Waterview Tower Projected to be Fifth-Tallest Chicago Building

Ground was broken for the 90-story Waterview Tower & Shangri-La Hotel that when finished is expected to be the fifth-tallest building in Chicago with a height of 1,050 ft.

The project at 111 W. Wacker Drive will comprise 233 condominiums and penthouses from floors 30 to 88 and 200 hotel condominiums in the five-star Shangri-La Hotel from floors 12 to 27.

The condo units will range from 1,087 to 8,070 sq. ft., and prices range from $726,000 to $7.5 million.

The hotel condominiums will measure 488 to 1,780 sq. ft. and range in price from $562,000 to $2.3 million.

Amenities include hospitality kitchen, 8,000-sq.-ft. roof garden with sundeck and dog run, fitness center and business center.

Shangri-La's spa brand-CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La-will debut in Chicago.
Overall construction is expected to take 42 months and be complete in 2009.

The project is being developed by Waterview LLC, one of a group of companies founded by Chicago-based Teng & Associates Inc. Teng is also serving as the project architect.

Lake Shore Drive Condo Starts

Construction has started on 600 N. Lake Shore Drive, a two-building condominium complex in Chicago.

Located at the ends of Ohio and Ontario streets, the development will include a 40-story, 509,000-sq.-ft. north tower with 155 units and 46-story, 541,000-sq.-ft. south tower with 246 units.

The buildings will rise from a nine-story base, which also will serve as a bridge between the two structures and include parking and resident services such as a fitness center and business center. A 20,000-sq.-ft. outdoor terrace atop the base, complete with sculpture garden, will serve as a green roof while providing residents with outdoor amenities.

Construction of the base and the north building has begun. First move-ins are scheduled for spring 2007, when construction on the south building is slated to begin.

The exterior will feature expanses of windows to reflect Lake Michigan, with glass and aluminum railed balconies to complete the reflective effect, along with bands of metal panels and architectural poured-in-place and precast concrete. In front of the building, a black granite, infinity-style reflecting pool will add style and visual drama to the landscaped area.

James McHugh Construction Co. is serving as general contractor for the buildings, being developed by the Chicago-based team of Belgravia Group Ltd. and Sandz Development Co., along with architects Pappageorge/Haymes Ltd.

St. Louis' First High Rise in 35 Years

The $50 million Park East Tower, St. Louis' first residential high-rise development in more than 35 years, has started construction.

The 26-story building is located in the city's Central West End.

The building will hold 89 units in one-, two-, three-bedroom layouts, and residences range from $300,000 to more than $1 million. The project includes 15 penthouses.

The building was designed in the Art Deco style and will be constructed primarily of glass and concrete. Park East Tower will provide a full array of luxury amenities
OPUS Northwest LLC is the general contractor.

47-Story ParkView Breaks Ground

The 47-story ParkView condominium has broke ground in Chicago's River East neighborhood.

The silver glass tower will be located at McClurg Court and Illinois Street. First move-ins are scheduled for fall of 2007.

The 268-unit building will offer one-, two- and three-bedroom condominiums that range in price from $386,900 to $811,900.

Amenities include a fitness center, doorman, outdoor pool with lounge, entertainment suite, theater room, indoor parking, storage area, bicycle storage, on-site management, dry cleaners and receiving room.

ParkView will be located adjacent to a 74,000-sq.-ft. park designed by San Francisco-based architecture firm Hargreaves Associates.
Chicago-based MCL Cos. is the developer.

Titanium Facility Planned for Ottawa

The first Armstrong Titanium Reduction Process production facility in the United States is planned for Ottawa, Ill.

The project will cost about $20 million, said Taras Lyssenko, a spokesman for Lockport-based titanium maker International Titanium Power LLC, which developed the process. In early February, work had not been started nor a general contractor named.

The Armstrong Process reportedly allows for an end to what traditionally has been a labor- and equipment-intensive process for extracting and refining titanium.

The process is said to be the first substantial cost reduction technology innovation in more than 50 years of application of the metal, according to a release from Chicago-based A. Epstein and Sons International Inc., which will provide architectural and engineering design services on the project. In addition, it is believed to be friendly to the environment.

ITP has worked with manufacturers in both the commercial and defense sectors and anticipates that titanium and titanium alloy produced at the facility will be used for products ranging from high-performance automobile brake rotors to armor for advanced army vehicles.

ITP was formed in 1997 to commercialize the Armstrong Process to produce pure titanium powder and titanium alloy powder at a fraction of the cost of producing titanium by traditional means.

The facility will enable ITP to produce more than 4 million lbs. of titanium powder per year and will allow the company to create 42 jobs.

Wisconsin Town Snags Cabela's Store

Small-Town Ties Bind School District's Building

The building blocks of a community are sometimes made of concrete.

County Materials has donated more than 2,200 units of concrete masonry units to the construction of the North Lake School District's new community/out-building and concession stand.

The structure in the small community about 20 mi. west of Milwaukee will benefit area Little League and flag football programs.