Progress at McDonald’s Park in the South Loop is showing signs of the soccer stadium it aspires to be, as the seating bowl begins to take shape for the Chicago Fire FC’s new home pitch. Vertical progress began on the stadium’s west side, and has now moved around the southwest corner to the south end of the stadium while continuing to stretch toward the north end.
Before the Fire put 11 men on the pitch, the three-player team of Pepper Construction, GMA Construction, and A.L.L. Construction is bringing design architect Gensler’s creation to life. The first level of seating above the playing surface is taking shape, with stepped concrete evident along the west side. Concrete columns are being formed as progress continues to move closer to the northwest corner of the site before it makes another 90° turn for the north end.
As it turns out, those trailer loads of yellow crane segments spotted on our previous visit were not, in fact, for the Liebherr tower crane to be erected on the east side of the site. Instead, they’re for a crawler crane that is now assembled and on the job. Sorry about that, folks. But there very definitely is a yellow crane doing heavy lifting here.
Yellow crane parts? Yes. Parts for a yellow tower crane? No, no they were not. Sorry, folks. I jumped the gun. Photo by Daniel Schell
The south end of the soccer stadium. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Rendering of the Chicago Fire FC stadium by Gensler, from the perspective of fans seated near the southeast corner of the pitch
Rendering by Gensler showing the west side and south end of the stadium, which now show construction progress
Night-time concert rendering by Gensler, looking straight north from upper-deck seating
Seating tiers on the west side of the stadium. Photo by Daniel Schell
Progress now stretches counterclockwise to the south end of the stadium, with columns on the right spreading north. Photo by Daniel Schell
A good look at the stepped concrete for seating tiers on the second level. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Pouring concrete into a column, pushing construction toward the northwest corner of the stadium. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Looking straight south from Roosevelt Road to the south end of the stadium. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
The construction site from the north side of West Roosevelt Road. Photo by Daniel Schell
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Once again…Hey Bear’s…you watching this!