Tag Archives: Thomas Roszak Architecture

145 South Wells has planted a tower crane, which should be blossoming any minute now

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145 South Wells tower crane stub

The tower crane stub (and wading pool?) is ready to go at 145 South Wells.

Today is expected to be the first day of assemblage for the tower crane at 145 South Wells, the 20-story boutique office tower Clark Construction is building for Moceri + Roszak in The Loop. We’ve waited a long time for a tower crane in what amounts to Chicago’s Central Business District. (We don’t call it that here, but I’ve always liked the way that sounds. Lots of other cities use it; why not us? Is it like putting ketchup on a hot dog? Doing the wave at Wrigley? Riding a bike on the sidewalk? Oh wait…everyone does that here.)

So here’s a quick look at that stub before it becomes a full-grown tower crane.

145 South Wells digs in for the long haul

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Caissons are as done as caissons get at 145 South Wells, and now it’s time to start getting foundation work started. Which is exactly what’s going on this very minute in The Loop at Wells and Adams. Soon, this former parking garage site will start going vertical with Moceri + Roszak’s 20-story office tower.

We’re eagerly anticipating The Loop’s next tower crane, as it’s been a while since we’ve seen one in the heart of downtown. Then Clark Construction can start sending this tower skyward.

Speaking of not having tower cranes in The Loop, it’s been some time since we’ve seen Clark Construction with one of their own in the air. But suddenly, they’re about to have a glut of them. 145 South Wells got a permit for one on May 11, 110 North Wacker will require one, and the two buildings just getting started at 1415 South Wabash will be in need as well. Congrats, Clark! You’re about to have 3 cranes in the skyline!

Here are a few more caisson photos from Case Foundation’s work at the end of May, and a couple showing work on once-again-barren lot, as digging commenceth.

 

 

Caissons are underway at 145 South Wells

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145 South Wells caissons

Caissons are going into the ground where this lame old parking deck once stood, at 145 South Wells.

The Loop’s next tower crane is right around the corner, as foundation work has begun at 145 South Wells. Case Foundation, whose rigs we spotted on site a week or so ago, have started drilling caissons to support the 20-story office building from Moceri + Roszak.

145 South Wells replaces a modest four-story parking garage in The Loop, and will replace it with a measly 24 parking spots. That’s a pretty good trade-off.

145 South Wells will soon add a tower crane to The Loop

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145 South Wells May 2018

Case Foundation has moved their equipment onto the 145 South Wells construction site.

We figured 145 South Wells would be the first project stepping up to fill the tower crane void in The Loop. Hard to believe, but it’s been more than a year since The Loop’s last tower crane, at 151 North Franklin, came down from the sky. The only other potential candidate to put one up is 110 North Wacker, but we won’t see a tower crane there for some time yet. But this 20-story office tower from Moceri + Roszak should get the job done very soon.

145 South Wells received a foundation permit from the City of Chicago back in November of last year. And then last week, it got a tower crane permit. Case Foundation let us know a few weeks ago that caisson work would get started here soon, and sure enough, they’ve moved foundation equipment onto the site.

The new tower is a design by Thomas Roszak Architecture, who also designed the tower-crane-worthy LINEA Apartments at 215 West Lake Street. Clark Construction will serve as general contractor.

If you’re wondering where Clark has been in the Chicago Tower Crane Survey, 145 South Wells marks their return to our list, with their most recent entry being at 8 East Huron in River North. (You may also see Adjustable Forms markings on this crane. They’re serving as the masonry contractor, and that usually means they are responsible for the tower crane.)

145 South Wells scores a foundation permit

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145 South Wells foundation permit

The Foundation Permit for 145 South Wells, issued 11/22/17.

145 South Wells can begin drilling caissons in its Loop lot. A permit issued by the City of Chicago Wednesday says so. That means we’ll see Case Foundation on site any minute now.

The 20-story office tower is being built by Moceri + Roszak. Thomas Roszak Architecture handled the design for 145 South Wells, which will deliver more than 200,000 square feet of luxury loft offices.

The Loop is presently without a single tower crane, so 145 South Wells figures to be our next opportunity to have one erected. Beyond this project, 130 North Franklin and redevelopment of the General Growth building at 110 North Wacker are the most likely tower cranes on the horizon.

Demolition of the parking garage in March of this year.

Demolition of the parking garage in March of this year.

145 South Wells rendering from Thomas Roszak Architects.

145 South Wells rendering from Thomas Roszak Architects.

There are no tower cranes in The Loop. Will 145 South Wells end the drought?

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Rendering of 145 South Wells from Thomas Roszak Architecture. Yep, that’ll need a tower crane.

For all the development in Chicago, none of it includes a tower crane in The Loop. The two most recent cranes, at Linea (215 West Lake Street) and 151 North Franklin, have been gone since December and April, respectively. So who will swoop in to save us from this wretched cranelessness?

145 South Wells could be the right candidate. After receiving a demolition permit in mid-March to tear down the small parking garage on site, the lot looks clean and ready to be prepped for the latest project from developer Moceri + Roszak: a boutique office building that will re-team them with design architect Thomas Roszak Architecture. (They worked on Linea together.) Renderings show a tower somewhere in the 15-20-story range. That’s sure tower-crane territory. As for when construction gets underway (looks like Clark Construction will be the general contractor) that remains to be seen; permits have yet to be issued to start construction.

 

 

145 South Wells returning to dust from whence it came

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The dramatic video above, taken from a Monday morning Purple Line train, lives as proof that Brandenburg Industrial Service crews ain’t wasting a minute reducing 145 South Wells Street to waste. Approved for demolition Thursday of last week, the four-story parking garage is being pummeled out of existence to make room for a new 20-story office tower from Moceri + Roszak. (You can see a whole boatload of renderings of the new building by following ^^ that link to their website.)

As they did for Linea at 215 West Lake Street, Thomas Roszak Architecture handled the design for 145 South Wells, which is being billed as more than 200,000 square feet of “boutique loft offices.”

Linea is just about as glassy as it gets

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Linea 215 West Lake Street

Linea, 215 West Lake Street in The Loop, is all glazed over. Yes, that’s a tree up there.

Save for one little corner that looks like it may not get windows at all, Linea is a glass that’s full. The 33-story apartment tower at 215 West Lake Street from Moceri + Roszak has been glazed over thoroughly, as work continues on the interior as well. A design by Thomas Roszak Architecture, Linea brings 265 apartments to the heart of Chicago’s Loop. Clark Construction has been on the build since breaking ground, a really old building, and a parking garage beginning late in 2015.

 

Linea gets out of the Chicago cranes business

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Linea 215 West Lake Street

No more tower crane atop Linea at 215 West Lake Street. But the curtain wall is starting to work its way down.

Tower cranes, that is. Linea, the residential tower by Thomas Roszak Architecture at 215 West Lake Street in The Loop, still has a baby crane on the top level to help finish off the building. But it’s topped out and getting more glass by the day. In fact, curtain installation has been working from the top, down, as well. Once known as Level Apartments, Linea is a 33-story, 265-unit development with about 150 parking spaces. Clark Construction is the contractor tasked with having Linea move-in ready in 2017.

Another day, another new name. The Linea forms on the right.

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Linea Apartments

What hasn’t changed about Linea is that it looks wonderful in the morning sunlight.

Goodbye, Level Apartments. Hello, Linea.

As the Chicago Architecture Blog reported yesterday, the abodes formerly known as Level Apartments were renamed recently. The residential tower at 215 West Lake Street in The Loop has confused us with names before. Early renderings of the project showed the word “Elevate” on some photos, and that name was picked up by some outlets. Then came Level, complete with a website, and signage at the construction site itself. That signage is still present, but the old website name has been erased. Erased from existence, as Doc Brown would say.

And now we have Linea. Not to be confused with the best restaurant in the world, Alinea. (Or is it? There is expected to be several thousand feet of ground-floor retail space at Linea; could Alinea be taking some of that space? That’d be rad.)

Quick reminder: Linea will be 33 stories tall, with 265 apartments and 150 or so parking spaces. Thomas Roszak Architecture did the design; Clark Construction is on the build. Completion is expected in 2017.