1044 West Van Buren joins Chicago’s latest tower crane parade

Posted on May 13, 2022 by danieldschell

The 18-story, 196-unit apartment tower by developer and general contractor Tandem took a big step forward this week, planting a tower crane stub in the ground at 1044 West Van Buren in the West Loop. The crane will be erected early next week, I’m told, in what looks to be nice weather.

My first visit here was April 7; I went back May 1 and saw some digging had been done. The kind of digging you expect *after* caisson work is done; the kind of digging that makes you think “hole up; did I miss caissons?” Yep. Somehow, I completely missed caisson work, which must have been done with lightning speed. Oh well. You snooze, you miss out. Or something.

Here are more stub pics, and a few shots of foundation work from the May 1 visit:

Enjoying the photos? Metra and CTA rides (and Amtrak trains to Milwaukee), Zipcars, Divvy Bikes, camera lenses, domain fees, snacks & energy drinks, and comfortable walking shoes add up. You can help offset expenses by making a greatly-appreciated donation to Building Up Chicago.

Progress Update: 900 Randolph (164 N Peoria)

Posted on May 5, 2022 by danieldschell

If you’re looking for the permits, 164 North Peoria is the address you’ll want. If you’re looking for details on the soaring new West Loop apartment Tower, 900 Randolph is the name you need.

Okay, it might not quite be soaring yet. But at 43 stories, 900 Randolph will soon be the tallest building in Chicago west of Halsted Street (not the Kennedy; I think that designation stays with 727 West Madison), as the West Loop and Fulton Market neighborhoods continue to grow upwards and outwards. And it’s making its way up, as the core appears to have reached the 14th or 15th floor.

Let’s catch you up on the latest progress, photographed Sunday, May 1.

Proof of caisson work abounds at Embry

Posted on April 15, 2022 by danieldschell

Sure, if you’re a neighbor along the first block of North May Street, you can feel the progress (to which one friend has attested.) For the rest of us, the best way to find out if caisson work on Embry (21 N May St) has begun in the West Loop is to go take a look. We went. We saw. We photographed.

McHugh Construction and McHugh Concrete, general and concrete contractors, respectively, got the full permit to build on April 5. A demolition permit to get 25 North May out of the way was issued January 28. We’re hoping to see a tower crane permit any day now.

The glass is more than half full at 345 North Morgan

Posted on April 15, 2022 by danieldschell

A tower crane permit dies at 320 South Clinton

Posted on April 14, 2022 by danieldschell

Unsurprisingly, it looks like all bets are off at what was supposed to be the Toyoko Inn at 320 South Clinton in the West Loop. Long before the parking garage across the street had been demolished for the nearly-completed Union Station Tower, crews buried caissons in the ground for the would-be 24-story hotel. There was word a local alderman wasn’t happy at all that work had gotten started, and he put a stop to it. Now, almost four years later, there’s a For Sale sign up on the property, the gaping foundation hole that sat full of water for months and months has been filled in, and the lot smoothed over.

The now-moot tower crane permit was issued April 10, 2020. In May of last year, a permit was issued to “restore and secure the site while construction is suspended.” Hence the new fence and infill.

So if you’re interested in a developable plot of land with caissons already installed, you might want to look into this one.

It ain’t no Spire Hole, but it’s still an eyesore.

160 North Elizabeth taking big leaps skyward

Posted on April 14, 2022 by danieldschell

Impressive progress at 160 North Elizabeth

Progress at 160 North Elizabeth has doubled since our last visit, though the change seemed much more dramatic on first glance. This morning, Adjustable Concrete shared on its Linkedin page that they’re working on Level 9. They’re the concrete contractor for GC Clark Construction, so they would know.

1020 West Randolph bringing boutique office space to Fulton Market

Posted on April 8, 2022 by danieldschell

1020 Randolph, with a water tank, American flag, and tower crane photobomb in the background.

With apologies to anyone sad about the loss of that weird little bank at the corner of Randolph and Carpenter in the West Loop, I say good riddance to drive-thru banking (do that on your iSmartphonebookpad, ya dinosaur) and hello to boutique office buildings.

1020 West Randolph is currently in foundation mode now. A development by L3 Capital and RL Edward Partners, the five-story brick-façade building is a design by Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, who’ve created a look that would be just as well suited for Fulton Market’s disappearing meat-packing history as it does in today’s modern phase. The 37,000sf building will include 23,000sf of office space, 5,000sf of retail space, and an amenity roof deck.

W.E. O’Neil is the general contractor. Their goal is to have the building open for tenants early in 2023. They got a building permit (addressed at 155 North Carpenter) on August 13 of last year. The demolition permit for the old bank was issued May 28 and was handled by Precision Excavation. If the below galley includes any demo pics, it’s because I dug through the back pages of my hard drive until I found them. New construction photos were taken 03/21/22 and 04/03/22.

1044 West Van Buren has a fresh canvas to begin construction

Posted on April 7, 2022 by danieldschell

Coming to this space: 1044 West Van Buren.

There’s now a vacant lot where 1044 West Van Buren will soon begin construction.

Tandem is building an 18-story, 196-unit apartment tower designed by Antunovich Associates here. Tandem will be their own general contractor, just as they were at Avra West Loop across the street. They got a tower crane permit on March 25, and the building permit followed on March 30. The two modest buildings previously occupying the site were issued demolition permits on September 30 of 2021. They’re long gone; hence the aforementioned blank canvas.

Tandem plans to have 1044 West Van Buren open for residents next spring.

160 North Morgan digs into the West Loop, snags a tower crane permit

Posted on April 6, 2022 by danieldschell

Gone, but not forgotten. In a burned-into-my-retinas sort of way.

The hits keep coming for Sterling Bay, who just landed a tower crane permit for their tower development at 160 North Morgan in the West Loop. (Yes, that little {temporarily} purple building is gone now.)

160 North Morgan is going to be a 30-story residential tower. Designed by bKL Architecture, 160 will consist of 282 rental apartments, 89 parking spots, and about 2,600 square feet of retail space.

The Big Green W is the general contractor on 160 North Morgan. They have received:
a tower crane permit on March 30
and a caisson permit the following day, March 31.

I love this neighborhood.

Embry begins construction in the West Loop

Posted on April 5, 2022 by danieldschell

A sea of rebar waits to be sunk into the earth at Embry.

I could tell the start of Embry was imminent over at 21 North May Street in the West Loop when I walked by Sunday. All the equipment was on hand for caissons, and rebar cages were made. Seemed to me all that was needed was a foundation permit.

Well, a little birdie tells me caissons are a-drillin’ as of this morning. That same birdie also says an entirely separate birdie says the permit was issued this morning. It all adds up. Embry is here.

Embry is being built by Sulo Development, which delivered Hayden West Loop just around the corner. As mentioned, I haven’t seen the foundation permit yet, but it doesn’t take a genius to see McHugh Construction banners on site; they must be the general contractor. My guess is their concrete division is also handling the concrete chores, but I shouldn’t assume. Lamar Johnson Collaborative is the design architect. Their website says to expect 16 stories and 58 luxury condos, which Sulo plans on delivering in 2023.

Congrats, Embry team. Let’s go.