CHICAGO | 300 North LaSalle | 785 FT / 239 M | 60 FLOORS

[otis1]

Some Updates.
We are pouring the core to level 5 as i type.
The 999 on a barge plan is still in effect, As well as the 100 ton 'dukes of hazzard' style crawler offloading. Last saturday they moved a backhoe from the north alley on to a barge then onto the river bank. If I explain this process in detail someone will surely be fined.
The position of the north tower crane is becoming a serious problem. It appears the counterweights will hit the core wall when swung directly north.
Meaning the core cannot be poured any taller than the lowest point of the weights until the crane is jumped. This will cause a serious stall in the project, we are pushing hard to get this thing moved before its too late.

Excavation and retention completion continues to be pushed back, mostly due to weather (dumps dont take loads on rainy days)

[simcityaustin]

Thanks Otis. Looks like this building is coming along at a pretty good pace though.

[forumly_chgoman]

^^^^I know those pics above are of the core but what are the dimesions of the footprint of the building?

[forumly_chgoman]

delete.....multiple post

[SolarWind]

Originally Posted by forumly_chgoman

^^^^I know those pics above are of the core but what are the dimesions of the footprint of the building?

More here:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=2637420&postcount=564

[denizen467]

Originally Posted by Lukecuj

'Dukes of Hazzard' off loading ?

I think that was where it drives off the riverwall right onto a waiting barge, at great stunt-like risk of the barge tipping over. (Or else the people doing it are just named Bo & Luke.)

[SolarWind]

May 1, 2007

[Nowhereman1280]

Wow, its really getting going now, by the time school starts again this thing will be half done at this rate...

[aaron38]

From the height of the mobile cranes, it looks like the core has maybe one more bump before the tower crane is needed.

[Alliance]

It certainly is sprouting all right...

[BVictor1]

Originally Posted by aaron38

From the height of the mobile cranes, it looks like the core has maybe one more bump before the tower crane is needed.

Looks to me like there still a hell of a lot of excavating to do. And If I remember the article correctly from several months back, this building will have 2 tower cranes. I don't think a tower crane will be installed before the excavation is complete on this one.

[Norsider]

Originally Posted by BVictor1

Looks to me like there still a hell of a lot of excavating to do. And If I remember the article correctly from several months back, this building will have 2 tower cranes. I don't think a tower crane will be installed before the excavation is complete on this one.

You're right. They need to dig out the parking garage.

[otis1]

Updates :

The core was poured to +90’-4” last Thursday,
Should be pouring to 103’-4” on Wednesday.

Climbing up and down this thing is really starting to suck.

The cranes on site are now useless to access the core, we have to rent a big hydro when we need steel and stuff.

I am told the 999 on the barge plan is OUT (sorry guys)
Alternatively, the north crane will be erected from the alley, then the south crane will be built from it.
… but the boom doesn’t reach the south one…
It needs at least 7’ more of stick… when its fully laid down… which wouldn’t work anyways...

…sigh…

After explaining this repeatedly I was told they intend to use something called a ‘balance beam’ to get the necessary reach. I’ve seen these used before, but never on something as heavy as this.
Should be interesting.

Excavation is going quite well now and north side foundation work may begin as early as next week.

Heres some screen shots of my incomplete cad work,


Tower Crane boom and tail swing radii


Foundation


Core to 25

[ColumbusTim79]

This building will be seen by millions each day on the kennedy expressway I-94

[BorisMolotov]

Otis, what is that small Y-shaped structure seen behind the core in the ground? Is that for something for the riverwalk?

[aaron38]

Excavation work today:



Clay is being loaded into a barge






If the river were to flood the site, they'd have a castle moat complete with drawbridge!

[otis1]

Originally Posted by BorisMolotov

Otis, what is that small Y-shaped structure seen behind the core in the ground? Is that for something for the riverwalk?

That would be the south tower crane foundation, which is canitilevered off 2 caisson caps.

I havent drawn a single thing for the riverwalk stucture yet. The drawings in that area have a bunch of crisscross gradebeams with no dimensions or locations. So far, any attempts to get some of those pesky numbers have been fruiltess.

We have succeded in pissing off the management in nearly every adjacent stucture. theres a guy who owns some asian antique store to the north of us that purposely parks his vehicle 1" from our alley lane closure.
His car has been sideswiped by a dump truck on several occasions.

We poured the core yesterday with our new stationary pump under the lasalle bridge. The building to the east called the police to complain about us blocking some of their egress with concrete trucks. We had to pump 350 yards of concrete one truck at a time. A typicaly 5-6 hour pour became 10.
This was the first time we tried to pour the core with the excavator working simultaneously. It was a traffic disaster under the bridge there.

And, due to some more permit issues, the pedway on LaSalle has to come down. For the third time.

Is it friday yet?

[honte]

^ Another great post. Thanks Otis.

[djvandrake]

Is it friday yet?

Almost! Thanks for keeping us updated and giving us this awesome inside look at construction. Much appreciated!

[LoyolaBeachView]

Otis, you are a revelation. Thanks!