Power Construction has everything they need to send 180 North Ada vertical.

Our late-April tour of all things West Loop next takes us to the far west end of the neighborhood, where Power Construction is starting to go vertical on 180 North Ada. This 14-story, 263-unit apartment building from Marquette Companies replaces the empty lot at Lake and Ada Streets. Brininstool + Lynch designed the tower, which got its foundation permit back in December, a tower-crane permit in February, and finally, its full-build permit on the 16th of this month.

180 North Ada reaches for the West Loop sky.

180 North Ada was approved by the Chicago Plan Commission back in August, then received its first building permit on December 18, 2017. That permit allows for the foundation through Level 2 of a “14-story, 263-unit apartment building with 148 parking spaces.” And like stalagmites stretching up from the floor of a spelunker’s paradise (I learned in second grade that stalactites “have to hold on tight so they don’t fall from the cave ceiling.” That’s how I remember the difference. No Googling), concrete columns are starting to rise from the West Loop construction site’s floor.

As Power Construction makes progress on the foundation, we’ll keep an eye out for the next permit, which will allow 180 North Ada to reach its ultimate 14-story height.