For the first time since since Fall 2017, there are two tower cranes on a McDonald’s job site, though this time they’re building a very different project. The east crane at McDonald’s Park at The 78 in the South Loop has been erected, allowing construction on the Chicago Fire’s new stadium to progress away from the river towards Clark Street.
The west tower crane at McDonald’s Park, the first of two rigs that will erect the Chicago Fire’s new stadium, will soon have a sibling to play with on the east side of the construction site. The base—a much longer tower crane base than we usually see planted in the ground—is now standing at The 78, awaiting full setup.
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.
McDonald’s Park, where the Chicago Fire FC will begin playing their home matches in 2028, is going vertical at The 78 in the South Loop. Unsurprisingly, that three-dimensional progress is sprouting on the west side of the stadium, where the west tower crane has been installed and is putting the heavy stuff in its place.
The first of two tower cranes for McDonald’s Park, the new soccer stadium under construction by and for the Chicago Fire Football Club, has been erected at The 78 in the South Loop. Permits for the West Crane and the East Crane both hit the Chicago Data Portal on April 14; the West Crane came through on April 21, with the other still pending.