Onni Group lights up the Old Town Park tower crane. Again.

Posted on November 27, 2017 by danieldschell

The moon and the glow crane were out Sunday evening at Old Town Park.

For the second year in a row, Onni Group has strung some serious lights on the tower crane hovering above Old Town Park in the near North neighborhood. Of course, it was still Atrium Village at this time last year. Not to mention construction had barely risen above street level. But now, Old Town Park is topped out at a full 31 stories, and glass has reached the 25th floor, or thereabouts.

Folks, let me just tell you that glow-in-the-dark tower cranes are THE. BOMB. Chicago needs more of them. I would love to see this become a trend here. But at least Onni gets it right. Two years ago, they also lit up the tower crane at The Hudson for the holidays. So kudos to them for their three-year streak. Will we see another this time next year when the next Atrium Village phase is underway?

: Last year’s glow crane.

: Onni Group’s glow-in-the-dark crane at The Hudson, December 2015.

Cranes Without Context: Bondi Beach, Sydney Edition

Posted on November 26, 2017 by danieldschell

Just east of downtown Sydney, New South Wales lies the Pacific Ocean. You probably knew that. And just before you get to the water, you’ll find Bondi Beach, one of Sydney’s most popular attractions for the surfing and tourist crowds alike. As someone who’s never been to the Mediterranean, the surrounding architecture has a very Mediterranean feel to me. And they’re building more, as evidenced by the numerous tower cranes jutting out of the scenery.

: No tower crane, just an up-close look at new-home construction.

As Wolf Point East digs out from Chicago River flooding, a tower crane permit arrives

Posted on November 22, 2017 by danieldschell

One big pile of slop, waiting to be heaved into a truck and hauled away from Wolf Point East.

Just before this story went to the presses, a permit came through for a tower crane at Wolf Point East. A Liebherr 420 EC-H 16 to be precise. A SHINY YELLOW TOWER CRANE, to be technical.

Wolf Point East got a tower crane permit on Monday.

When I posted an update on foundation work at Wolf Point East at the beginning of November, there was one factor involved I hadn’t been aware of: flooding.

We were away in Australia (you may have noticed some posts from that trip) when torrential rains caused flooding along the Chicago River in October, and the construction pit at Wolf Point East took the brunt of it, filling with water completely. (You can scroll down this photo gallery from Curbed for a look at the deluge) That explains the mud that remains on site. I was back there over the weekend, and noticed just how sloppy things were, but that isn’t stopping work from continuing. You can see how much deeper work has gone, as Walsh Construction oversees progress on the six subterranean levels of the 60-story tower.

The second tower crane is coming down at McDonald’s HQ

Posted on November 17, 2017 by danieldschell

Piece by piece, the West Crane at McDonald’s new HQ is coming down.

West Crane at the new McDonald’s Headquarters in the West Loop was the first one to work, and now it’s the last one to go home. Of the two tower cranes, that is.

The two cranes were erected about a week apart back in February, did what McHugh Construction needed them to do, and East Crane came down back in September. West Crane stuck around to get the last of the heavy lifting accomplished, but this week sees it leaving the site as well. Trucks and personnel from Central Contractors Service were out there Thursday disassembling the second Peiner SK415 and lowering it to the ground.

With a stub in the ground at Hayden West Loop but no crane assembled there yet, the West Loop tower crane count drops to 7, tying it with the South Loop for the neighborhood lead. It’ll get it back soon though.

The Lincoln Common scores a third tower crane permit at Belmont Village

Posted on November 16, 2017 by danieldschell

As foundation work continues, Belmont Village has secured a tower crane permit.

Belmont Village, the 7-story senior living center coming to 700 West Fullerton Parkway as part of the Lincoln Common development, received a tower crane permit from the City of Chicago Wednesday. That makes it three for W. E. O’Neil, who are also utilizing two others for the towers being constructed on the Lincoln Avenue properties.

7-story buildings lie right on the precipice of tower-crane necessity. This one was a tad unexpected, but it’s also not surprising that a tower crane is needed. In the meantime, foundation work for Belmont Village, as you’ll see in the photos that follow, continues in earnest as we wait for the crane stub.

Belmont Village will be a brick building with 149 residential units, built on the site of the former Nellie A. Black Memorial Pavilion. The 120,000-square-foot facility will be able to accommodate approximately 170 residents. It will be connected to The Lincoln Common via a tunnel beneath Fullerton Ave. Completion is expected in Summer 2019.

: The tower crane permit.

Cranes Without Context: Leeds, England Edition

Posted on November 16, 2017 by danieldschell

The natural follow-up to the Oxford, England edition of Cranes Without Context would be Leeds. Leeds was the third metropolis visited during our much-too-short UK trip back in May. There aren’t many tower cranes in Leeds, but we’ll take what we can find.

: All 4 Leeds tower cranes fit in one frame.

Fantastic video of Jewel Residences tower crane installation from Lindores Construction Logistics

Video

I’ve shown you every photo I have to share of the 5-tower-crane festival that is Jewel Residences construction in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. So I’ve been trying to find photos from everyone else. And I came across this video from Lindores Construction Logistics of the tower cranes being assembled back in 2016.

Enjoy.

Renelle on the River erects Chicago’s 60th tower crane of 2017

Posted on November 13, 2017 by danieldschell

Chicago’s 60th tower crane of 2017 is up and lifting at Renelle on the River.

The Big 6-0 is on the board, as Chicago’s 60th tower crane takes to the skies at Renelle on the River, at 403 North Wabash in River North. If you want to count backwards, Home2 Suites, also in River North at 110 West Huron, was #59. The Van Buren, at 808 West Van Buren in the West Loop, came in at #58 last month. And 210 North Carpenter, another West Loop project, was Chicago’s 57th crane of the year when it went up.

*60 cranes. That’s a big year for tower cranes. And with the stub Hayden West Loop planted in the ground at 1109 West Washington, #61 will be added to the count very soon. Two other cranes have permits: 3833 North Broadway, where we expect a stub to be planted around Thanksgiving; and The Bentham, at 146 West Erie, which doesn’t have a construction permit yet.

*I am not counting the derrick crane at Simpson Querrey.

: Renelle on the River.

: Renelle on the River.

: Renelle on the River, 403 North Wabash.

: The Van Buren tower crane.

: Home2 Suites River North tower crane.

: 210 North Carpenter tower crane.

Not of One Bennett Park, but from One Bennett Park!

Posted on November 9, 2017 by danieldschell

These photos were sent to me by Nick, one of the tower crane operators over (at) One Bennett Park. They provide further proof that some of the best views in Chicago — some of the best views in *any* city around the world — are enjoyed by the men and women in hard hats who climb the stairs and ride the hoists to work every day.

Thanks for these, Nick!

: Sunrise over Lake Michigan.

: Nick, at night.

: Cloudy Chicago.

Hayden West Loop plants the neighborhood’s ninth tower crane

Posted on November 9, 2017 by danieldschell

The elder statesman of West Loop tower cranes, at McDonald’s HQ, watches work on the new kid at Hayden West Loop.

With eight tower cranes in the air to begin November, the West Loop already leads Chicago neighborhoods in that category. And now, #9 is within sight.

Crews from Macon Construction were busy pouring the concrete foundation for the Liebherr 550 HC 20 on Tuesday, after planting the stub late last week at 1109 West Washington. That project, named Hayden West Loop, is a two-parter from Sulo Development. Designed by Booth Hansen, it will bring 28 condominiums and 83 parking spaces. The second building is slated for a site around the corner on May Street.

This is Macon Construction’s second tower crane on our count. They also have one in the air at No. 508 in Lake View.