CHICAGO | Highrise Projects & Construction, v7 - Page 768

harryc · #**15341** Posted **Aug 19, 2019, 11:49 PM**

Aug 4

Chicago | 717 S Clark by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

Aug 7

Chicago | 717 S Clark by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

across the street.

Chicago | 717 S Clark by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

Busy Bee · #**15342** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 12:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by munchymunch

What are you on, I would be ecstatic if this was real.

One man's silly is another man's genius. Just like one man's fat is another man's sexy. Different strokes for different folks. That being said, it's a little silly.

harryc · #**15343** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 12:49 AM**

Aug 4

Chicago | Alta Grand Central by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

Chicago | Alta Grand Central by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

Aug 7

Chicago | Alta Grand Central by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

Aug 17

Chicago | Alta Grand Central by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

harryc · #**15344** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 1:16 AM**

Aug 16

Chicago | Union West by Harry Carmichael, on Flickr

BonoboZill4 · #**15345** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 1:22 AM**

In context to the West Loop, Union West looks much better in reality than it did in the renderings. Not saying I thought it was ugly necessarily, but it's really solid

RedCorsair87 · #**15346** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 1:35 PM**

I really like it. Great density. I wish BKL would do more brick buildings in this style. My only complaint is I wish they went with darker/black windows to complement the darker base.

BuildThemTaller · #**15347** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 1:45 PM**

For ALTA Grand Central, are they leaving the concrete exposed like that? I really hope so. For a more or less filler project, I really dig this one. It helps connect the Cooper down the street, or whatever they call it as part of the Riverline/Southbank project. The street presence along Harrison and most of Wells is great. They did a great job of hiding the bulk of the parking. And the twin towers design is above average.

It is not groundbreaking in design or execution, but it is well above average. For a mid-rise building, I will take it!

the urban politician · #**15348** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 1:51 PM**

Union West is looking sharp

the urban politician · #**15349** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 2:45 PM**

A looming slowdown in the apartment construction boom:

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/comm...pers-pull-back

r18tdi · #**15350** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 2:55 PM**

Crane going up at Erie and LaSalle.

harryc · #**15351** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 5:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by r18tdi

Crane going up at Erie and LaSalle.

I'll bet they've stopped (cab up) because of lightning danger.
Mat pour at 353 Grand going on now.

ardecila · #**15352** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 6:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuildThemTaller

For ALTA Grand Central, are they leaving the concrete exposed like that? I really hope so. For a more or less filler project, I really dig this one. It helps connect the Cooper down the street, or whatever they call it as part of the Riverline/Southbank project. The street presence along Harrison and most of Wells is great. They did a great job of hiding the bulk of the parking. And the twin towers design is above average.

It is not groundbreaking in design or execution, but it is well above average. For a mid-rise building, I will take it!

LOL nope. This is a Pappageorge building, of course it will be painted! You can already see the dark gray paint in harry's first photo.

I agree that it looks awesome unpainted, and I am sad to see the paint... but the street presence and the lack of podium is a pleasant surprise.

mark0 · #**15353** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 8:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila

LOL nope. This is a Pappageorge building, of course it will be painted! You can already see the dark gray paint in harry's first photo.

I agree that it looks awesome unpainted, and I am sad to see the paint... but the street presence and the lack of podium is a pleasant surprise.

The problem here is the weather; There's no spec mix yet that can hold up to our brutal thermal extremes without unsightly cracking and patching. You could prob get a lot of mileage in a warm climate leaving concrete exposed but in Chicago it needs a coating.

Ned.B · #**15354** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 9:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark0

The problem here is the weather; There's no spec mix yet that can hold up to our brutal thermal extremes without unsightly cracking and patching. You could prob get a lot of mileage in a warm climate leaving concrete exposed but in Chicago it needs a coating.

Except that there are many buildings in Chicago and the Midwest in general with uncoated exterior concrete. Or are you suggesting that what those have done is different than the typical concrete residential building?

LouisVanDerWright · #**15355** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 10:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ned.B

Except that there are many buildings in Chicago and the Midwest in general with uncoated exterior concrete. Or are you suggesting that what those have done is different than the typical concrete residential building?

No, it's a load of crap that our environment makes this impossible. There are 120 year old bridges that have stood for that long with basically zero maintenance all over Chicago being constantly blasted by salt.

Paint is to cover up lazy concrete work and stretch landlords maintenance dollars. Also because Americans have been trained to believe concrete is an ugly material.

ardecila · #**15356** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 10:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark0

The problem here is the weather; There's no spec mix yet that can hold up to our brutal thermal extremes without unsightly cracking and patching. You could prob get a lot of mileage in a warm climate leaving concrete exposed but in Chicago it needs a coating.

OK - why not a clear coat then (silane/siloxane/etc)? Admittedly it would give the concrete a "wet look" but still allow the texture and variation to show through.

Steely Dan · #**15357** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 10:29 PM**

how do people feel about the Contemporaine's concrete now that it's 15 years old?

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8916...7i16384!8i8192

harryc · #**15358** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 10:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

how do people feel about the Contemporaine's concrete now that it's 15 years old?

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8916...7i16384!8i8192

Love that building - at street level it feels ... real

BuildThemTaller · #**15359** Posted **Aug 20, 2019, 11:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

how do people feel about the Contemporaine's concrete now that it's 15 years old?

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8916...7i16384!8i8192

Love it. This is how you do a parking garage without hiding it. There are so many wonderful things about this building.

Skyguy_7 · #**15360** Posted **Aug 21, 2019, 2:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

A looming slowdown in the apartment construction boom:

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/comm...pers-pull-back

“Development is slowing due to rising construction costs, tougher affordable housing regulations and worries about rising property taxes, said Ron DeVries, senior managing director in Integra’s Chicago office”