Caisson crews are back in action at the Bally’s Chicago Casino construction site in River West, and now they have a tower crane permit to work with too. Permission for a free-standing Potain MD-485 came through on May 16 after an application was filed on April 9th. The Chicago Community Builders Collective is the official general contractor conglomerate for the casino project, though Gilbane Building Company and McHugh Concrete are named on the permit as the lead contractors.
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Work on the site was halted on the first of May after the Chicago Sun-Times did a deep dumpster dive on one of the vendors being used at the construction site, and the Illinois Gaming Board issued a stop order. But they reported last week that the IGB had allowed work to resume, and caissons began rolling along once again.
Shake it off. Photo by Daniel Schell
A rig removes fresh soil from a caisson shaft. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
There is a new pending permit for the casino in the Chicago Data Portal, though it’s one that had already appeared in slightly different verbiage. The new one addresses the “superstructure only for a seven-story casino, parking, and event center building.” It cites previous permissions for caissons, grade beams, and the “adjacent concrete hotel tower superstructure.” So far, none of those have been issued, just the caissons and tower crane.
Hauling a caisson tube (layman’s term) across the construction site. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Bally’s intended to have the casino operating by the end of 2026. There has been no official announcement as to whether this month’s setback will cause a delay in opening.
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I want there to be a train stop on those rails. It could easily be done.
I also want this to spur the creation of a new subway line down Chicago (east/west).
That would be cool but with the Lake St L just a few blocks south that would never happen. For a new subway we’d be far better off building one on Western Ave to connect up all the different stations there
A cut and cover line on western would be amazing.
There was talk of a dedicated street car line running to Lincoln Yards on that right of way not long ago. Is that still on the table?
The sale of the Lincoln Yards property will almost certainly end any chance for new transit there.
That can’t happen in this part of the city. There’s a 16 foot diameter water main running underneath Chicago ave
Just as well that a subway line wouldn’t fit. Chicago Ave is a perfect candidate for light rail – move the traffic lanes to where the bus lanes are right now, and then run rail down the median. Phase 1 can go Michigan to Milwaukee; phase 2 can extend out to link Navy Pier and Ashland.
This is integrated into Star Line Chicago’s #BuildTheTunnel plan, I dont think links are allowed on this site but there is great info on theirs (and on the citythatworks substack).