With site mobilization now in progress, 400 N Lake Shore Drive ranks as Chicago’s tallest construction project in 2023. This phase, while preliminary, marks the resumption of construction activities on a site that lay dormant after the abandonment of the previously planned 2,000-foot Chicago Spire. Now under development by Related Midwest, the Streeterville property is being transformed into two residential towers.
Permits have been issued for placement of caissons for 462 E North Water Street, a new 72-story residential high-rise in Streeterville. The project, also known as 400 N Lake Shore Drive, will be spearheaded by RMW Acquisition Company LLC, based in New York. Permits for caisson placement were issued on December 6, following an extensive 630-day review period.
For this year’s Chicago Architecture Biennial, architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) introduced a concrete substitute made from algae, known as Bio-Blocks™. Integrated into a spiral wall for the demonstration, this material was developed in partnership with Prometheus Materials and offers a carbon-neutral construction alternative. The installation is located at The Mews in the Fulton Market District and is hosted by Shapack Partners, Focus, and Walton Street Capital. Biennial visitors can walk around the wall and observe its response to environmental factors like wind and moisture.
An initial public hearing was held for the potential financing of the first phase of the residential development at 400 N Lake Shore Drive in Streeterville. Held by the Illinois Housing Development Authority for the project under its formal address of 462 E North Water Street, the proposal looks to redevelop the long vacant site originally meant for the canceled Chicago Spire. Now developer Related Midwest appears to be resuming its work for their multi-phase plan designed by SOM.
The Chicago City Council has approved the latest plans for 1300 W Carroll Avenue in the West Loop. Located on the corner with N Elizabeth Street just north of the upcoming 225 N Elizabeth in the westward expanding skyline, it replaces the now vacant site which was the former home of the ADM Wheat Mill Silos. While the multi-phase project was originally proposed in 2021 and having gone through a handful of design changes since, developer Sterling Bay has received its final approval for the SOM-designed structure prior to permits.
