Deleting the cube crown in favor of extending the window wall isn't necessarily value engineering.

The tower after that last setback has a floorplate that's probably too small for apartments plus a stair core, let alone an elevator, so they're not gaining any leasable space.

The only question is whether they save money pouring a couple of useless floors with the same methodology as all the lower floors and enclosing it in glass, vs doing a customized pour on that level for the open crown. It's probably not a huge cost savings either way.

Are they extending the window wall?

08/30/18
https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/ng/ser...246599/enhance

https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/ng/ser...382940/enhance

Damn, looking like its about to end OMP's reign as the tallest in the South Loop

Anyone got a floor count? How many more do we got to go?

9/3

https://s19.postimg.cc/r0512owg3/image.jpg

https://s19.postimg.cc/ctpa7h10j/image.jpg

https://s19.postimg.cc/acdj079eb/image.jpg

What a great contemporary adaptation of a classic and prototypical Chicago architectural style. I honestly much prefer this (these?) to OMP as the peak of the South Loop skyline.

Yeah, this is the best thing that’s gone up in the South Loop any time in recent memory, IMO

having that peak third from the lake helps with depth, aesthetically

Besides that god awful parking garage, this building is a major skyline enhancer. It echoes Chicago design in a really striking way.

x1,000,000,000.

this building is going to be light years better than OMP.

It will suck having to deal with looking at it for the next several years, but it will eventually be covered up by an even taller building, so I suppose its worth the wait.

Yeah, it's fine. It would be nice though if people could just have one car per household.

It's not great at the street level on all sides even apart from the parking garage. Multi-story painted CMU walls. It's like a high school gymnasium. I took some pictures this morning that I'll post.

I do like the tower formally and I'm even warming up to the painted concrete. The glass looks great. It reminds me of old school Modernism which is interesting.

Yep... unless you have a family of 5, having multiple cars is just silly, especially in a city with as much public transit as we do. Very frustrating that mandatory parking minimums are still a thing. :hell:

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1877/4...db41e9cf_b.jpg

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1868/2...23d33ac4_b.jpg

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1870/3...3aa67da1_b.jpg

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1842/4...da90a0c9_b.jpg

How do you know the CMU is the finished surface? I’m guessing it’s just a substrate for a stucco or EIFS installation. Maybe fiber cement panel.

was on rosevelt this weekend (exporing northerly island with basically no other humans due to the weather) and got to see this painted white concrete up close. not flattering - hopefully there is more finishing detail to be done here. otherwise these walls look like a highschool gym from 1986.

9 September 2018

From the west, this has almost completely obscured One Museum Park, and it continues to climb.

https://i.imgur.com/sWgm8ldh.jpg

The CMU is flush with the painted concrete and they've already started painting it. They haven't bolted any hangers for metal panels or some sort of facade treatment. So I'm pretty certain that the intended facade is painted CMU.

If they attach something to it it will stick out beyond the painted concrete. I guess that's possible, just very improbably given the design of the rest of the building.