I wasn’t fast enough on the draw to capture the tower crane at The Sinclair coming down this morning as the Purple Line passed by. But I recovered in time to get this shot between the Sedgwick and Armitage stops. That rooftop crane will handle the rest of the heavy lifting from here on out.
Wait…is that…IT IS! It’s a tower crane at Illume Chicago!
Floating somewhere within the universe that is the City of Chicago’s building permit database that hasn’t updated since Friday, there lies a tower crane permit for 111 South Peoria Street in the West Loop. How do I know this? Well, it isn’t because I’m smart. No, it’s because I wandered past the Illume Chicago construction site, and was greeted by a tower crane stub sticking up out of the ground.
According to Norcon, the general contractor at Illume, full tower assembly will occur this weekend, weather permitting. And if weather doesn’t permit, it will be rescheduled for next weekend. That way, Green Street (at the east end of the site) can be closed for two days without impacting weekday traffic.
Look what popped up Tuesday afternoon: The tower crane permit, issued yesterday. The site finally updated.
P.S. A quick shout-out to Norcon, for strategically installing their crane between the two towers of Emerald Lofts, so I get a clear view of of it from the B.U.C. HQ. This one brings the total to six tower cranes I cold easily zipline to from here.
Today’s edition of Crane Tank & Flag is shot on North Kingsbury Street. The water tank and American flag are courtesy of East Bank Storage. The tower crane sits atop 3Eleven.
Two new sections of tower crane wait to take their reps at Centrum Hubbard.
All the tell-tale signs are there: Extra tower crane parts … Okay, that’s really the only tell-tale sign there is. But it’s also the only one you need.
Centrum Hubbard made (my) headlines last week by installing the first few panes of glass on the future residential building, and now it looks like the tower crane is gonna be jumpin’ very soon. of course, if you look towards the top of the crane, it appears it may have jumped recently, as well.
You are in no danger of losing your jobs to me. I’ll be fine down here on terra firma.
This past weekend at 165 North Desplaines in the West Loop was spent dismantling and hauling away the tower crane that had been erecting the rental development since June of last year. The 14-story building topped out in late January, and now it’s a matter of buttoning up the exterior, and getting to work on 199 apartment interiors.
A friday-night look at the 165 North Desplaines tower crane, which comes down this weekend.
The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away.
The West Loop got two new tower cranes within the past week, and on the same lot to boot, when McDonald’s erected a pair at 110 North Carpenter. But now we’ll have to give one back.
165 North Desplaines topped out over a month ago — on January 26th, to be exact — and now all the heavy lifting is done, and it’s time for this tower crane to move on. An email from the 42nd Ward tells us that happens this weekend.
As you shed a tear for the departing tower crane, remember we should have one soon at One South Halsted. And perhaps the Nobu Hotel, should this week’s excavation work be the real deal.
My iPhone and I stopped by 165 North Desplaines on the way home tonight, to take one last look.
West Crane and East Crane are both assembled at Sterling Bay’s new McDonald’s Headquarters in the West Loop. East Crane gave us quite a ride, as it started up Saturday, only to have the tower top and cab removed Sunday. But Monday it was erected in full.
Monday evening’s view.
Tuesday morning’s view, with brief sunshine.
When the Big Green W talks, people listen. Especially skyscraper nerds and construction junkies. Even more so when they use your photo and give you a shout-out.
Walsh Construction promised a tower crane jump at Alta Roosevelt on their Instagram feed, and since Sunday’s brunch was only a block away (PLUG: I highly suggest you all head to Sociale sooner, instead of later) I stopped by 801 South Financial. I didn’t catch the jump, but they’re certainly prepared for it.
Below, you’ll find a video, and then a photo gallery. The video was intended for you to hear the sounds of the wind howling through the construction site. It was magically musical; alas, all you’re likely to hear is the wind whipping through my phone.
As of noon Sunday, a tower, but no crane.
Saturday saw a crew from Central Contractors erecting a free-standing Peiner SK415 tower crane (I know how to read a permit) on the new McDonald’s Headquarters site in the West Loop. East Crane seemed to coming along quite nicely, but Sunday morning saw the crew removing the tower top and cab from atop the tower. The good news here, obviously, is that we may get to watch the cab and turntable raised twice. Yep, that’d be an embarrassment of crane-assembly-watching riches.
Whereas late Saturday afternoon, the tower top and cab/turntable were in place.
Here are photos from Saturday’s partial assemblage. WARNING: Some of them are quite snowy:
The McDonald’s headquarters is erecting the first of its two tower cranes, while the triple-branded Hilton Hotel at McCormick Place planted a tower crane seedling in the South Loop.
