Yesterday, YIMBY attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the newly dubbed “Cassidy on Canal,” a 33-story residential tower at 344 N Canal Street in Fulton River District. The Habitat Company and Diversified Real Estate Capital are behind the project, which will replace the former Cassidy Tire Building that was demolished this year. The development will yield a total of 343 units along with ground-level retail and 123 parking spaces.
Cassidy on Canal. Rendering by SCB
Cassidy on Canal. Photo by Jack Crawford
Cassidy on Canal groundbreaking ceremony. Photo by The Habitat Company
Cassidy on Canal groundbreaking ceremony. Photo by The Habitat CompanyResidences will scale from studios up through two-bedroom floor plans, along with an array of both indoor and outdoor amenity spaces. A fitness center and spa, a pool deck, media and gaming rooms, a conference center, as well as a dog walk are among the facilities that will be available to residents.
Daniel Levin, founder and chairman of The Habitat Company (left) and Matt Fiascone, president of The Habitat Company (right). Photo by Jack Crawford
Cassidy on Canal. Photo by Jack Crawford
Cassidy on Canal residential lobby. Rendering by SCB
Cassidy on Canal amenity lounge. Rendering by SCB
Cassidy on Canal residential lobby. Rendering by SCB
Cassidy on Canal. Rendering by SCB
Cassidy on Canal amenity lounge. Rendering by SCB
Cassidy on Canal. Rendering by SCB
Solomon Cordwell Buenz originally designed an angular volume that would sit atop a podium, anchored by two hexagonal towers. The exterior of this design consisted of floor-to-ceiling windows, painted metal panels, and recessed balconies. However, the design has evolved slightly since its inception – the original version featured a curvier shape with more vertical facade patterns.
Cassidy on Canal (orange). Model by Jack Crawford
Cassidy on Canal (orange). Model by Jack Crawford
Cassidy on Canal. Photo by Jack Crawford
Cassidy on Canal. Photo by Jack Crawford
Cassidy on Canal. Rendering by SCB
The nearest CTA station is Clinton, which serves the Green and Pink Lines. Routes 37, 56, 65, and 125 operate on public transit in the area. The closest CTF Green Line L service is located a six-minute walk south to Clinton station, with service for the Green and Pink Lines.
Cassidy on Canal (orange). Model by Jack Crawford
Cassidy on Canal (orange). Model by Jack Crawford
344 N Canal Street prior to demolition. Photo by Jack Crawford
Cassidy on Canal. Photo by Jack Crawford
Cassidy on Canal. Photo by Jack Crawford
McHugh Construction is serving as the general contractor for the nearly $134 million build, as reported by recently issued construction permits. Completion is targeted for early 2024.
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It’s a little insulting and a little cynical to just call this ugly tower after the thing you destroyed.
They really couldn’t keep even part of the existing building and build the tower into it?
Hell, they’re even sort of faux recreating it in the base. Good grief.
Right? And if you ARE going to just demolish it, why are you appropriating its brand name to cop its feel? To remind us what used to be there? It just shows the building doesn’t have its own identity or POV to offer up. Weird for them to call attention to the thing they killed
The most boring, suburban, early 2000’s development under construction right now
SCB you can do so much better
The destruction of the Cassidy building will not be forgiven. They ruined the magical industrial feeling of that area. It was the only building with old world character, such as the ones causing the boom in Fulton Market. People with money but no vision. The city should be ashamed to allow this.
I wish Chicago had some architecture firms with some romanticism and nostalgia to them at the forefront to get some of these commissions that Miesian disciples like Goettsch, SCB, Hartshorne-Plunkard, Papgeroge + Haymes etc. keep getting to proliferate the city with mediocrity.
Imagine what RAMSA or SHoP would have done with an opportunity like this.
And even when they do try to do something romantic, they toss it to the LaGrange crew to give it the “40 floors of precast concrete” treatment T____T
We really need developers willing to pay to RFP something out to international firms. These local firms are using Miesian ideals as excuses to cut corners, to your point. The world of material science has moved on from rectilinear steel beams but you wouldn’t know it walking around Chicago.
Agree 100%. Chicago used to be the place international students came to study and find inspiration. This was where architects measured their skills against the titans of the past and strived to leave a masterpiece someday. Developers could care less, the same few buy all the prominent land and recycle the same few architects to repeat designs with slight variations on a theme.
There are so many internationally renowned greats like Norman Foster that reveres Chicago yet doesn’t have a building here. David Childs tried to create sculptural trophy towers on the lakefront and was dialed back by Related. The Misiean influence is entirely too strong among Chicago area academia, critics, architects and structural engineers alike. He has laid such a heavy hand on the city-scape and is still dictating the look of the city. He was quite literally the most detrimental figure to the ambition, quality and creativity of our architecture.
A modern day renaissance is badly needed. The legends all rightly cared about how their buildings were perceived by the public on the outside of the structure. Someone like Goettsch is the antithesis of this and values all of Mies’ minimalist pretense to gain commissions at the expense of pushing the language forward.
Looks like this should be in Dallas or Phoenix. Oof. Yay property taxes is about the only positive for the city.