Divvy Bikes, camera lenses, domain fees, snacks & energy drinks, and comfortable walking shoes add up. You can help offset expenses by making a greatly-appreciated donation to Building Up Chicago.

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Cassidy on Canal has begun construction at 350 North Canal

Posted on September 17, 2022 by danieldschell

The first permit has been issued for Cassidy on Canal, the 33-story apartment tower from The Habitat Company, and crews are on site ready to drill into the earth. I’m told caissons aren’t quite ready to go into the ground just yet, but you can see rebar cages being prepped, so they’ll be ready when shafts start drilling. That process is expected to begin Monday.

I learned some fascinating things this week about those old freight tunnels running under the city, including this site. Caissons can be drilled through the tunnels, but not until the tunnels themselves are filled. Bulkheads are framed and filled at each end of the tunnel, and then the entire tunnel is filled with grout. (It’s a lot of grout.) Once the grout sets, then the caissons can be drilled & filled.

Anyway, that’s what Stalworth Underground is up to. I guess when you put the word “Underground” in your name, you’re prepared for anything and everything that pops up beneath the surface.

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Apartments at 350 North Canal permitted to begin where Cassidy Tire ended

Posted on September 9, 2022 by danieldschell

The City of Chicago issued a foundation permit Wednesday for 350 North Canal. That means The Habitat Company’s plan for apartments on the lot where Cassidy Tire once stood is ready to roll. An empty lot, a clean slate, at the beginning of the month, McHugh Construction and McHugh Concrete can begin laying the groundwork for the 33-story, SCB-designed tower. Stalworth Underground will assist with caisson work.

The permit indicates 343 apartments, 123 parking spaces for cars (no below-grade parking here. There will be a parking podium on levels 2-4) and 185 bicycle spaces. I’ll be staring at the permit site, waiting for the tower crane to arrive.

Final visit to the Cassidy Tire demolition?

Posted on June 21, 2022 by danieldschell

There ain’t much left to see, as Atlas Industries nears the home stretch at the old Cassidy Tire building. Still looks to be about three years’ worth of reusable brick and timber, not to mention the un-reusable piles of rubble, to be hauled away though.

A couple of iPhone shots in this gallery show how high the rubble is piled in back of the building. We’re in deep Barney here.

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Another week, another visit to the Cassidy Tire demolition site

Posted on June 6, 2022 by danieldschell

The Cassidy Tire building is disappearing, from the southwest corner inwards.

Piles of beams. Piles of bricks. Piles of pallets for the piles of bricks.

Besides seeing so much of the building missing, that’s what stands out at the Cassidy Tire demolition site at 344 North Canal. The bricks, obviously, will be reused; you don’t spend hours and hours like the three-man crew was doing Sunday to palletize those if you’re not going to reuse them. As for the beams, hopefully they’ll find a new purpose somewhere. A few of the zoom-in shots I’ve gotten during the demo process have shown those old wood beams looking as perfect as the day they were set in place.

In case you’re wondering, yes. I’ll likely return to this site every weekend until there’s nothing left to see, much like I did when the ADM Milling Company was torn down in the far West Loop. There’s something perversely fascinating about demolition, about seeing a structure laid open, exposed for all to see. Maybe it’s wrong to keep staring, to keep capturing close-ups from every angle. But I can’t look away.

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A lot more photos from a lot less building, at the Cassidy Tire demolition

Posted on May 31, 2022 by danieldschell

Some architecture is tired, as some is *for* tires. The Cassidy Tire building at 344 North Canal was, at least for the last part of its life, the latter. I went back Memorial Day weekend, twice, to see Atlas Industries’ demolition progress, both in daylight and after dark. Sadly, I was the one holding the camera, so the night shooting wasn’t terribly successful. But you get the gist.

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More demolition at Cassidy Tire

Posted on May 22, 2022 by danieldschell

Atlas Industries continues their work bringing down the former Cassidy Tire at 344 North Canal. These were taken Thursday, so there’s even more demolition/less building now

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Demolition is underway at Cassidy Tire, 344 North Canal

Posted on May 15, 2022 by danieldschell

Demolition of the former Cassidy Tire at 344 North Canal began last week. Atlas Industries is doing the demo work for McHugh Construction, who will build the new 344 North Canal residential tower on this site.