Spring Brings A High Rise to Randolph Street
It was just about a year ago that we told you about crews planting building seeds at 609 West Randolph Street. Eleven months later, a high-rise is sprouting, just in time for Spring. 601 West Randolph under construction in March, 2021. (Courtesy of West Loop Spy Kurt.) As usual, West Loop Spy Kurt can be counted on to aim his iPhone 11 at the scene, and send us these pictures of the tower crane being assembled. Though this Vista...
West Loop Parking Lot Targeted for 2-Tower 1,000+ Apartment Plan
There are two things that never give up hope: Dogs, and the surface parking lot next to Heritage Green Park. Model of 625 West Monroe by SMDP. The 250-space West Loop slab at 601 West Monroe Street has been the subject of at least four redevelopment plans since we started publishing 18 years ago. From a modest 20-something-story office tower to smdp’s angular 38-story BP Tower to the 75-story office slant floated in 2013....
Kennedy-Encroaching Skyscraper Broaching the West Loop This Week
If you dig those Japanese car racing games where you speed through an idealized, canyonized, urbanized Celtic knot in the dark, there’s good news for your inner Speed Racer. The Kennedy Expressway is going to look a little more like Ridge Racer, and a little less like Chicago Ridge. December, 2020 rendering of 640 West Washington A public meeting has been called to discuss 640 West Washington, a 47-story skyscraper...
The West Loop’s Newest Skyscraper BMO and MO every day
If you’d like to BMO informed about the state of the new skyscraper rising across the street from Union Station, look no further than these new photographs of the BMO Tower under construction at 320 South Canal Street. BMO Tower under construction (Courtesy of YoChicago!) The busy BMOs at YoChicago! pollenated our tip line with the slick pics recently, and you can see the bottom of the skyscraper is coming together nicely. That...
Heavy Construction Equipment Arrives For New West Loop Building
Dirt has started to move in the West Loop, where heavy equipment is on the scene at 601 West Randolph Street. West Loop Spy Kurt was there, and slipped this into our tip line: 601 West Randolph under construction in January, 2021 (Courtesy of West Loop Spy Kurt) Technically, the equipment is at 609 West Randolph, but the new building the gear is going to create will use the 601 address currently assigned to the Code Orange building...
Prep Underway For New West Loop High-Rise
If you’re a fan of West Loop development, thank the eagle eyes of fellow reader West Loop Spy Kurt for letting us all know that things are starting to happen at 601 West Randolph Street. Rendering of 601 west Randolph (Va the Office of Alderman Brendan Reilly) Kurt says Jersey barriers have gone up along Randolph Street. It’s a sure sign that scaffolding, hard hats, and heavy equipment are on the way. He also notes that...
Could 210 South Canal B-MO Glassy?
The first glass panels have gone up at the new BMO Tower rising across the street from Union Station. West Loop Spy Sam slipped these photos of the construction into our virtual mailbox, and you can already see that the Goettsh Partners design is going to be a little special. BMO Tower under construction in December 2020 (Courtesy of West Loop Spy Sam) GP has been glassing up this corner of the world quite a lot lately. It recently...
Union Station Food Hall Photo Update
If you’ve looked at Goettsch Partners‘ portfolio lately, you might have noticed that the Loop architecture firm has a crush on glass. But that doesn’t mean it’s a one-trick pony. Union Station renovation in December 2020 (Courtesy of West Loop Spy Sam) To wit: The Union Station redevelopment plan, which is revitalizing the biggest passenger rail hub in the Midwest. Goettsch has already gotten more high-fives...
West Loop Skyscraper to Further the Isolation of Kennedy Expressway
Last week we learned two interesting things. First, the correct 12 Days of Christmas lyric is “Four colly birds,” not “Four calling birds.” Colly bird is a dusty term for any random blackbird. And second, Crescent Heights wants to put up a 47-story residential tower at 640 West Washington Boulevard, on the eastern edge of the Kennedy Expressway. December, 2020 rendering of 640 West Washington The City of...
From the Air, the Jane Byrne Reconstruction Looks Fascinating, Not Frustrating
Not everyone who lives in or visits Chicago enjoys a car-free existence. And for them, there is the Jane Byrne Interchange. November 2020 construction at the Jane Byrne Interchange (Courtesy of YoChicago!) We haven’t talked about it much since reconstruction commenced on the intersection of the Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Ryan Expressways. Partly because it’s been going on for eight years, and mostly because you can get the...