CHICAGO | Aqua | 858 FT / 262 M | 87 FLOORS - Page 241

denizen467 · #**4801** Posted **Apr 20, 2009, 4:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by harryc

Ah yes, the Pez Hall of Fame, as David Letterman called it when his NBC show spent a week at the Chicago Theater about two decades ago.

We should have at least 1 shot of every single river tower with those guys looming large in the foreground. Sort of like the titans of commerce lording over the city they created.

Abner · #**4802** Posted **Apr 20, 2009, 6:38 AM**

God, it's like you guys never even thought about how the waviness of the planters creates lengths of concrete specially contoured to the form of the human ass for maximum comfort when leaning against it, and that the different heights of the waves allow for people of various heights to lean against them.

Actually what I wonder about is whether it will be a pain to prevent the hills of potting soil from eroding.

denizen467 · #**4803** Posted **Apr 20, 2009, 8:46 AM**

If you take the sidewalk planters along North Harbor Drive, near the Lancaster, as LSE's "standard" or baseline planters, the Aqua ones actually aren't a huge departure from those. (Though they're still kitschy anyway.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by EarlyBuyer

Updates from Magellan released on 4/17:
"...moving to it’s new headquarters..."
"...is set to Grand Open the weekend of..."

Loewenberg/Magellan's grammar is as good as their in-house architecture.

rabidrabid · #**4804** Posted **Apr 21, 2009, 12:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by EarlyBuyer

Thanks for the feedback/compliments everyone!

I can't stop taking pictures of this building (obviously)

This will be all for a while, sorry for highjacking much of page 235

No, no. As one who moved to LA from Chicago on March 31st of this year, I can't tell you how much I appreciate the visual updates of Aqua.

As far as I'm concerned, it's turned out beautifully.

My understanding is that, because of cost, the developers thought momentarily about reducing the width of the balconies. Thank God they didn't.

And the night shots? Stunning.

Someone said that it's just Marina Towers redux. The thought behind Aqua is a bit more complex than that, but I bet that Bertrand Goldberg would love the sculptural feel of the rising curves.

wrab · #**4805** Posted **Apr 21, 2009, 2:11 PM**

4/18

Jibba · #**4806** Posted **Apr 21, 2009, 8:17 PM**

^Groovy.

sentinel · #**4807** Posted **Apr 25, 2009, 6:55 PM**

From yesterday 04.24

Aleks · #**4808** Posted **Apr 25, 2009, 9:24 PM**

Even thought I like this building, it still looked better on the renderings imo. I like this picture because the reflection of the sun on the railing makes the tower look like actual waves. It's gonna look great after a rainy day.

harryc · #**4809** Posted **Apr 25, 2009, 9:53 PM**

Brown line crossing the river at Wabash

N bank of the Chicago river.

EarlyBuyer · #**4810** Posted **Apr 26, 2009, 9:40 PM**

Great shots wrabbit, sentinel and harry!

Update: I noticed today the first 200 feet or so of the the roadway and sidewalk of the North entry to Aqua (immediately East of the Swissotel), are now open. Additionally the spiral staircase is now open; forgot to check on the elevator next to the spiral stairs...I'm guessing "yes" to that too however.

EarlyBuyer · #**4811** Posted **May 1, 2009, 4:47 AM**

Update from Magellan released 4/29/09:

"...Magellan is excited to announce that we have received the Certificate of Occupancy through floor 32 of Aqua. Certain areas on the 2nd floor are excluded from the certificate. Condominium windows have been installed through floor 74, framing has been completed through 68, and drywall has been hung to floor 56. Approximately 100 renters have signed leases so far for the rental program at Aqua positioned on floors 19-52. The grand spiral staircase leading from Aqua to the Park at Lakeshore East is now open. Elevator access to the park from Aqua is planned to be available in the coming weeks..."

ethereal_reality · #**4812** Posted **May 1, 2009, 4:12 PM**

^^^Good info. thanks for posting.

wrab · #**4813** Posted **May 2, 2009, 1:17 PM**

^ Yes, EarlyBuyer - thank you.

Pissing rain yesterday as soon as I got off the train. Stopped just as I was walking back into my apartment. Weird. Only one pic w/o rain on the lens.

the urban politician · #**4814** Posted **May 2, 2009, 2:24 PM**

^ Nice pic. I wish both ends of the base were rounded like this.

By the way, is that new "road" on the left an actual road or a driveway? Was it created just to access the fire station?

BVictor1 · #**4815** Posted **May 2, 2009, 3:18 PM**

04/22/09

04/30/09

andydie · #**4816** Posted **May 2, 2009, 3:55 PM**

cool shots BVictor

the low clouds really make Chicagos Skyline Special and Aqua looks amazing in any weather

sentinel · #**4817** Posted **May 2, 2009, 4:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ Nice pic. I wish both ends of the base were rounded like this.

By the way, is that new "road" on the left an actual road or a driveway? Was it created just to access the fire station?

Hey TUP, on the CDs it showed that road was primarily as a drop off for the residential lobby, which faces the fire-station, but then it does continue past that fire-station and turns north, connecting with Upper Wacker, just directly south of the Swissotel and it's new ballroom addition.

sentinel · #**4818** Posted **May 2, 2009, 4:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrabbit

^ Yes, EarlyBuyer - thank you.

Pissing rain yesterday as soon as I got off the train. Stopped just as I was walking back into my apartment. Weird. Only one pic w/o rain on the lens.

The reveals around the base (the 'score' line that are visible in the photo) were originally a cause for concern because they're not as visible/pronounced as on the renderings, which really makes the texture of the base stand out more. I remember Magellan eventually conceding kinda to a 'it is what it is' attitude, but I think it look fine in the image.

EarlyBuyer · #**4819** Posted **May 2, 2009, 6:13 PM**

Thanks for the updates Wrabbit, BVic and Sentinel.

I'll be posting an update tomorrow. Enjoy our beautiful Spring day everyone!

wrab · #**4820** Posted **May 3, 2009, 3:23 AM**

5/2

-----

As I was taking this photo from the street berm, I was approached by an AON security guard who informed me that I wasn't allowed to take pictures of the AON Tower because of "Homeland Security concerns"!! I told him (nicely) that I was photographing Aqua & showed him the pics, but he said that some had AON in them and this was not allowed.

I mentioned something about it being a public sidewalk, he said something about cops, I said I hoped we could find one to straighten things out.....he was nice about it, I was nice about it.....but, I mean, c'mon!

And I'm pretty darned sure it was because of the tripod - I use it when I take multiple exposures, as I did in the pic above.

Has anyone else had this experience around AON, either on Columbus or on Randolph? I mean, c'mon!