Surprise! West Crane is first to be erected at McDonald’s HQ

Posted on February 21, 2017 by danieldschell

A piece of West Crane is hoisted into place at the new McDonald’s HQ in the West Loop.

East Crane went into the ground first. So obviously it gets set up before West Crane even gets planted. Right?

Wrong. Crews from Central Crane are busy Tuesday erecting a tower crane on the west side of the McDonald’s Headquarters construction site, leaving pour ole East Crane to watch and wait its turn.

: Poor East Crane, just sitting there. Waiting.

: The view from the B.U.C. HQ.

: NOPE

: Part of the boom being offloaded.

: The cab is ready.

: Boom.

: Another B.U.C. view.

The Near North loses a tower crane

Posted on February 20, 2017 by danieldschell

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Meetinghouse

A street crane prepares to pluck the tower crane from atop 822 North Clark Street on Saturday morning.

It was Crexit (Tower Crane Exit, obvs) Weekend in the Near North, as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 822 North Clark Street dropped its tower crane. Remember, that’s only a seven-story building, so the crane got things done and got out of there in a hurry. Where could it be headed next? One Grant Park? The Hilton hotels at 123 East Cermak? Those are the two most recently-permitted tower cranes for Chicago.

Tower Crane #1 pops up at the new McDonald’s HQ

Posted on February 17, 2017 by danieldschell

East Crane has been planted at the McDonald’s HQ site, under the watchful gaze of the 171 Aberdeen tower crane.

Thanks to a heads-up from Skyscraper Page forum user BB 1871, who pointed out that McHugh Construction has planted the seedling for the first of two tower cranes to be used to build the new McDonald’s Corporation headquarters. The first crane is on the east side of the site; it will henceforth be known as East Crane. Over on the west side of the lot, crews were working on the foundation for West Crane. That’ll mean three tower cranes on two blocks, including the one in use at 171 North Aberdeen.

Caisson work is still ongoing at McDonald’s, but lots of other foundation work has been done as well. There’s a large hole in the ground toward the north end of the site, plus a couple of rebar mats that look like they’re just about ready for concrete pours. So yeah, lots of action going on here.

: That’s the foundation for West Crane.

: When caisson guides go back on trucks, you know that phase is just about a wrap.

Addison & Clark didn’t just get a tower crane; it got a HUGE tower crane

Posted on February 16, 2017 by danieldschell

The tower crane at Addison & Clark can reach every building in Lake View. It seems.

Addison & Clark, the huge mixed-use development being sandwiched around the Sports World Chicago store across from Wrigley Field, erected a tower crane earlier this month, and the thing covers more ground than Jason Heyward and Dexter Fowler (sniff) did last season. And for good reason: in order to reach all points of the L-shaped construction site, the longer the crane, there better.

Foundation work is still being done at the site of 140 future apartments, 150,000 square feet of retail space, and 400 parking spots, but that crane’s already pulling its weight, as piles are shored up and pillars jut out of the ground.

Addison & Clark gets a tower crane

Posted on February 1, 2017 by danieldschell

Addison & Clark gets the makings of a new tower crane. Some assembly (still) required.

Food for thought: If The Chicago Cubs were to hire former Diamondbacks General Manager Kevin Towers, they could have a front office that includes (Kevin) Towers and Crane (Kenney)

Where was I? Oh yeah. Just outside Wrigley Field, which is the home of the WORLD SERIES CHAMPION CHICAGO CUBS, the Addison & Clark development is getting a shiny new trophy of its own, in the form a tall, skinny tower crane. Crews were assembling it Tuesday, and will most assuredly have it ready to lift heavy stuff by Friday. As you know, February has traditionally been the month when pitchers and catchers and tower cranes report to kick off the baseball season.

Tower Crane Update: 1411 South Michigan

Gallery

Posted on January 13, 2017 by danieldschell

This gallery contains 10 photos.

Vista Tower Crane Update: East Crane is planted as West Crane blooms

Posted on January 6, 2017 by danieldschell

Even when they’re on the ground, tower cranes are cool.

West Crane will always be able to sneer at East Crane with a knowing, I-Was-Born-First smirk. But only by a couple of days. No sooner had construction crews rooted the first crane into the ground, the second one found a rebar bed of its own.

As one does when it’s about 10 degrees outside, dedicated skyscraper nerds (skyscraperds?) hung around Thursday afternoon to watch West Tower reach sky-cab status. Meanwhile, Eastie’s resting comfortably in place, waiting for concrete to be poured into its foundation.

There’s also the matter of the large hole in the middle of the site, that everyone but me seemed to be allowed to climb into. Unfair.

: The Navy Pier Ferris wheel creates a backdrop for West Crane assembly.

: Your cab awaits.

: More parts. I don’t know what they’re called, but I bet they’re important.

: East Crane can only watch for now. Like the rest of us.

: The cab has been readied for moving.

: And now the climb back to the top begins.

: Taking a breather. That’s a lot of stairs.

: The four crewmen have climbed to the top, and are now hailing a cab.

: And here it comes.

: Almost there.

: The four crewmen secure the cab in place atop the stem.

: And there it is. West Crane has a cab.

: Another angle of East Crane.

: The pool’s almost filled.

: Now…

: …..about that fortified hole in the ground.

How about a McDouble? There will be a pair of tower cranes at McDonald’s headquarters

Posted on January 4, 2017 by danieldschell

That tower crane obscured by all the caisson equipment doesn’t belong to the McDonald’s HQ site. But soon, there will be two of them here.

By now you know, tower cranes are a favorite of mine. Two tower cranes? I can barely contain my bliss. We’ve seen them here in Chicago within the past 12 months at The Sinclair, the Simpson-Querrey Biomedical Research Center, and most recently, at Vista Tower. And coming soon, McDonald’s HQ. (HQ stand for headquarters, not headquarter-pounders)

On December 15, the City of Chicago filed permits for the two cranes at 110 North Carpenter Street in the West Loop, and look what they did! They’ve already named them West Crane and East Crane! Which really takes the pressure to come up with clever crane monikers off me.

They’re still busy with caisson work at the new Home of the Golden Arches, so don’t expect cranes to sprout right away. But they’ll be here soon enough. Now, if that completes your order, please pull up to the next window.

East Crane.

West Crane.

First of two Vista Tower cranes is in the ground

Posted on January 3, 2017 by danieldschell

The two cranes of Vista Tower. West Crane, on the right, is set in its foundation. East Crane, to the left, is awaiting its turn.

Not only does Vista Tower win the First Tower Crane of 2017 Award, it wins the second tower crane of the year plaque as well.

Just as the City of Chicago promised us with the two permits filed on the last day of October and the second day of November, Vista Tower is putting two tower cranes into the freshly-caissoned ground in the New East Side neighborhood.

You’ll notice a striking difference between the two stub sections of crane that are now on site. “West Crane” where the taller towers of Vista will stand, looks like it’s on steroids when compared to “East Crane.” I wouldn’t advise messing with either of them, though.

Shout-out to bKL Architecture for being on-scene Tuesday morning and breaking the big crane news with an Instagram photo.

: In the distance, West Crane.

: Crews secure West Crane into position atop its foundation.

: East Crane looks on and waits.

: Lower Wacker Drive is a staging area of tower crane parts.

: Working on the foundation for East Crane.

: Another large hole in the ground.

: Upper Wacker Drive is getting some work done of its own.

1136 South Wabash still has Flyboy, and adds a tower crane

Posted on December 6, 2016 by danieldschell

The tower crane at 1136 South Wabash, looming high above the South Loop.

Hebru Brantley’s Fly Boy mural on the south-facing exterior wall of 1132 South Wabash Avenue won’t be visible in the South Loop forever. That’s because 1136 South Wabash will soon obscure our view. But for now, Flyboy remains, supervising Lendlease construction crews as they go about the task of erecting the CA Ventures project.

Remember, 1136 South Wabash got a foundation permit and a full-build permit on the same day, October 4. Caisson work is done, and that’s why the tower crane has been brought in, to start taking this SCB design vertical. Expect a 26-story tower with 320 rental units, 143 parking spaces, and retail on the first floor.

: Fly Boy, supervisor extraordinaire.

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