1326 South Michigan is getting into the tower-crane game

Posted on June 24, 2017 by danieldschell

https://twitter.com/ChrisAHorney/status/878399659307347968

Shout-out to Twitter user @ChrisAHorney from Murphy Development Group, who let us know the tower crane stub spotted at 1326 South Michigan on Thursday, was planted on Friday. He also let us know full assembly will begin on Monday.

We’ve all seen Walsh Construction’s work around town, so it was pretty obvious they know a horizontal stub wasn’t gonna do them much good when building a skyscraper, but it’s nice to have photo confirmation anyway.

Walsh will put that tower crane to work erecting the SCB-designed 46-story, 500-unit tower that Murphy Development Group is bringing to the South Loop in partnership with CIM Group.

: The tower crane stub, wearing special lil booties, waiting to be planted.

: Yep, it’s a shiny yellow Liebherr.

: That’s a formidable tower crane foundation.

Alta Roosevelt fills in its final floor

Posted on June 21, 2017 by danieldschell

https://twitter.com/thebiggreenw/status/874345009591578626

Like a video-game master, Alta Roosevelt has reached the top level at 801 South Financial Place in the South Loop. The above tweet, from June 12, shows concrete crews pouring the last of Alta’s main floors. There will still be steel added on top for the penthouse, but you won’t see concrete trucks moving in and out of the 33-story apartment tower any longer.

Designed for Wood Partners by Pappageorge Haymes Partners, Alta Roosevelt is delivering 496 rental units with 348 parking spaces to the site immediately north of the new British School, between River City and the Metra rail tracks. Walsh Construction has been on the job since site prep began back in march 2016.

: The empty lot at 801 South Financial Place.

: Site prep, March of 2016.

1326 South Michigan rings in summer with more H-Pile driving

Posted on June 5, 2017 by danieldschell

Yeah, it’s loud. If you’re anywhere near the South Loop, you probably realize that already.

Stalworth Underground continues driving the 360 H-Piles into the ground that will support the weight of 1326 South Michigan. This one can’t have caissons; the soil just isn’t meant for that type of foundation. Those H-piles will do the work instead. 46-story residential towers are heavy, apparently.

: Even the moon can hear it.

: Rig and crane.

: A few in the ground…

: …and a few soon to be.

Walsh Construction celebrates topping out at Hotel Zachary

Posted on May 16, 2017 by danieldschell

A tweet from The Big Green W yesterday confirmed that the Hotel Zachary has reached a construction milestone.

https://twitter.com/thebiggreenw/status/864231518352355329

Then the Hotel Zachary Twitter account joined the fun as well, tweeting a photo of Hickory Street Capital’s Tom Ricketts (you might know him for his other gig as the guy who brought a World Series trophy to Wrigley Field) signing the final beam.

https://twitter.com/hotelzachary/status/864244896110137345

#FlyTheBigGreenW indeed. There’s still a lot of work to do to get the Hotel Zachary into full-functioning hospitality mode, so let’s not put the tower crane on the endangered list quite yet. The 175 rooms and countless eateries will open in 2018 in time for another season of Cubs baseball, plus all the concerts and entertainment Wrigley Field and the newly-opened Park At Wrigley can host.

Tuesday-morning view of the Hotel Zachary from a swift-moving L train. (I blame all my blurry photos on swift-moving L trains.)

Pile driving has begun at 1326 South Michigan

Posted on May 8, 2017 by danieldschell

A few of the first H-piles at 1326 South Michigan.

If you’re out searching for caisson work, don’t waste your time at 1326 South Michigan. The 46-story, 500-unit tower from Murphy Development Group and CIM Group won’t have them. Instead, the SCB-designed tower will sit atop H-piles, which Stalworth Underground is on site attending to now. According to Stalworth, the South Loop soil simply isn’t made for caisson work, so H-piles will be driven about 90 feet down into the bedrock.

How many H-piles does it take to support a 47-story building? 360, again according to the folks at Stalworth. Each pile is capable of supporting 350 tons, so that’s 252 million pounds of concrete and steel and glass and sofas and appliances that can be supported. Oh, and 190 cars. That’s a decent amount of weight there, too.

Stalworth started driving piles at 1326 South Michigan last week.

: A view of the pile-driving rig, from above.

: The same rig, hiding in the shadows.

Alta Roosevelt nears the top

Posted on April 28, 2017 by danieldschell

Alta Roosevelt cuts an imposing figure in the South Loop.

If you walk through the South Loop this weekend, stop by Alta Roosevelt at 801 South Financial Place and tell me if you think that is one tall tower. Spoiler Alert: It is. And here’s why: Walsh Construction has stacked a whole bunch of floors atop other floors.

I waited around long enough this week for Alta Roosevelt herself to start whispering secrets, and she tells me the 27th floor of the tower has been poured. She also said structural pours for the garage are complete after recently doing the last deck. She is quite proud of accomplishing that feat.

A reminder to you that Alta Roosevelt is a development from Wood Partners, and a design by Pappageorge Haymes Partners. bringing 496 new apartments to the neighborhood where Financial Place and Polk Street meet, one small block east of South Wells. While there’s no immediate danger of losing its pretty yellow tower crane, topping out is likely by early June.

The earth is turning under 1326 South Michigan

Posted on April 19, 2017 by danieldschell

That’s a serious hunk of concrete.

There’s no mistaking the former surface parking lot at 1326 South Michigan for a current surface parking lot. That’s because Walsh Construction is on the scene with Zenere Companies, excavating the site for the 46-story, 500-unit tower from Murphy Development Group and CIM Group.

There’s enough topography on site now to make for a decent par-three golf course, what with the undulating mounds of soil, piles of rock and debris, and deep bunkers. There’s also a giant concrete block right smack dab in the middle of the lot that could present quite the hazard should you slice your tee shot.

: Rendering of SCB’s 1326 South Michigan from CIM Group.

: Rendering of SCB’s 1326 South Michigan Murphy Development Group.

The Hotel Zachary not done, but ready, for Opening Day at Wrigley Field

Posted on April 7, 2017 by danieldschell

The Hotel Zachary won’t make the roster of the 2017 Chicago Cubs. But 2018 will be its year.

Which is to say, we’re all ready for Opening Day at Wrigley Field.

As the Chicago Cubs return home to play baseball for the first time since winning the 2016 World Series, the Hotel Zachary continues to climb on the other side of Clark Street. Though still not renamed The Russell On Addison, sadly, the Hotel Zachary is Hickory Street Capital’s effort to bring stylish hospitality to The Friendly Confines. Designed by VOA Associates, the 7-story hotel will have 175 guest rooms, retail spaces, and multiple dining options.

It’s being built by Walsh Construction, which is probably why you’ve been seeing “W” flags all over Wrigleyville for the past year or so.

1326 South Michigan lands a foundation permit in the South Loop

Posted on April 6, 2017 by danieldschell

Rendering of 1326 South Michigan from CIM Group.

1326 South Michigan, the new 500-unit residential tower from Murphy Development Group along with CIM Group, scored a foundation permit Wednesday from the City of Chicago. The permit calls for a 47-story building, designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz. Walsh Construction is named as the general contractor.

The surface parking lot at 1326 has been closed for a couple weeks now, in anticipation of work on the tower beginning. Expect to see the approved foundation work get started very soon.

: Rendering of 1326 South Michigan from Murphy Development Group.

: The Foundation Permit

: The surface parking lot at 1326 South Michigan Avenue was closed in March, and the attendant hut torn down.

: Not any more.

The Big Green W warns of a tower crane jump in Alta Roosevelt’s future

Posted on February 27, 2017 by danieldschell

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Walsh Group (@thebiggreenw)

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.