CHICAGO | Highrise Projects & Construction, v7 - Page 932

BVictor1 · #**18621** Posted **Apr 25, 2021, 10:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jc5680

609 w Randolph

Jesus... That was fast!

Tom In Chicago · #**18622** Posted **Apr 26, 2021, 3:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BVictor1

Jesus... That was fast!

Yeah. . . this thing is shooting up like nothing I've seen in recent history (or past history for that matter). . . might be the small boutique nature of the building or the simplicity of the design, either way it'll be topped out before the end of next month if not sooner. . .

. . .

SamInTheLoop · #**18623** Posted **Apr 26, 2021, 4:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

Yeah. . . this thing is shooting up like nothing I've seen in recent history (or past history for that matter). . . might be the small boutique nature of the building or the simplicity of the design, either way it'll be topped out before the end of next month if not sooner. . .

. . .

Was thinking the exact same thing. I have never seen anything like the speed of this construction. It's going up as if it were a modular build or something.

2PRUROCKS! · #**18624** Posted **Apr 26, 2021, 10:45 PM**

As of today 354 N Union is under construction. They were drilling today.

ardecila · #**18625** Posted **Apr 27, 2021, 3:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

Was thinking the exact same thing. I have never seen anything like the speed of this construction. It's going up as if it were a modular build or something.

I wonder what accounts for it? It's not like they have a huge site for efficient staging. They don't even have an alley in back, this building is surrounded on 3 sides.

Are they working multiple shifts? Or is it just the small size of the floorplates? This is much smaller than the concrete frames we're used to seeing, and it's just a square so there's no complicated edge formwork.

PittsburghPA · #**18626** Posted **Apr 27, 2021, 4:11 PM**

about 15 people working visibly swiftly. Exciting project.

KOgc · #**18627** Posted **Apr 27, 2021, 4:21 PM**

I'm sure there is someone on here who is more of an expert on this. I think I remember seeing on a New York thread a little while back, that on a highrise there, they were doing a new floor every two days instead of every three. I think what they end up doing in that case is falling back onto the lower floors and doing a concrete topping on top of a rougher structural floor. This allows them to go up faster, but they have an additional pour on each floor. Not sure how the math works on every project, but I assume on some it works out well and they have a better chance of beating weather and winter conditions costs by getting the enclosure on.

PittsburghPA · #**18628** Posted **Apr 27, 2021, 8:08 PM**

the urban politician · #**18629** Posted **Apr 27, 2021, 11:52 PM**

I wonder how it will look from the Kennedy?

Skyguy_7 · #**18630** Posted **Apr 28, 2021, 12:33 PM**

On Monday, I found out there's a mystery tenant (from down undah put another shrimp on the barbie) committed to just over 30% of a 98-story Office Tower directly across the river from the OPO. It's the vacant lot either just north or south of Van Buren, along the river. I don't believe it's one of the lots adjacent to 311 s Wacker that's got their own thread here, but can't say for certain. The loose proposal in the budgeting phase between developer/contractors. Could become something, could become nothing.

Steely Dan · #**18631** Posted **Apr 28, 2021, 1:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyguy_7

98-story Office Tower

That'd be cool.

But I won't be holding my breath.

In the entire history of our city there have only ever been two office towers built that stood taller than 65 floors, and both of them were built a half century ago in the early '70s by corporate titans looking to erect grand trophy edifices to themselves.

Since then, the dozens of class A towers that have gone up have all fallen in that economical 30-60 floor range, with a few that have nudged just a few floors over the 60 story threshold.

98 floors of office is a very "tall" order in chicago (get it?).

jpIllInoIs · #**18632** Posted **Apr 28, 2021, 1:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyguy_7

On Monday, I found out there's a mystery tenant (from down undah put another shrimp on the barbie) committed to just over 30% of a 98-story Office Tower directly across the river from the OPO. It's the vacant lot either just north or south of Van Buren, along the river. I don't believe it's one of the lots adjacent to 311 s Wacker that's got their own thread here, but can't say for certain. The loose proposal in the budgeting phase between developer/contractors. Could become something, could become nothing.

A little late for april fools posts lol. if its not one of the 311 lots then it is that small lot near the cooling facility.

Ned.B · #**18633** Posted **Apr 28, 2021, 2:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpIllInoIs

A little late for april fools posts lol. if its not one of the 311 lots then it is that small lot near the cooling facility.

Right, there isn't a buildable lot directly across the river on Van Buren. To the north you have a 140'x75' trapezoid of "green space" that belongs to 300 S Wacker that won't hold much of anything, especially if it is required to have a riverwalk. I suppose there could be a proposal to replace 300 S. with a taller tower, but considering the shallow depth of the site and possible river walk requirements, that doesn't seem likely either. To the south it's all ramps and roadway for lower Wacker.

That would as jpIllInoIs said, just leave 311 S. Wacker and the lot fronting Enwave. That lot is 120' x 260' at the short leg of the trapezoid, which makes it a little small for an office tower of that size. It's not impossible; I would just imagine for efficiency and economics that a tower of that height would go on a larger parcel such as 130 N. Franklin before it would go there. In 2002 there was a proposal to build a 34 floor 475' tall office tower on this site.

OrdoSeclorum · #**18634** Posted **Apr 28, 2021, 2:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skyguy_7

On Monday, I found out there's a mystery tenant (from down undah put another shrimp on the barbie) committed to just over 30% of a 98-story Office Tower directly across the river from the OPO. It's the vacant lot either just north or south of Van Buren, along the river. I don't believe it's one of the lots adjacent to 311 s Wacker that's got their own thread here, but can't say for certain. The loose proposal in the budgeting phase between developer/contractors. Could become something, could become nothing.

Hard for me to even speculate on what company in Australia would be big enough for that size of a lease. Big, diversified conglomerates like Wesfarmers might want to access an air connections and talent. But since most of their operations are down under, it doesn't make sense to have that much staff on the other side of the globe.

Similar issues for the big Aussie steel and mining companies. With most of their business being tied to Asia and not North America.

ardecila · #**18635** Posted **Apr 28, 2021, 2:39 PM**

Yeah for efficiency you really need a big site for supertall office - the core gets really big, so you need a big floorplate around it to make economic sense.

The recent ones in NYC have been (roughly) 200' squares, but there's nowhere you can fit that around Wacker/Van Buren unless they can relocate or build over the Enwave chiller plant.

marothisu · #**18636** Posted **Apr 28, 2021, 2:51 PM**

Sounds hard to believe... but for argument sake it could be one of the large banks like Commonwealth wanting to establish a US investment bank wing and be close to dishing like CBOE.

Steely Dan · #**18637** Posted **Apr 28, 2021, 4:31 PM**

so with construction officially starting at 345 N Union, is that only the 3rd tower over 300' to start construction since the pandemic began a year ago march?

unless i'm missing something, i can only think of Salesforce and 300 NMA as the other two.

chicubs111 · #**18638** Posted **Apr 28, 2021, 5:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpIllInoIs

A little late for april fools posts lol. if its not one of the 311 lots then it is that small lot near the cooling facility.

If its that cooling facility and surrounding public parking lot then we could be talking about something...just the parking lot itself would be to small.. It really seems the only site that is directly across from old post office near river that could potentially have something sizeable built..but then again this is a wild rumor to begin with..but very interesting if some truth to it..

Skyguy_7 · #**18639** Posted **Apr 28, 2021, 6:06 PM**

RE: Holiday Inn... My guy definitely said across the river, and not across the Canal (St).

The 120' x 260' lot just north of Enwave is directly across the river from OPO, though I agree in that it's a little too narrow for a supertall. Maybe the new building would encompass Enwave?

I'll poke around for more info soon.

Randomguy34 · #**18640** Posted **Apr 28, 2021, 6:42 PM**

I'm still skeptical of a possibly deal with an Australian firm, but not too surprised by a new office tower. I've heard from some folks at Sterling Bay that they expect an office boom after the pandemic, since companies recognize team projects and collaborations will still require in-person communication. The leases will certainly be smaller, but more firms will be looking to move from the suburbs to downtown.