A caisson permit was issued Friday for Bally’s Chicago Casino, marking the official start of new construction at the former Chicago Tribune Freedom Center site in River West. Though considered a big gamble by many, the casino can now get moving, with equipment already occupying the sprawling lot, and rebar cages and iron liners waiting to be lowered into the ground.
A visit in late February showed caisson crews manufacturing rebar cages, while a soil-sampling rig and a pile-driving crew were busy at work along the river. Since then, a small army of caisson equipment has been moved onto the construction site and more rebar has been rolled, meaning we’ll hit the ground running when the drilling actually gets started. According to 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly’s weekly email update, there will 356 caissons drilled and 202 piles driven. This phase of construction is expected to last eight weeks.
Now that the permit is issued, this equipment can all be put to work. Photo by Daniel Schell
The permit came through on Friday, March 14, and its exact verbiage reads thusly:
“DDS 2019 CBC: CAISSONS AND PILES ONLY PERMIT FOR THE NEW CONSTRUCTION OF A PROPOSED MIXED USE BUILDING INCLUDING SIX STORY CASINO AND PARKING PODIUM AND 36-STORY HOTEL. VERTICAL PENETRATION ONLY. (OCC GROUPS A-1. A-2, B, R-1, S-2; CONST TYPE I-B) CONSULTANT REVIEWER: GLOBETROTTERS ENGINEERING”
However, there is a pending permit to make a few tweeks. It reads:
“DDS 2019 CBC: REVISION TO CAISSONS AND PILES ONLY PERMIT 101064196. REVISION INCLUDES ONE CAISSON INCREASED IN SIZE FOR UPLIFT CAPACITY AND THREE CAISSONS REVISED FROM ROCK SOCKET CAISSONS TO BELLED CAISSONS, AND ALL CAISSONS WITHIN PROXIMITY TO DWM FACILITIES. VERTICAL PENETRATION ONLY. (OCC GROUPS A-1, A-2, B, R-1, S-2; CONST TYPE IN) CONSULTANT REVIEWER: GLOBETROTTERS ENGINEERING”
The casino will be built by the Chicago Community Builders Collective, a joint venture of contractors that includes Gilbane Building Company, Brown & Momen Inc., d’Escoto Inc., Milhouse, Powers & Sons Construction, SQN Associations, Ujamaa Construction Inc., and Riteway-Huggins Construction Inc. The first phase is expected to open in late 2026.
All photos were taken March 9. It was a Sunday, and there didn’t appear to be anyone on site:
Photo by Daniel Schell
Stalworth Underground is well represented on site. Photo by Daniel Schell
Liners and cages. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
A lone caisson rig at the north end of the site. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Corrugated tubing awaiting caisson work. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
This really is a huge construction site. Photo by Daniel Schell
A lot of residential units have front-row seats for construction viewing. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
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I think Daniel Schell and I both use the same busstop bench to stand on.
The railing a little further north works too, but that giant dirt mountain is in the way now. I should lug a mini stepladder around with me.
The SE corner of the Chi Ave bridge has a little outlook with good height.
Yes, and no construction fence in the way.
do they pull the metal cylinders out once the concrete dries or do they stay there forever?
Some of them stay in; I’ve never been clear on what factors into the decision to leave them in the ground. I had a conversation about that with a crewman when the St Regis started caisson work.