There’s still a lot going on, so why wouldn’t construction and skyscraper nerds take more photos? Really, it’s out of our control. So here ya go, another slew of action shots from this week at the ever-changing Vista Tower site.
Those kinds of heights are right about at my level. And you want me on that wall. You *need* me on that wall.
Tired of Wanda Vista Tower photos yet? Don’t be. Because before you know it, all the fun construction will be hundreds of feet in the air, and much harder to watch. So let’s enjoy Vista Theater being presented by McHugh Construction while it lasts.
With the gigantic mat pour done (the junior mat at the east end of the site has been poured too), the tower has started going vertical. I was especially happy to see guys hanging on a wall, four feet off the ground. I could do that; anything over six feet high would have to be someone else’s job, though.
Wanda Vista Tower isn’t the only construction happening along East Upper Wacker Drive. The roadway itself is getting an upgrade too, as crews extend the dead-end portion of the elevated street that will front the new tower. This is the reason you have to turn around and go back west a tad earlier than you used to. What, you thought you could get to Lake Shore Drive from up here?
I wanted to use “The After Mat” but decided against it.
Moon and crane above the Wanda Vista Tower construction site, Sunday evening.
The big pour is underway at Wanda Vista Tower.
It’s happening. The gigantic mat pour everyone’s been talking about is going on now at Wanda Vista Tower. All manner of concrete distribution is being utilized, the coolest being a line of troughs at the west end of the mat, sending concrete flowing directly from the trucks into the mass of rebar below.
Missed the fun? No you didn’t. They’ll be at it for awhile. You’ve got time to get over there.
The Wanda Vista Tower site is no ordinary construction yard. It is a sea of rebar. It’s a seabar.
And very very soon, it’ll be a see of concrete. Charge your camera batteries, tighten up the tripods, and set your time-lapse mode. This will be spectacular to watch. It may take hours and hours and hours for McHugh Construction to accomplish the feet, but it’s February in Chicago. Who wouldn’t want to be outside for this?
The two tower cranes of Wanda Vista Tower.
Wow. You clicked on this story, even after reading that headline? I owe you a drink or something.
Wanda Vista Tower has its two tower cranes up and running. Both are luffing cranes, with jibs that angle toward the sky, rather than staying parallel to the ground at all times.
Down at ground level, there’s enough rebar being installed in the foundation mat. If you feel the earth tilt a little extra in the coming days, it’ll be from all the concrete being poured into that thing.
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 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.
This gallery contains 21 photos.
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