CHICAGO | Highrise Projects & Construction - Page 376

Joe Zekas · #**7501** Posted: **Apr 20, 2012, 6:01 AM**

This tower completes K Station.

simcityaustin · #**7502** Posted: **Apr 20, 2012, 10:26 AM**

Not sure if you have seen this stunning video of Chicago yet, but it showcases lots of recently completed projects.

Places In Time: Chicago

the urban politician · #**7503** Posted: **Apr 20, 2012, 2:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by simcityaustin

Not sure if you have seen this stunning video of Chicago yet, but it showcases lots of recently completed projects.

Places In Time: Chicago

^ That was INCREDIBLE! Probably the best time lapse video of Chicago I've seen as of yet. Thanks for sharing

ChiPhi · #**7504** Posted: **Apr 20, 2012, 3:49 PM**

An article from the Trib.

Quote:

The Chicago Plan Commission approved a 22-story office tower at 625 W. Adams, the southeast corner of Adams and Desplaines, now a parking lot. Old St. Pat’s, which is kitty-corner from the site, owns the property.

Not super important news, but we'll see what happens...

Joe Zekas · #**7505** Posted: **Apr 20, 2012, 8:49 PM**

I'll be visiting K2 at K Station fairly frequently from now until it's complete, and will have access to most points on the site. The one exception is the place I'd most like to go – atop the tower crane.

I'll also have access to virtually everyone working on and at the K2 development, and would like to video the story of the building of a high-rise from their varied perspectives.

You can help me with this project by giving me some suggestions on who and what you'd like to see in these videos, and feeding me any questions you'd like asked.

All of the videos will be added to this YouTube playlist as they become available.

Thanks in advance.

Nowhereman1280 · #**7506** Posted: **Apr 20, 2012, 9:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiPhi

An article from the Trib.

Not super important news, but we'll see what happens...

That is this tower in case you all forgot:

chicagorealestatedaily.com

lawfin · #**7507** Posted: **Apr 20, 2012, 9:16 PM**

This is th lot on the south east corner of adams a desplaines?

HomrQT · #**7508** Posted: **Apr 21, 2012, 1:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Zekas

I'll be visiting K2 at K Station fairly frequently from now until it's complete, and will have access to most points on the site. The one exception is the place I'd most like to go – atop the tower crane.

I'll also have access to virtually everyone working on and at the K2 development, and would like to video the story of the building of a high-rise from their varied perspectives.

You can help me with this project by giving me some suggestions on who and what you'd like to see in these videos, and feeding me any questions you'd like asked.

All of the videos will be added to this YouTube playlist as they become available.

Thanks in advance.

Can't wait to see some of the views from this building.

Joe Zekas · #**7509** Posted: **Apr 21, 2012, 1:52 AM**

I've loaned a camera to Marie Spear, one of the tower crane operators at K2, and you can see some of the views from 240 feet up - not the full height of the building - in this video at YouTube.

J_M_Tungsten · #**7510** Posted: **Apr 21, 2012, 2:10 PM**

Sweet views. I think the train noise would get annoying for the residents after a while, but I imagine the windows will be solid for noise reduction.

HomrQT · #**7511** Posted: **Apr 21, 2012, 5:57 PM**

I'm pretty disappointed in how bland River North looks, but that view towards the financial district is stunning. Thanks for sharing Joe!

jc5680 · #**7512** Posted: **Apr 21, 2012, 8:45 PM**

denizen467 · #**7513** Posted: **Apr 22, 2012, 3:55 AM**

Attention Emporis editors, Wikipedia editors, and other guardians of skyscraper databases.

R.I.P. Unitrin Building. The sign came down in the last week. I don't know whether the owner is technically still calling it the Unitrin Building, but since the company changed its name to Kemper a number of months ago, I think it's probably ripe to change the reference at least to 1 East Wacker.

Presumably it soon will be or already is Kemper Tower or something like that, and hopefully a new sign will go up in what is now empty framing at the top of the tower.

ardecila · #**7514** Posted: **Apr 22, 2012, 4:35 AM**

Well, at least Kemper has a nice logo:

ChiPhi · #**7515** Posted: **Apr 22, 2012, 2:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jc5680

Great view... I guess that's the cost of living in an up and coming neighborhood...

Baronvonellis · #**7516** Posted: **Apr 22, 2012, 4:02 PM**

Why was the Kennedy only capped in that one spot? Just for a parking lot and storage. It seems like a waste.

Mr Downtown · #**7517** Posted: **Apr 22, 2012, 4:22 PM**

^It wasn't a parking lot and storage back then, it was a big group of railroad freight houses.

J_M_Tungsten · #**7518** Posted: **Apr 22, 2012, 6:20 PM**

That is an amazing website Mr. Downtown! I recommend everyone take a look, you won't be disappointed.

denizen467 · #**7519** Posted: **Apr 22, 2012, 8:54 PM**

(Edit. Wrong thread.)

ardecila · #**7520** Posted: **Apr 22, 2012, 11:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baronvonellis

Why was the Kennedy only capped in that one spot? Just for a parking lot and storage. It seems like a waste.

In addition to the big railyard above, the fact that Halsted also crossed on an angle created some unique structural needs - the supports for the Halsted overpass fell directly on top of the Kennedy beneath.

The least expensive way to layer everything together was simply to dig a trench for the Kennedy and then cap it with big plate girders deep enough to support several freight trains and another overpass on top. Also, the C&NW (which owned the railyard) was an extraordinarily powerful corporation in 1960s Chicago, so they had to be accommodated at great cost. Even Marshall Field, when he built the Merchandise Mart, had to accommodate another C&NW railyard beneath the building.

It certainly wasn't a quality-of-life issue that made them build a cap... this area was highly industrial and nobody lived nearby to care about greenspace or pollution. Remember, they didn't even cap the IC through Grant Park until the 2000s when Millennium Park was built.