The Fairbanks at Cityfront Plaza
Height: 387 ft
Floor count: 32
Location: 280 East Illinois
Construction end: 2007
Architect: DeStefano + Partners, Ltd.
Developer: Centrum Properties, Inc.

The St. Clair at Cityfront Plaza
Height: 560 ft
Floor count: 40
Location: 200 East Illinois
Architect: DeStefano + Partners, Ltd.
Developer: Centrum Properties, Inc.

Tower III
Height:
Floor count:
Location: 220 East Illinois
Architect: David Hovey
Developer: Optima Inc.

Website (http://www.cityfrontplaza.com/)

From left to right: The St. Clair, Tower III (old design), The Fairbanks
http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/6059/cfplazalargerzk6.jpg

Closer view of the Fairbanks
http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/682/cfplazafairbanksoz8.jpg

The St. Clair
http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/8215/piclaunch01sf3.jpg
Photo by Retrograde
http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/2743/stclaircfpma3.jpg

Oh hey! thats the north pier development on illinois and columbus. They already built the garage and i know they were saying they would start construction on the towers after the garage. The original plan was a building that was around 80 stories. This one looks smaller but there are two other buildings there with it.


By the way, isn't the sheradon hotel missing in that picture???

Awesome.

The architecture deserves an F though, especially those two towers on either ends, Yuck!, couldn't they do any better. Who designed those pieces of shit anways?

Really? I really like the central tower, the way it projects out of the nonglass base. I do hate the towers ont he ends... just a really modern version of base-podium architecture BLAH.

lazar - there is LOTS of stuff missing from that rendering (presumably to dupe people into thinking they'll have less obstructed views than they really will).

I think you mean that's the old Grand Pier project, not north pier. No the Sheraton hotel isn't missing from the shot. the sheraton is at Columbus and North Water Street on the Chicago River. The only building that I can tell that's not in this rendering is River East Tower.

Hold that thought. There are some towers to the north that are missing. some of the scrapers close to chicago and michigan, but what does that matter, they aren't close enought to affect the views of cityfront place.

i do have a feeling though that the 70+ story building and that 40+ story on the west end of the project might reverse places, but we'll see.

I take back what I was saying about things missing at the Michigan-Chicago end, I saw the rendering in the paper myself, and they're there, the only building I don't see is River East.

What is missing are all the buildings hugging the Drive around Ohio/Ontario/Erie/Huron. That area is packed with highrise residential and none of it is shown.

Nice, fits in quite nicely.

wow, blooming tons of new buildings on the Chicago River!

wow 70 stories!

nice find there thirdcoast, thanks for posting.

I'm not sure that I would exactly categorize this as "riverfront" development.

I think you mean that's the old Grand Pier project, not north pier. No the Sheraton hotel isn't missing from the shot. the sheraton is at Columbus and North Water Street on the Chicago River. The only building that I can tell that's not in this rendering is River East Tower.

Hold that thought. There are some towers to the north that are missing. some of the scrapers close to chicago and michigan, but what does that matter, they aren't close enought to affect the views of cityfront place.

i do have a feeling though that the 70+ story building and that 40+ story on the west end of the project might reverse places, but we'll see.

I take back what I was saying about things missing at the Michigan-Chicago end, I saw the rendering in the paper myself, and they're there, the only building I don't see is River East.


You're right, i did mean grand pier and not north pier.

lazar - there is LOTS of stuff missing from that rendering (presumably to dupe people into thinking they'll have less obstructed views than they really will).

And am sure it is also to show off the building. It would be hard to see and focus on if it were in the mass of highrises that are there.

Sheraton is east of the NBC tower. In Newpaper's picture NBC Tower can be seen on the right.

In my picture below is the eastside of the NBC tower (lower right hand corner) and my picture is from the Sheraton. Picture was taken last May.


http://wilthe3rd.smugmug.com/photos/3931177-L.jpg

Developers are notorius for leaving out details which may detract from a sale. At my building, half the units face an alley, but the developer went out of their way to disguise the fact that is was an alley by not showing the building across the alley in renderings, and also by using the alley's 19th century street name instead. I mean everybody knows where West Calhoun Place is, right? Fortunately, I was smart enough to do my research before signing a contract, but I have several neighbors across the hall that tell they didn't know. (Poor Suckers...)

Hi! I saw an article on CityFront Plaza from the today's Tribune:

3 towers in Streeterville taking over from the hulk

By John Handley
Tribune staff reporter
Published April 22, 2005


The concrete hulk stood empty and unfinished for more than two years, a stark reminder of the perils of real estate development.

Just a block east of the Magnificent Mile, the eyesore was supposed to be a parking garage for Grand Pier Center, a $375 million, mixed-use project. But financial problems stalled construction of the project in June 2001.

Now, another developer is picking up the pieces and has revealed plans to jump-start the project and build three residential towers with approximately 1,000 units at the Streeterville site, bounded by Grand Avenue, Columbus Drive and Illinois and St. Clair Streets.

Chicago-based Centrum Properties Inc. acquired the site from Lehman Brothers in December, and has been reworking plans for the massive project.

John McLinden, partner in Centrum, the new developer, said the three slender buildings will be 31, 65 and 40 stories.

The first tower will be built over the existing parking garage, which has been finished, and also will house a 55,000-square-foot Dominick's supermarket. It will total 31 stories.

"The project has been renamed CityFront Plaza to rebrand its image and sever the ties with the past," McLinden said.

The trio of high-rises, an $800 million project designed by Chicago-based architects Destefano and Partners, should be completed in six years, McLinden said.

"This is an important site that will be visible from Michigan Avenue," he added.

The first building, named the Fairbanks, will have 281 condos priced from the mid-$300,000s to more than $2 million. A sales center will open in June. Construction should begin by the first quarter of next year, McLinden said.

The original project by developer Raymond Chin was planned for a 480-room hotel over the garage and a separate condo tower with 538 units.

"We scrapped the old development plan. It just didn't make sense," McLinden said. "Our new vision is completely different."

He said planning for CityFront Plaza is in the final stages and should be completed soon.

The existing parking garage, designed for 750 cars, will be modified. Part of its six floors will be converted into 42 loft condos, McLinden said.

The main access to CityFront Plaza will be on upper Illinois Street, which runs between Michigan and Columbus. Four restaurants are planned on Illinois in the three new buildings. "They will create new street life," McLinden said.

The Fairbanks will have an outdoor swimming pool, fitness center and media room.

A boutique hotel and spa will be located in the second building. When complete, the project will have parking for 1,300 cars.

CityFront Plaza is just one of several residential high-rises planned for the Streeterville neighborhood between Michigan and Lake Shore Drive, north of the Chicago River.

"Some 3,500 new residential units are planned for the area," said Daniel McLean, president of MCL Cos., a pioneer in Streeterville development. "So far, the market has been good," he added.

Even with the boom in new residential projects, real estate analyst Gail Lissner does not expect a glut.

"In the last 15 years Streeterville has been somewhat ignored by developers while other downtown areas have been developed with new residential. Now Streeterville's time has come. The new projects should gain market acceptance. There should be no glut," said Lissner, vice president of Chicago-based Appraisal Research Counselors.

Lissner said the Centrum project has the advantage of having a direct link to the Magnificent Mile on upper Illinois Street. "Every residential developer wants to be as close to Michigan Avenue as possible," she said.

Shit, you beat me to posting that awsome article...

Thats fantastic news. :)

Wow, the skyline is changing too fast, espcially with many other projects planned

too fast? No such thing.

agreed. the skyline has one too many 60s and 70s towers as well, making the skyline seem a little outdated. we need some fresh new towers to modernize our skyline... Trump and Waterview especially will help in that respect.

Can somebody clarify, if possible: isn't the 60 storey building, at least how it appears in the picture, the exact same one that would have been Grand Pier? I mean, have they chosen to go ahead with that design in tact? To me, it looks virtually the same.

Can somebody clarify, if possible: isn't the 60 storey building, at least how it appears in the picture, the exact same one that would have been Grand Pier? I mean, have they chosen to go ahead with that design in tact? To me, it looks virtually the same.

It's not quite the same. The old design was designed by Fujikawa Johnson & Associates, the new desidn is by DeStefano. And remember the old design was a 2 tower project, and Cityfront Center proposal is a 3 tower project.

Old Rendering
https://extranet.emporis.com/files/transfer/6/2002/05/150434.jpg

New Designs
http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/554/6324the_fairbanks.jpg

http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/554/6324cityfront_plaza.jpg

Well, I was walking by the garage today to see if that damned Dominicks had opened yet (nope) and noticed that the banners were up for CityFront Plaza.

I had never noticed this kick-ass outdoor escalator leading up to the new section of upper Illinois. I presume it's quite new.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v240/geoff_diamond/Chicago%20-%20Construction/cityfront_05210501.jpg

'Nother shot of that escalator.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v240/geoff_diamond/Chicago%20-%20Construction/cityfront_05210502.jpg

Signage on the garage's northeast corner advertising the proposed tower.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v240/geoff_diamond/Chicago%20-%20Construction/cityfront_05210503.jpg

That escalator was ane awesome idea.

They installed the esculator last year, and the banners for the project have been up for about 2 months.

I don't really care for the design of the Fairbanks.

awesome

it looks very small for 70 floors.

I stopped by the sales center at Cityfront Center, and I was told that 20% of the units for The Fairbanks have been sold. They went straight to contracts. Also the second tower which is roughly 50 stories and on the western part of the project will be called The St. Clair. If they keep going this routh the third building will be called The Grand. The third and tallest tower currently does not have a name. I was told that it will be a combination of condos and a hotel, some of the hotel suies will be for sale.

I was able to snap some shots of the rendering boards that they have in the sales center.

http://img64.echo.cx/img64/4383/p10006352eg.jpg

http://img43.echo.cx/img43/4869/p10006339kn.jpg

I am going to call Centrum Properties to see if I can get a high resolution rendering.

Dominick's at Grand Pier site delayed

July 7, 2005

BY SANDRA GUY Business Reporter


Dominick's has delayed until late October or early November the opening of its grocery store at the Grand Pier complex on Columbus Drive.

The store, on the block bounded by Grand, Illinois, Columbus and St. Clair, was originally planned to open early in 2005, but has run into repeated delays.

A Dominick's spokeswoman said Wednesday the original property owner had to tackle unspecified "environmental issues" that took six months to resolve. The next delay occurred when the original developer, Ray Chin, was unable to pay off a loan, enabling Lehman Bros. to take over the project.

"Now, we're reworking underground plumbing," spokeswoman Wynona Redmond said, declining to be more specific.

The new Dominick's will feature a pharmacy, a Starbucks cafe and a "natural" foods section.

Dominick's parent company, Safeway Inc. of Pleasanton, Calif., has started remodeling older grocery stores and building new ones to better compete against fast-growing, non-union rivals Wal-Mart, Target and Whole Foods.

The complex across the street from Dominick's, known as River East Center, will get three new tenants this fall -- Cold Stone Creamery, a specialty ice-cream shop; Max and Bennie's, a diner and deli, and Star Lanes, a high-end bowling alley.

The River East Center, a $1.5 billion retail and condo complex anchored by AMC 21 movie theaters, also includes Walgreens, the Holmes Place health club, P.J. Clarke's restaurant and a 58-story condo tower.

20% of units sold at Fairbanks? That's a pretty good start since the sales center opened last week.

Man that tower on a minimally-disguised parking garage pedestal is getting to me. Don't these developers have any shame?

Man that tower on a minimally-disguised parking garage pedestal is getting to me. Don't these developers have any shame?

Well, the previous developer Ray Chin who was developing the original Grand Pier project only got as far as the parking and that was about 3 years ago. The new developers couldn't just tear the garage down and start over. That would have been economically unrealistic.

Ah, I see.. Well I suppose I wouldn't mind as much, except that the condo towers themselves look rather ho-hum. Not Loewenberg-terrible or anything, just ho-hum.

Another view of the proposed complex. I scanned this image from material that I got from the sales center.

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/7418/cityfrontplazaa6oq.jpg

Another view of the proposed complex. I scanned this image from material that I got from the sales center.

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/7418/cityfrontplazaa6oq.jpg

Pretty ordinary (except for the middle one). Let's try and shake things up...

Development is development is development. I'll take 'em - grinning all the way.

www.loftliving.com
July 21, 2005
Fairbanks starts with big base of sales
by Sarah Unke

http://www.loftliving.com/NHNew/News/0721_2005_2_pic.jpg

Developer Centrum Properties hit the 25 percent sold mark during its first weekend of sales at the Fairbanks at CityFront Plaza, a 31-story condo development planned for the 200 block of East Illinois Street, in Streeterville.

It was an auspicious start for the first phase of a mixed-use project set to replace R.M. Chin & Associates' failed Grand Pier project, which halted a few years back after a string of environmental, contractor and financing problems. Developer Raymond Chin only realized eight stories of his ambitious vision, leaving Centrum with a large parking garage to work into its development.

Centrum has tried to turn that leftover structure into an asset, creating a large private landscaped plaza over a base of residential lofts and parking. Among other things, this configuration allows for "terrace homes," immediately above the base, with private outdoor gardens. These large units have 1,068 to 1,903 square feet and are priced from the $500s.

To facilitate its construction over the existing garage, the Fairbanks was designed as a steel frame structure, according to Scott Sarver, of DeStefano & Partners, architects for the new tower.

"It's a very unusual building because it's steel," Sarver said, speaking of the decidedly contemporary design. "There are higher floor-to-floor heights." Chicago's residential towers tend to be concrete, but Sarver said steel construction would allow Centrum to build higher, maximize views and create soft curves on the north and south faces of the building.

Centrum bought the site, bounded by Saint Clair Street, Illinois Street, Fairbanks Court and Grand Avenue, in December of 2004, planning roughly 1,000 luxury condos in three phases. Phase II of CityFront Plaza calls for a 65-story tower with condominiums, a boutique hotel and a spa, and phase III will be a 40-story condo building. The entire development should be complete in four or five years, according to Nathalie Tourre, sales manager for the Fairbanks.

The first of those phases, the Fairbanks, has 281 units with prices ranging from the mid-$300s to more than $2 million. The condos have one to three bedrooms, one to three baths and indoor parking spaces priced from about $40,000 to $60,000.

Features include floor-to-ceiling windows, pre-wired media centers, marble tile bathrooms, Kohler and Grohe fixtures, granite countertops and built-in stainless steel appliances. The building will have a 24-hour doorman, a concierge, a garden terrace with an outdoor pool and fitness center, a clubroom with a pool table, a business center, a private theater, a media room and a bar.

The location, however, may be the top draw for Fairbanks' buyers, according to McLinden, and a new spate of Streeterville highrise developments ranging from the ParkView and 550 N. St. Clair to the Helmut Jahn-designed 600 N. Fairbanks Court seems to prove his point.

"This one is probably the best location of anything out there right now," McLinden said. "Streeterville has the greatest thing this city has to offer - the lake."

The Fairbanks at CityFront Plaza, www.CityFrontPlaza.com, is slated to break ground during the first quarter of 2006, and a sales center opened on site, at 240 E. Illinois St., in late June.

Does anyone have any new info on this building? how tall will this building be?

Did anyone else notice the fact that there is a new crane at this site? I just saw it a few minutes ago walking down michigan. At first I thought it was for Avenue East but it looks like it is set back to far. I will try and walk by it or see if I can get a better view from my roof in a little bit. I'll try and take some pictures if I can figure out how to post on here.

I think it's for the Fairbanks, which'll start soon.

I think it's for the Fairbanks, which'll start soon.

it is for The Fairbanks. They've been installing it for the past few days

Development is development is development. I'll take 'em - grinning all the way.

spoken like a true developer.
Aesthetics are important, true not every building will be a landmark, but this is pretty damn samey as alot of stuff being thrown up. Not super duper exciting. A little more nonboring features or an element of design wouldnt hurt.
:badnews:
looks like a good building to jump off of though, imagine how many spectators in the square would be there to watch you go splat!

Sweet! Just exactly what Chicago needed! :horse:

Well, we've all seen the crane from Michigan Avenue; time we see it from a different angle. Looking south down Columbus. It's hard to make out in this picture, but, there are actually a few new columns beginning to rise from the parking garage. On a related note, Dominick's looks like it might actually be considering opening at some point.

http://img347.imageshack.us/img347/2535/fairbanks013zd.jpg

5-6-06

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/4412/14jn3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/1614/27mb.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Damn, you must've been busy these last couple of days huh. Thanks for all the photos!

too fast? No such thing.


Agreed.

I'm doing a little project for work of the buildings we are involved in. I will be posting somemore tomorrow.

Just out of curiousity, would it be possible for the developers of Cityfront Plaza to clad that ugly concrete monstrosity of a garage with some steel-glass facade work? Sadly, building towers over that ugly thing essentially makes it a permanent fixture in the streetscape, so why not do something to make it more palatable to the eye?

^^^If you look at the original renderings and on their website the south base area (the former parking garage area) are now being transformed into lofts from floors 4-8...but I agree it still is ugly and takes all the sleekness away from the design when its sitting on an obese base like that.

Sadly, above ground parking is a fact of life in Streeterville. I think they did a decent job sprucing this one up until they removed all the perforated panels to commence construction on the tower above. There's nothing we can do about the fact that these garages must exist for those people who are too ignorant/lazy to ride mass transit so, there's no point in bitching about it. At least it's not another surface lot, right?

Taken yesterday by Pherek on SSP (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=2207646&postcount=1701)

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/8379/200607260907cs8.jpg

*points at faux-facade cladding*

Could be worse. I actually like the podium effect, since it defines the streetwall better.

On a side note, I encourage owners of parking garages to put up perforated panels, at least until they begin looking dated (like that PoS behind IBM). It's not a bad effect.

I think the problem with the one behind IBM has more to do with the horrendous color and lousy style. Not to mention, it's sort of a huge monolithic box with nothing breaking it up.

i really like the parking garage north of IBM. in fact, it's probably the best looking parking garage in the entire city. i can't think of any better ones off the top of my head.

^^ Plus it's got some lovely cor-ten steel which I got to feel up the other night with Shawn and Victor. :)

I never expected to see such love for that thing!

Cor-ten steel isn't a bad material in and of itself, but when you use it to design a COMPLETELY blank, opaque, monolithic wall, with nothing at street level, IMO, you've failed at designing a parking garage.

I'm sure for the time, it was very modern. But modern stuff tends to get old fast, and now it just looks dated.

BTW, Latoso - it's not natural to think about cor-ten that way... LOL.

Cor-ten steel isn't a bad material in and of itself, but when you use it to design a COMPLETELY blank, opaque, monolithic wall, with nothing at street level, IMO, you've failed at designing a parking garage.

Agreed. From day one it looked like a rusted hulk; I'm puzzled why they didn't use the same materials Mies used to design his IBM bldg.

What ever building the St. Clair is of the 3 DeStefano is just now starting to get prints for it. So it seems like it will be the next one to go up. I'll be able to tell better Monday when I see the plans.

I think it was the shorter of the two remaining richardson. Don't hold me to that though - just relying on my incredibly shotty memory.

Anyway - the IBM parking garage is such a piece of shit I won't even give it the dignity of arguing my point! It's hideousness (<-- word?) should speak for itself.

BTW, Latoso - it's not natural to think about cor-ten that way... LOL.

As far as I'm concerned cor-ten steel can have my babies! :)

Wow, City Front Plaza is looking awsome! Thanks for da updates guys! :cheers:

City Front Plaza update by Retro on 8/21....well sort of...lol!

View of the Phase I across TT in the far end:
http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/5859/7vi1.jpg

The Fairbanks, also by SolarWind

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/3136/p8250181ir7.jpg
http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/9378/p8250173dj2.jpg

^^
Thanks spyguy!
Are SolarWind and retro our chicago development loyal trackers or what...lol? They are covering pretty much every projects that are running right now!:cheer:

http://midwest.construction.com/features/archive/0609_feature5.asp

Streeterville Reawakening
New Vision for Partially Completed Project

by Sheila Bacon

Saddled with structural constraints left behind by the property's previous developer, the Fairbanks at CityFront Plaza's project team combined creativity with common sense to design and construct a condominium tower that rises above the original vision.

The first phase of the three-phase, $700 million CityFront Plaza development in Chicago's south Streeterville neighborhood--a half-block east of Michigan Avenue's "Magnificent Mile"--will feature an $87 million, 31-story tower with 350 condominium units.

When the first occupants move in to phase one of the project--50 loft-style units--at the end of this month, it will signal a milestone of sorts for the property, which for several years had been home to a partially completed parking garage that was part of the stalled beginnings of developer R.M. Chin and Associates' failed mixed-use Grand Pier project.

The new owner, Chicago-based Centrum Properties, purchased the partially developed property, which was originally configured to feature an atrium hotel atop the parking garage, plus an adjacent 75-story tower in December 2004, said Paul Ozaki, Centrum's construction manager, and construction of the new project began in November.

Reinventing the Site

The design team had two distinct tasks: First, create a new look for the existing eight-story parking structure that had long served as a reminder to a rankled public of the initial failed project; and, second, design a tower that matched the new developer's vision while working within the structural constraints of the existing parking structure.

Chicago architecture firm DeStefano + Partners designed a new cladding system that redefined the garage and helped reintroduce the new development to the neighborhood. A black terra-cotta-clad rain-screen system replaced a multifaceted metal, glass and perforated mesh panel facade.

The new masonry-inspired design responded better to the neighborhood's residential character, said Scott Sarver, DeStefano + Partners president.

The designers also transformed the south portion of the parking structure and converted it to residential loft units, allowing the developer to offer occupancy long before the tower is complete and further enliven the long-dormant development.

A number of pre-existing conditions made the design of the tower challenging, Sarver said. Because the garage featured post-tensioned concrete floor slabs, new elevator and mechanical shafts to serve the tower could not be cut, forcing the project team to use only the structure's existing cores.

The under-way construction of a long-awaited Dominick's grocery store at the base of the site also restricted the team from cutting additional shafts in that area. Further complicating the design was the capacity of the existing structure's caissons, which would not support the weight of a concrete structure, the typical building material used in residential high-rise towers.

With few other options, the team decided to use steel for the structure's frame. Such a system would not only be lightweight enough to be supported by the existing caissons, but would allow the developer to build 10 to 12 floors higher than the adjacent building to the east.

Concrete shear walls instead of diagonal steel braces were added for structural support at the outer edges along two sides of the building where the existing caissons were stronger. Although unusual to combine concrete and steel in a residential application, the choice was the most economical because the strength of the existing caissons in these areas provided sufficient support, Sarver said.

The decision to use steel as the tower's main structural system came with some caveats, however.

Use of a less expensive concrete structure would have likely shaved an estimated $10 million off the cost of the structure, said Centrum's Ozaki. And preliminary wind tunnel tests have indicated that installation of a sophisticated damping system may be required at the top floor once the steel erection is complete in this month.

Those tests have shown that the light weight of the steel frame will likely allow excessive movements and vibrations caused by wind patterns, Ozaki said. Additional measurements will be taken in September after the tower's topping out to determine the need for the dampers.

The tower will feature a ceiling-to-floor window wall with painted aluminum frames. The light charcoal and silver color palate was chosen to set the structure apart from its largely beige-painted concrete neighbors, Sarver said. The windows will be low-emissivity glass with a slight reflective quality to mitigate the appearance of curtains and drapes.

Preparing the Podium

Preparing the already-built structure to receive a tower it wasn't originally designed to carry required considerable arrangements, said Bill Griffith, vice president of Linn-Mathes Inc., the Chicago-based general contractor.

Crews poured a 6-ft.-deep, mildly reinforced concrete transfer slab over the top of the parking garage and also incorporated a 14-ft.-deep continuous concrete beam the length of the tower to transfer the new structure's loads across the existing caissons and parking structure.

With the onsite grocery store opening about the same time tower construction was beginning, tower crane placement became an issue, Griffith said. Typically located parallel to a structure, this project's tower crane was located at the northwest corner of the site, requiring longer struts and significant preplanning.

Ironically, the challenging site offered ample room for material laydown and equipment staging, Griffith said. Although part of a basement area built for the original development required significant filling, it was able to eventually be used by the construction team for storage, staging and hoists.

After occupancy of the initial 50 lofts this month, phased move-ins to the tower are expected to start in August 2007. Schematic designs are under way for phase two; the 41-story condominium tower named the Saint Clair, which will offer 287 living units and is expected to break ground in spring 2007. Phase three, yet to be designed, will be the tallest of the three towers, featuring 61 stories, approximately 300 condominiums and a premier hotel.

^I prefer the other way around: 61-story condo/hotel as phase II and 41-story condo as phase III.

September 6, 2006

http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/8417/cffc4.jpg

September 6, 2006

http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/8417/cffc4.jpg

Thanks retro, same angle only taller this time!:cheer:

September 14, 2006

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/244/p1010134oe3.jpg

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/543/p1010113qy5.jpg

October 13, 2006

The Fairbanks at Cityfront Plaza
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/4177/pa130392np7.jpg

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/9302/pa130395up1.jpg

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/1360/pa130396hw3.jpg

will there be a roof garden on the roof of the parking gargage that is not covered by the new tower?

^Yes. Check out the first post.

Does anyone know why they wouldn't of started the glass curtainwall yet? They have only two or three floors to go and the only thing with windows so far is the parking structure lofts.

Quick pic from tonight.

http://static.flickr.com/109/306280256_899b1be80d_o.jpg

Two updates for the price of one...

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/2224/550stclairzh2.jpg

Still no glass going up...what gives?

Two updates for the price of one...

Still no glass going up...what gives?

When the weather's nice like this, they like to keep it open ;)

From SolarWind yesterday


The Fairbanks at Cityfront Plaza
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/1715/fckq5.jpg

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/5904/p1010154jx9.jpg
^ The Fairbanks hiding in the background

19 December:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/wjcordier/plaza121906-2.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/wjcordier/plaza121906-1.jpg

Finally, they are starting to add the glass.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/wjcordier/plaza121906-1.jpg

^ Wow, seems like residential levels extend pretty far down (around 2/3 of) the garage base. That's great news. Are those recessed balconies I'm seeing down there?

It's good that this isn't turning into the giant blank podium of parking that it was originally intended to be, at least on one side.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/wjcordier/plaza121906-1.jpg

^ Wow, seems like residential levels extend pretty far down (around 2/3 of) the garage base. That's great news. Are those recessed balconies I'm seeing down there?

It's good that this isn't turning into the giant blank podium of parking that it was originally intended to be, at least on one side.

The "loft" style condos in the base start on the 4th floor. Those are recessed balconies. They are pretty spacious, but unfortunately the "railings" are high, so views from inside the units are pretty limited (they have a model open on the 4th floor).

The upshot with those balconies is that they're going to get plenty of sun all day long thanks to their southern exposure.

So, is it safe to assume that they're not going to hit their August 2006 delivery date that was so prominently displayed on the side of the building? ;)

The upshot with those balconies is that they're going to get plenty of sun all day long thanks to their southern exposure.

So, is it safe to assume that they're not going to hit their August 2006 delivery date that was so prominently displayed on the side of the building? ;)

Actually there are about 6 loft units already occupied. Not sure when the first closing was, but it was probably not all that much after August.

^^ I dunno, Geoff, they still might be able to pull it out

Read closer Ardi :)). August 2006.

I know.. sarcasm is such a tricky blend of showing ignorance and revealing truth. The web just makes it more difficult...

*phew* :)

Posted by SamInTheLoop on SSP:

The St. Clair
http://www.cityfrontcenter.com/images/stClair.jpg
http://www.cityfrontcenter.com/

Interesting.

Yes, much better than what they were showing before. Hard to tell from the small rendering, but it looks like they were trying to mimic the Tribune's flying buttresses, which is kind of cool.

Yeah, it's certainly an upgrade!

Wait, so does this go in place of Tower II (40 stories)?

Or is in a seperate development altogether?

The Saint Clair is Tower II.

Tower II appears to have changed locations. Or is that an illusion created by the new rendering?

The original rendering:
http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/6884/cityfrontplazaii7sc.jpg

And the new one:
http://www.cityfrontcenter.com/images/stClair.jpg

No..the photograph is just shot from a different angle..still the same location.

I also see a difference between the renderings. The latest shows a solid all-glass "stripe" up the middle of the south side of the building, which extends a little from the east and west sides. That isn't obvious in the previous rendering. I do like the newer design, so that's a good thing.

January 12, 2007

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/5976/dsc0160copyll9.jpg

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/6514/dsc0191copydo7.jpg

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/2536/dsc0192copysb4.jpg

I've got to say, the Fairbanks has turned out to be quite the nice little surprise. I like this tower more and more every time I catch a glimpse of it. Thanks for the close-ups retro!

I am quite pleased with claddings on former parking structure and tower on the top. Whoever did the terrific job on claddings should be hired to do the work on LSE's Lancaster and Shoreham.

Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure both of those towers were completed a long time ago. So, I don't really see how that's feasible?

February 15, 2007

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/1457/dsc0602copyhg0.jpg

Launch of the Phenomenal St. Clair

The second of CityFront Plaza's elegant trio of residences, The St. Clair, will be open for sales in early 2007. Its bold, stately exterior, enviable location, and abundance of resort–like amenities offer phenomenal living in one of Chicago's very best neighborhoods.

The St. Clair will offer its own unique amenities, including an indoor lap-swimming pool, business center, and the exclusive St. Clair Club — a classy, urban retreat, featuring a grand fireplace surrounded by plush furnishings. It is the perfect spot to brunch after an invigorating morning workout or to relax with friends over a glass of wine and tempting appetizers.

The coming months promise unmatched excitement as The St. Clair rises to join The Fairbanks in setting a new standard for sophisticated city living!

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/8215/piclaunch01sf3.jpg

Launch of the Phenomenal St. Clair
http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/8215/piclaunch01sf3.jpg
Spyguy, your ability to keep us current on all of these projects is amazing.

I'm loving the glass. Have we finally turned the corner - have we exorcized those ginormous beige concrete boxes once and for all (Allure excepted)?

Spyguy, your ability to keep us current on all of these projects is amazing.

I'm loving the glass. Have we finally turned the corner - have we exorcized those ginormous beige concrete boxes once and for all (Allure excepted)?

We can only hope. Like I said in another thread: The first half or so of the latest Chicago boom was marred--I mean marked--by the construction of a lot of non-descript, tan highrises in River North developed by Loewenberg, to wit: Grand Plaza. Yes, there were some highlights: Hyatt, UBS, The Heritage, 1 S Dearborn, Sofitel, and a few others. But this more recent portion of the boom is particularly amazing, considering that we have a number of truly transformative buildings afoot. Trump, Waterview, Legacy, One Museum Park, 600 N Fairbanks, Elysian, 300 N Lasalle, 600 N LSD, MoMo, 550 N St. Clair, as well as some other projects soon to be under construction: One Museum Park West, Aqua, 353 N Clark, and Staybridge Suites. Let the good times roll...

Im hoping that the rest of this city front development does happen (st clair & #3), but damn thats a lot of glass. Too much of anything is , well, too much. I hope that it turns out good though.

All three of these buildings is going to be one hell of a presence there, Fairbanks is only 32 stories but can already be seen clearly from LSD and upper wacker across the river. I can only imagine what the whole set will look like. I just hope they can sell the condos with all the slowdown we supposedly are experiencing.

Spyguy, your ability to keep us current on all of these projects is amazing.

I'm loving the glass. Have we finally turned the corner - have we exorcized those ginormous beige concrete boxes once and for all (Allure excepted)?

I love new development, especially here in Chicago. But I honestly hope this project doesn't go through. The Tribune Tower, possibly my favorite Chicago scraper, is already plenty obscured by the surrounding buildings, and is virtually impossible to view from the lake. Having that glass-box clone built right next to it will only further ruin its viewing potential, all without adding much architectural value to the skyline, let alone height. :ohno:

Having that glass-box clone built right next to it will only further ruin its viewing potential, all without adding much architectural value to the skyline, let alone height. :ohno:

I think you might be confused by the rendering. The St. Clair will actually be quite a ways back from Tribune on E. Illinois and St. Clair.

Here is a better look at where it will be (obviously, the design has since changed)
http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/6884/cityfrontplazaii7sc.jpg

Yeah, these two are seperated by several blocks. Just a funky perspective in some of the renderings (obviously an attempt to sucker people into believing they're closer to Michigan Ave. than they really are).

So is tower III mixed use? Office, hotel and condo? Im just wondering because i dont know how likely it is that they build this thing and the st clair if they cant sell the condos.

Does anyone know if the Volare restaurant will be displaced because of the new tower?

Unfortunately it looks as though it will be

So Tower II is going to be pretty much closer to Avenue East than it is to Towers I or III?

Does anyone know if the Volare restaurant will be displaced because of the new tower?

Unfortunately it looks as though it will be

No. At the sales center they said it is staying.

So Tower II is going to be pretty much closer to Avenue East than it is to Towers I or III?

All three towers are connected by the base. Tower II is across the street (St. Clair, of course) from Avenue East.

No. At the sales center they said it is staying.

Really? Thats good news. I was wondering because the website does not list Volare as a restauraunt near by.

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/6559/stclair2xh5.jpg

Will the other two towers be steel-framed liked the Fairbanks?

Depends on what's underneath them. As far as I know, they used steel because of loading issues on top of the existing parking garage.

March 9, 2007
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/8184/dsc0204copyjj1.jpg

March 13, 2007
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/6984/dsc0311copyld9.jpg
^ Trump Tower & The Fairbanks at Cityfront Plaza

Taken today-
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/151/424585148_958cf618d9.jpg

Taken last week:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/150/428114831_a5a4bf56c1_o.jpg

March 20, 2007

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/4383/dsc0371copy3copygq5.jpg

Thanks for the photo updates on Fairbanks, guys! Keep 'em coming.

Change of subject: has anybody gone to St. Claire's sales office lately?

Change of subject: has anybody gone to St. Claire's sales office lately?

Its been delayed, she didn't say when but she did mention that they were converting the Fairbanks sales center into the St Claire's not building a seperate one, so maybe not until more units are sold at the Fairbanks will this one hit the market.



Today

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/5497/cityfrontplazawy5.jpg

I swear... this thing's going up as slow as Waterview! What the hell is taking them so long to clad it!?

Thanks for the photo updates on Fairbanks, guys! Keep 'em coming.

Change of subject: has anybody gone to St. Claire's sales office lately?

I received a mailing a couple days ago, that gave information on signing up for the "VIP list" for condos in St. Claire. So if I were to guess, I would say that they will start sales for St. Claire in 2-3 months.

I noticed this advertisement on the west wall of The Fairbanks at CityFront Plaza

http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/5350/dsc0034zm5.jpg

Here's a closer view of The St. Clair at CityFront Plaza:

http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/8383/dsc0037xt6.jpg

May 3, 2007

The Fairbanks at CityFront Plaza & 600 North Fairbanks
http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/2489/dsc0095copypa1.jpg

http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/9372/dsc0051copypm3.jpg

Another image of the St. Clair
http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/6821/stclair3rz4.jpg

5-13-07

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/417/dsc07774tl6.jpg

..

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1209/749853559_2871f7545e_o.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1236/748349494_3b9edb340e_o.jpg

The glass is getting there.. 5 more floors-ish.

Yeah, I'm not sure why this one has taken so damn long to enclose... but, we're almost there and I, for one, have been pleasantly surprised by this tower. A nice little bit of filler.

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/3748/fairbankski3.jpg

Kind of moody today from the State Street Bridge....

Yeah, I'm not sure why this one has taken so damn long to enclose... but, we're almost there and I, for one, have been pleasantly surprised by this tower. A nice little bit of filler.

I disagree. The short, stocky tower looks awkward and out-of-proportion perched atop that gigantic base. I could more easily tolerate this one were it not located on so prominent a site, visible from many angles.

August 17, 2007

http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/683/dsc0663ut0.jpg

Well, I think the south view can be a little daunting, but, I actually really like it from the east and west, particularly. I think it will look less out of place, as well, when the surroundings are built up a bit. Right now, I think it would have stuck out like a sore thumb no matter what it looked like because it's got parking lots on three sides.

Taken today:
http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/7594/fairbankscfplaza91kw3.jpg

I am Hydrogen and Retrograde thanks for the photos!

Any news regarding the 2nd phase of Cityfront Plaza-- the 560 foot St. Clair?

I hope it starts soon! Do you guys think it has a good chance of being built?

http://chicagorealestatedaily.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=26248

Lehman sells interest in Streeterville development

By Alby Gallun
Sep. 05, 2007

Lehman Bros. has cashed out of a once-troubled mixed-use development in Streeterville about two years after bringing in Centrum Properties Inc. to turn around the project.

...Mr. McLinden expects to begin construction this fall on a second condo tower, the St. Clair, which is about 35% sold, he says. A third tower is planned between the first two that would include 200 condos and a 350-room five-star hotel.

http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/6650/cityfrontet2.gif

The newest tower opening will be Sept 18 just got the mass invite email they send out.

Here's a slightly different rendering than the one spyguy posted above. It's from a picture I took of a sign in front of the Cityfront Plaza parking garage.

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/1970/dsc0071vs4.jpg

Has construction showed any sign of being imminent at the st claur site? they said construction would begin this fall!

December 12, 2007

The Fairbanks at Cityfront Plaza
http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/3626/dsc0034hc7.jpg

December 19, 2007

The Fairbanks at Cityfront Plaza
http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/8201/dsc0103sc0.jpg

Today
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/6900/dsc03347fl7.jpg

(self edit)

23 March

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/wjcordier/251.jpg

These would be apartments/condos fronting the garage, Vancouver style?

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/wjcordier/151.jpg

Somewhat more plebeian on the East face

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/wjcordier/2-2.jpg

Couple buys three units at CityFront Plaza
April 27, 2008
BY BILL CUNNIFF Sun-Times Staff Writer

Sales have reached the 40 percent mark at St. Clair at CityFront Plaza, a 41-story condominium tower planned at00 E. Illinois. The 253-unit St. Clair is the second phase of the development. Prices begin in the upper-$400,000s.

http://searchchicago.suntimes.com/homes/news/915746,open27.article

Plans for Tower III:

North Shore developer eyes Streeterville tower
http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=29677


(Crain’s) — A North Shore condominium developer known for his midrise towers in Skokie and Evanston is working on plans for a hotel/condo skyscraper on a prime site in Streeterville two blocks east of Michigan Avenue.

David Hovey, president of Glencoe-based Optima Inc., has a tentative deal to buy a site just north of NBC Tower, 455 N. Cityfront Plaza Drive, from a joint venture that includes Chicago developer Centrum Properties Inc., people familiar with the deal say. The exact purchase price could not be determined, but is between $45 million and $50 million, surprisingly strong given the fierce decline in the downtown market for new, high-priced condos.

...

50-plus-story tower for which the site is already zoned....

... 775,300-square-foot structure ...

Here's a shot of Optima Old Orchard Woods, which was referenced in the above article:
http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/3157/optimaoldorchardwoods5ig.jpg

The St. Clair project has been canceled. Hovey will be designing a new project for that site. If Optima Old Orchard Woods (see my above post) is any indication, we could be in for something much more special than the original St. Clair design.

Developer scraps Streeterville condo project, sells site

By Thomas A. Corfman, Oct. 08, 2008

(Crain’s) — Developer Centrum Properties Inc. has killed a proposed 41-story condominium building in Streeterville, selling the site to North Shore developer David Hovey, who plans to eventually build an apartment tower there.

And in a dance of developers, another site three blocks east is being put on the market by Draper & Kramer Inc. after talks fell apart to sell that site to Equity Residential, an apartment real estate investment trust.

Mr. Hovey paid nearly $20 million late last week for a site at St. Clair and Illinois streets, sources say, where Centrum had proposed the second stage of the Cityfront Plaza project. The three-tower Cityfront Plaza site stretches from St. Clair to Fairbanks Court along the north side of Illinois Street.

Sales for the second phase, called the St. Clair, had stalled after more than 15 months of marketing, with contracts for just 40% of the 261 units in the proposed building. The first phase of Cityfront Plaza, a 281-unit building at the corner of Fairbanks and Illinois, was completed last fall and is about 90% sold.

The St. Clair project joins a growing list of downtown condo projects that developers have dropped this year before construction started. Projects totaling more than 1,400 units were canceled during the first half of 2008, according to a second-quarter report by Chicago residential consulting firm Appraisal Research Counselors.

http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=31317

When is the construction company going to take down the scaffolding surrounding Dominick's on the east side of the 255 E. Grand Ave.!!!!

:ohno:

(See last Picture below.)

23 March

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/wjcordier/251.jpg

These would be apartments/condos fronting the garage, Vancouver style?

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/wjcordier/151.jpg

Somewhat more plebeian on the East face

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/wjcordier/2-2.jpg

HERE!