CHICAGO | Aqua | 858 FT / 262 M | 87 FLOORS - Page 45

Mr Roboto · #**881** Posted **Nov 15, 2006, 5:37 PM**

^ Good luck to Mchugh and building the forms for those crazy ass balconies. Thats gonna suck big time. I guess its only appropriate since they did Marina as well, and the two buildings have been compared so much. Coincidence? I think not.

brian_b · #**882** Posted **Nov 16, 2006, 2:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

Aqua is one of, if not my favorite current project downtown. The only thing that pisses me off is that the design is 'Loewenbergized' in one regard - that is, the low average floor-to-floor heights. This is no longer the 1980s. I think the absolute bare minimum standard ceiling height for downtown high-rises is 9 ft. Actually, in the last few years it is probably moving closer to 9 1/2 ft. If I'm not mistaken, I believe Loewenberg has enforced his substandard 8' 8" on many of the floors here. I think that's a shame, as we could have easily gotten another 100 ' out of Aqua...

815 feet is measured from Columbus Drive, and the press release (^^) says that it's 88 total floors, 6 of which are below the Columbus level. That means that the remaining 82 floors all have an average height of 9.94 feet. Let's go out on a limb and say that the ceiling of floor 88 is 5 feet below the top of the roof. That now means an average height of 10 feet exactly. How thick will the floor plates be? How thick will the rest of the unused space between floors be? It has to total 16 inches from ceiling to floor to get down to 8 feet 8 inches. That seems like a lot to me, but I'm no expert. Can anyone comment on this?

Busy Bee · #**883** Posted **Nov 16, 2006, 5:27 AM**

^That's sounds too comlicated to comment. Jeez, how about we wait until they start to build the building to find out how tall the 'ol ceilings are shall we?

Saber925 · #**884** Posted **Nov 16, 2006, 7:22 AM**

The first two ground floors will also need to accommodate the ballroom/meeting rooms of the hotel, so I expect those floors to be quite tall.

kalmia · #**885** Posted **Nov 16, 2006, 7:51 AM**

^If they are selling units they should have a solid figure on the ceiling height. They have been marketing this for a while now.

McStructures · #**886** Posted **Nov 16, 2006, 1:26 PM**

Can someone snap any site prep photos? Or is there nothing to see yet? I haven't had a chance to visit the site in awhile. Thanks!

museumparktom · #**887** Posted **Nov 16, 2006, 11:17 PM**

Not much to report - no idea what this guy in a suit was doing he collected a bag full of soil

spyguy · #**888** Posted **Nov 16, 2006, 11:53 PM**

Go-go gadget...

kalmia · #**889** Posted **Nov 17, 2006, 2:35 AM**

^^^ I'm thinking he is up to no good.

I think I'll go and get me a bag of soil down there.

Nowhereman1280 · #**890** Posted **Nov 17, 2006, 4:41 AM**

So how long has that Cassion rig been there? That is a Cassion rig right? I just walked by and saw that tonight and was going to say something, but apparently its been there for a while since there is no chatter about what it is doing there. Assuming I'm not being a moron and mistaking something for a cassion rig, then this puppy should be U/C and day now.

chicubs111 · #**891** Posted **Nov 17, 2006, 4:52 AM**

yes..this thing is in the books...just a matter of days and making it official.

kalmia · #**892** Posted **Nov 17, 2006, 4:58 AM**

I guess they would be going to bedrock on this one, right? Where is the line usually drawn as far as the height and material of the building. I guess concrete buildings would be more likely to have caissons to bedrock than steel framed buildings.

Nowhereman1280 · #**893** Posted **Nov 17, 2006, 5:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by chicubs111

yes..this thing is in the books...just a matter of days and making it official.

I know this thing is pretty much for sure, I was just wondering if anyone knew how long that cassion rig has been there for, I mean having a Cassion rig on site usally means construction is imminent within days. So if that is a cassion rig, we should be watching Aqua closely for Construction start.

BVictor1 · #**894** Posted **Nov 17, 2006, 8:34 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nowhereman1280

I know this thing is pretty much for sure, I was just wondering if anyone knew how long that cassion rig has been there for, I mean having a Cassion rig on site usally means construction is imminent within days. So if that is a cassion rig, we should be watching Aqua closely for Construction start.

the machine has been there for a good week or so. i don't know if it will be used for caissons for the tower, or if there are tunnels that are below the site. if there are tunnels, they will have to be filled with grout. many of the caissons for this tower will have to go to bedrock and that little ass thing won't be the machine to do it.

biophilic · #**895** Posted **Nov 17, 2006, 3:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BVictor1

i don't know if it will be used for caissons for the tower, or if there are tunnels that are below the site. if there are tunnels, they will have to be filled with grout.

There is a tunnel that runs from Blue Cross up through the site and then over to Columbus Dr. So you are probably right on why its there.

spyguy · #**896** Posted **Nov 18, 2006, 7:51 PM**

http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=22925

Upscale Asian hotel eyes Chicago site

Another high-end Asian hotel brand is eyeing Chicago. Reps of Raffles Hotels are in talks with Strategic Hotels about running a 200-suite Raffles in the Aqua tower planned at Columbus and Lake. Chicago-based Strategic, which has agreed to buy 15 floors in the Aqua building, also is talking with other chains, including Starwood Hotels. [Alby Gallun]

Chi_Coruscant · #**897** Posted **Nov 18, 2006, 8:01 PM**

^Chicago would become the 2nd US city after Beverly Hills.

kalmia · #**898** Posted **Nov 18, 2006, 8:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by biophilic

There is a tunnel that runs from Blue Cross up through the site and then over to Columbus Dr. So you are probably right on why its there.

What kind of tunnel? If it is there, then why not have a pedestrial tunnel between the two buildings?

spyguy · #**899** Posted **Nov 18, 2006, 8:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chi_Coruscant

^Chicago would become the 2nd US city after Beverly Hills.

Yes, I think so. The original Raffles in Singapore is very nice. I'm just surprised that all these resort chains are showing interest in Chicago. But it's definitely a good thing for Chicago's tourism industry, as Asian tourists might prefer a hotel name that they are familiar with like Shangri-la or Mandarin Oriental.

honte · #**900** Posted **Nov 18, 2006, 9:42 PM**

^ It's also a good indication of how the city is seen from overseas, I think... which might be positive news for the Chicago Spire's ability to attract overseas owners / investors.