Tag Archives: Tower Cranes

A Sunny Day At: The Sears Tower

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Chicago’s a big city, with a pretty good transportation system. But it’s hard to get to, say for example, 32 tower cranes all in one day. Which is why Skydeck Chicago was built at the Sears Tower. All of the tower cranes, all in one place. With a couple exceptions. I missed a few, like Vista Tower, One Grant Park, and 1101 South Wabash, which can’t be seen, and 8 East Huron and Wicker Park Connection, which I simply brain-lapsed on.

Construction Stubdate: No. 508 plants a tower crane in Lake View

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https://twitter.com/SigAlfano/status/863160123841294336

Shout-out to Twitter user @sigalfano who let me know, after some guesswork, that a tower crane stub had been planted at No. 508 (508 West Diversey Parkway) on Friday. It joins One South Halsted in the stub group, with full assembly likely while I’m in England. So take pictures and videos of it going up and send them the blog’s way.

This is the only tower crane in the Chicago skies right now for Macon Construction Group, the general contractor tasked with building the 12-story, 53-apartment Pappageorge Haymes design.

 

Off to England. Who will count the tower cranes?

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I’m putting you on tower-crane watch, Chicago.

Even though we leave for London Wednesday, it’s very likely construction will continue here without me, and that means you’ll need to be my eye on the skyline. You can print out this little cheat sheet of things to look for if you’d like.

508 West Diversey tower crane stub

Chicago’s newest tower crane is coming to 508 West Diversey.

There are permits issued for the following tower cranes, which could spring up any day:

  1. One South Halsted (stub)
  2. 508 West Diversey (stub)
  3. Aloft Chicago Mag Mile (243 East Ontario)
  4. Essex On The Park (808 South Michican, still undergoing caisson work)
  5. Nobu Hotel (854 West Randolph, also in caisson mode)

The following is my Endangered Tower Crane list. Some have topped out, while others “might” be near the end of their use. This is neither an official not scientific list:

  1. 3Eleven (311 West Illinois. Definitely topped out)
  2. 171 Aberdeen (I think topped out. Novak? A little help?)
  3. Apple Store (It’s only two stories, so who knows what “topped out” means on this one. But I have to believe they don’t need the tower crane much longer)
  4. 8 East Huron and No. 9 Walton (These are both extremely tentative. I haven’t counted stories yet, but I think they’re close to the top)

Which tower crane will be completed first, One South Halsted or 508 West Diversey? Who’ll take tower cranes down first, Power Construction (Apple Store, 3Eleven) or Novak Construction (171 Aberdeen)? I won’t know; I’ll be in England. (Maybe Paris too!)

Pay attention, Chicago, and share photos with each other. Or send them to the blog (buildingupchicago@gmail.com) and I’ll be sure to post them. Then, we’ll see you back Stateside at the end of next week.

I hear there are tower cranes in London, so don’t worry about me; I’ll be fine.

The Crane Doctor to make a house call at Illume Chicago

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Illume Chicago

Putting the Ill in Illume…The tower crane at Illume Chicago needs some repairs.

Expect a street closure Thursday in the 100-block of South Peoria Street, as a street crane sets up to make repairs on the tower crane holding court above Illume Chicago. Weather permitting, repairs shouldn’t last more than a day, and Peoria Street will be back in business Friday.

#33: Cook County Central Campus Health Center puts a tower crane in the air

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Cook County Central Campus Health Center tower crane

Looked out the window this morning, and there it was. Cook County Central Campus Health Center has a tower crane.

Before I took the time to post photos from Saturday of the tower crane stub at Cook County Central Campus Health Center, Clayco went ahead a put the darn thing up! That’ll teach me to procrastinate. (No, it won’t. It should though.) Not sure exactly which days saw work on the crane, but there it was outside the B.U.C. HQ window this morning, shining in the sunlight.

CCCCHC is now the 33rd active tower crane in Chicago.

And then there were 32: The Landmark West Loop lowers the tower crane

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Landmark West Loop tower crane removal

When the crane disappears behind its own building, that’s a good indication it’s coming down.

Chicago’s ever-fluid tower crane count has changed again, as Landmark West Loop begins to lower its crane at 1035 West Van Buren Street. Landmark topped out March 23, so we knew this day was coming. The loss of this shiny yellow Liebherr EC-12 Litronic model brings our count down to 32.

Landmark West Loop tower crane removal

One South Halsted is waiting for a Liebherr, so…

Your (my) new Chicago Tower Crane count stands at 33

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Chicago tower cranes

Forgotten tower crane at the DePaul School of Music

The conversation with myself went something like this, as I stood on the Fullerton CTA platform Monday morning, waiting for a Brown Line train:

Me: “I’m kinda surprised the tower crane at the DePaul School of Music is still there.”

Also me: “The Depaul School of Music! I forgot the DePaul School of Music!”

So there’s one tower crane I’d forgotten to include. That brings the current (as far as I know) active count to 33. Generally moving north to south, they are:

  1. Eight Eleven Uptown (811 W Agatite)
  2. Hotel Zachary (3630 N Clark)
  3. Addison & Clark (1025 W Addison)
  4. Elevate Lincoln Park (930 W Altgeld)
  5. DePaul School of Music (2330 N Halsted)\
  6. Atrium Village (1140 N Wells)
  7. Wicker Park Connection (1640 W Division)
  8. No. 9 Walton (9 W Walton)
  9. Simpson Querrey Center N (303 E Superior)
  10. Simpson Querrey Center S (303 E Superior)
  11. One Bennett Park E (451 E Grand)
  12. One Bennett Park W (452 E Grand)
  13. 465 North Park (465 North Park)
  14. Apple Store (401 N Michigan)
  15. 8 E Huron (8 E Huron)
  16. Hubbard221 (221 W Hubbard)
  17. 3Eleven (311 W Illinois)
  18. Vista Tower E  (401 E Wacker)
  19. Vista Tower W (363 E Wacker)
  20. 171 Aberdeen (171 N Aberdeen)
  21. McDonald’s HQ W (110 N Carpenter)
  22. McDonald’s HQ E (110 N Carpenter)
  23. Illume Chicago (111 S Peoria)
  24. 625 West Adams (625 W Adams)
  25. Landmark West Loop (1035 W Van Buren)
  26. Ancora at Riverline (720 S Wells)
  27. Alta Roosevelt (801 S Financial)
  28. 1101 South Wabash (1101 S Wabash)
  29. 1136 South Wabash (1136 S Wabash)
  30. One Grant Park (1200 S Indiana)
  31. 1411 South Michigan (1411 S Michigan)
  32. Three Hiltons (123 E Cermak)
  33. Solstice On The Park (1616 E 56th)

At last sightings, we still had stubs in the ground at the Cook County Central Campus Health Center (1950 W Polk), and One South Halsted. There are tower crane permits for 4 properties that haven’t been planted yet:

  1. Aloft Hotel (243 E Ontario)
  2. Nobu (854 W Randolph)
  3. Essex On The Park (808 S Michigan)
  4. No. 508 (508 W Diversey)

Another Flag, Another Tank, Another Crane, for another Friday

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Revisiting a very busy section of the West Loop.

In the foreground, the tower crane at the McDonald’s Headquarters site. To the left, a full view of the tower crane at 171 Aberdeen.

The banner yet waving is atop Venue One.

The water tank belongs to 1035 West Lake Street.

Have a great weekend, construction nerds!