CHICAGO | Boom rundown - everything over 12 floors. v5

[honte]

^ If any of the old buildings were built on caissons, some of those could be reused if the planners were creative enough. I've also heard of people reusing piles (even the old wood ones). There are ways to test their integrity and strength.

[BVictor1]

Originally Posted by honte

^ If any of the old buildings were built on caissons, some of those could be reused if the planners were creative enough. I've also heard of people reusing piles (even the old wood ones). There are ways to test their integrity and strength.

Caissons were reused in the construction of 111 S. Wacker Drive granted the building that it was replaced was built in the early 60's I believe.

And if god forbid Lakeside Athletic is demolished, they plan to reise those footings.

I suppost it depends on the size of the new structure.

[Eventually...Chicago]

Originally Posted by Marcu

I've personally met several people here at downtown bars who were flown in by their companies, in crews that number in the 100s, to do interior carpentry work on several buildings (including 340 otp from what i can remember). So we're not just using Chicago's resources here. The several people I met were I believe from Houston.

That is real good news. Hopefully, the massive amount of construction going on is enough to convince some of those houstoners (or is it houstonians) to move to chicago where construction is booming, thus increasing the city's population, thereby increasing the amount of housing and jobs, and finally driving demand up for more skyscrapers!

Things just could not be any better!

[honte]

Originally Posted by BVictor1

And if god forbid Lakeside Athletic is demolished...

For a second, I thought you were talking about the Lakeshore Athletic Club behind the Wrigley Building.

Originally Posted by BVictor1

I suppost it depends on the size of the new structure.

I guess you could say that, but only if you set some kind of relationship between the practical number of ground-floor columns and the structure's height (hence load). Really, it only has to do with the capacity of the foundation and the new load applied to it. A good designer can manipulate the loads and do pretty much what he wants with them, if the architect makes some allowances. You can also strengthen a foundation, although only the best engineers do this from what I've seen.

Block 37 is reusing caissons. Dearborn Center did it too. There are many others that slip my mind at the moment.

[nomarandlee]

Originally Posted by honte

For a second, I thought you were talking about the Lakeshore Athletic Club behind the Wrigley Building.

.

We could all wish. Someday, someday.

They need to tear that sucker down and put a +900 footer there. The LAC can get the basement of the new building.

[nomarandlee]

http://www.suntimes.com/business/roeder/434752,CST-FIN-roeder20.article

Growing pains on Prairie
REAL ESTATE | Developer's plan for 37-story tower at 21st Street could raise historic district's ire

June 20, 2007
DAVID ROEDER [email protected]

The fortunate few who live in the historic Prairie Avenue District can be excused for feeling surrounded. While landmark designation has kept buildings small on a block-long stretch of Prairie at 18th Street, the surrounding neighborhood is bursting with high-rises. The latest plan tests the neighborhood's tolerance for tallness south of the Prairie district.

Andrius Augunas, president of Rokas International Inc., said he has a contract to purchase a small building at the northwest corner of 21st and Prairie owned by the Pipe Fitters Local Union 597. Augunas wants to put a 37-story residential building on the property at an estimated cost of $120 million.

He said that if he gets city approval to rezone the property, he'll begin a home sales campaign lasting at least a year. Construction then could start in late 2008, said Augunas, who has had success with two other projects in the same area at 2100 S. Indiana and 2300 S. Michigan.

The developer said he has received written support from two community groups for his latest project. The endorsers are the Greater South Loop Association and the Near South Planning Board. That sentiment probably will help the local alderman, Robert Fioretti (2nd), side with the deal.

But many residents have criticized the city for infringing on the spirit, if not the actual territory, of the landmark district by allowing the influx of condos. A check by the Sun-Times last September showed that within a half-mile of the Prairie District, at least 14 major projects encompassing 2,700 homes were planned.

A two-tower development in the 1700 block of South Prairie led to some of the neighborhood activism. Approved by the city, the project calls for towers of 45 and 33 stories arising behind new townhomes, altogether about 500 units.

[SamInTheLoop]

^ I really like the Rokas Tower (with the obvious exception of those ridiculous-looking tacked-on townhomes). I hope this project makes it through whatever hoops Fioretti makes them jump through, but without the townhomes (or at least with redesigned more modern townhomes). It's complete bs what some developers need to do to make a quality project more acceptable to the tasteless neighborhood NIMBYs....

[pip]

I actually like those townhomes at the base, it hides the parking well. Maybe I'm jaded but I can't stand these parking podiums anymore. I'll take these townhomes anyday over these huge bases of parking with fake no see through windows. Just my opinion .

[Mr Downtown]

Originally Posted by honte

Block 37 is reusing caissons.

Really? What was big enough to have caissons? The Methodist Book Concern Bldg? McCarthy and Bay State would have been on piles. The Unity Building leaned 17 feet into the alley, though Randall says caissons to rock were added under the south wall in 1927 and four more along Dearborn in 1940.

[Marvel 33]

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

Ok - so I have a question. The article states that the architect for this project hasn't even been decided yet. ...??? Huh?? So you can go before the Plan Commission and get approval for a project and you don't even have to have a design on paper?!?! Not a rendering, site plan or elevation produced to show the Commission or DPD?!?! Is this correct?? Come to think of it, I don't recall seeing anyone post renderings after the Plan Commission meeting...

The number of floors and the approximate number of rooms were approved for the site. Obviously the design hasn't. I'm really not sure how that works perhaps Chicago Shawn can give us more feedback on that since he is an insider.

[museumparktom]

Steely,

I believe that 1720 S. Michigan is TO. Can anyone else confirm. I am out of town.

[rascacielos]

Originally Posted by museumparktom

Steely,

I believe that 1720 S. Michigan is TO. Can anyone else confirm. I am out of town.

It is.

[honte]

^ I was just admiring its impact from 18th Street in Pilsen. The growth of the South Loop causing a more urban feeling in Pilsen and Bridgeport already.

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

Really? What was big enough to have caissons? The Methodist Book Concern Bldg? McCarthy and Bay State would have been on piles. The Unity Building leaned 17 feet into the alley, though Randall says caissons to rock were added under the south wall in 1927 and four more along Dearborn in 1940.

Actually, you raise a good point. What I posted was second-hand info that I learned when I was asking questions about the convoluted foundation plan I saw; I should have taken the time to make that clear.

I was figuring they were old foundations from the Stop and Shop building that were reused for the office building... I'll try to look into it and get a clear answer for you. Sorry for the confusion.

[honte]

June 20, 2007
By Lorene Yue

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=25394


Design chief hired for new Children's Memorial
(Crain’s) — Children’s Memorial Hospital has hired Bruce Komiske as chief of new hospital design and construction for its new facility.


Bruce Komiske
Mr. Komiske, who started June 11, will be responsible for the design planning process and construction of the new 1.1-million-square-foot Children’s Memorial Hospital to be built between Chicago Avenue and Superior Street and St. Clair Street and Fairbanks Court. His position was specifically created to oversee the $800-million project.

Construction on the new facility is scheduled to start next year, with an expected opening date in 2012.

Mr. Komiske has worked on building, planning and fundraising for six hospitals, including a $1.5-billion center at the University of California in San Francisco and another hospital in Doha, Qatar. While working on the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital in Valhalla, N.Y., he incorporated a 1957 diesel locomotive, miniature golf course and world’s largest doll house into the building.

He has a master’s degree in hospital administration from Duke University and has written several books on children’s hospitals.

[museumparktom]

Originally Posted by honte

^ I was just admiring its impact from 18th Street in Pilsen. The growth of the South Loop causing a more urban feeling in Pilsen and Bridgeport already.

Give it another 2 years. When 14th fills in with the everything on Michigan, Wabash and State and XO 1 &2, MP1600 on 16th - 18th come up out of the ground - What a transformation

[tintinex]

* moderator edit *

the 200 N. riverside plaza already has its own dedicated discussion thread: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=131220

- steely

[Chicago Shawn]

Originally Posted by Marvel 33

The number of floors and the approximate number of rooms were approved for the site. Obviously the design hasn't. I'm really not sure how that works perhaps Chicago Shawn can give us more feedback on that since he is an insider.

There is a design for the tower. It will have a substational setback from the Cedar Hotel facade and will have a steel and glass facade. There was to be brick virtical piers on the high-rise, but these were ditched because the overall goal was to make the high-rise different from the preserved facade, rather than tying the two together. An interesting tidbit, the plaza space infront of the Cedar Hotel is actually public right of way and is NOT privatley owned. Therefore, expect the current street setback to stay in place.

[Chicago Shawn]

More housecleaning of older pics that have been piling up,

Chicago pride at Vision on State


Marquee Michigan Avenue.




Michigan Avenue Tower II





Reebie Lofts



1400 Museum Park

[SolarWind]

Originally Posted by AdrianXSands

Will anybody be downtown today? If so, can that person take a picture of the MoMo? I heard they were changing the glass.

Here are a couple of pictures of MoMo. I haven't paid much attention to the glass at ground level, so I'm not sure if anything has changed.

June 19, 2007



June 20, 2007

[jjk1103]

...I must have missed it ?? ...what is going on about the glass at Mo Mo ?? why has it stalled ?