Up High in the South Loop: NEMA Towers Over All
In 29 days, Santa comes to town, and the fat old elf will have a few more obstacles to navigate his sleigh around. Among them is NEMA Chicago, the 76-story residential tower going up on the south end of Grant Park — one of Mr. Claus’ favorite landing areas. I need an oxygen tank and a lurpy dog with a barrel of brandy around his neck to climb the Montrose Harbor sledding hill, but Joe Zekas from YoChicago! hitched up his...
A Little Skyscraper Abracadabra Along Grant Park
Sometimes the monotony of life becomes a way of life. Keep your head down. Stay off the boss’ radar. Don’t attract attention. But keeping our heads down, while a common survival skill, prevents us from seeing the marvels the city of Chicago serves up around us every day. You don’t need Cher to give you a wet slap across the face to snap out of it. Just look at the animation below. Joe Zekas of YoChicago! sent...
Construction Update Two-Fer: Vista and Bennett
As Chicago’s skyline transforms itself once again, it’s easy to get a little crick in your neck looking up all the time. So, instead it’s better to look out. As in this view looking out from NEMA Chicago, taken by Joe Zekas of YoChicago! last week. It shows the progress of the Vista Tower in Lakeshore East in the foreground, with One Bennett Park in Streeterville in the background. Unlike most cities which have a...
Building NEMA: A Day in the Life of a Chicago Skyscraper Construction Worker
If you’ve been following the construction of NEMA Chicago (formerly One Grant Park, formerly 113 East Roosevelt), or any other skyscraper under construction in Chicago, you’ve probably wondered what it’s like “up there.” Open House Chicago notwithstanding, few people get to go up to the top of the city’s skyscrapers. Even fewer get to do it while the structures are still under construction. Joe...
