I’ve been keeping an eye on this large brick development at 1342 W Randolph St in the West Loop for several weeks, but I’ve never seen a construction worker on site. It’s located about four blocks west of 155 North Aberdeen, and it’s in about the same stage of construction.
This morning, I reached developer Igor Gabal and learned that construction is on hold for the winter, not because of any financial issues, but because of the weather. Considering today’s bone-chilling temperature, I can’t say I blame him.
Gabal says work will resume on the six-story building in March, and he expects construction to wrap in mid-summer. When the building is completed, it will have 20 rental apartments — not condos, as had been originally planned. Gabal says he evaluated the market and made the switch, but he expects to convert the building to condos, once the market improves.
That answer does not seem sufficient. Construction almost never stops in Chicago because it is too cold. Perhaps financing is the real culprit, regardless of what the developer says.
I agree with you Anon. Construction has been stopped at this job for at least 2 months now. I doubt weather has anything to do with it.
A building at that stage would never voluntarily put construction “on hold for the winter.”
If you believe it would, I’ve got a Senate seat I’d like to sell you.
I’d like to see an inventory of stalled construction projects in the city. They seem to be all over the place! And high profile projects like the Chicago Spire and the Waterview Tower are not immune! What will become of all of these abandoned construction sites? If they are left open all winter long and have any level of finish or insulation, materials will degrade quite quickly.
UptownR,
In an earlier bust a high-rise in the 2300 block of Lincoln Park West sat vacant as a see-through for nearly 10 years as I recall. Naperville had quite a few see-through office buildings along the expressway in the early 80s.
UptownR:
I’ve wondered the same thing about weather damage. Take Wabansia Row II, for example, which has sat half finished through two Chicago winters. I’m no expert on construction, but I would have to guess that a situation like that would have to take a bite out of the development’s life expectancy.
Although Wabansia Row II will likely find buyers who weren’t privy to the wood trusses sitting out in the winter for 2 years…
AND for more long vacant sites wth see through shells…see the most publicized of them all along the tracks at Morgan between Fulton and Kinzie! City Hall scandal where top aides within the building department were whisked away to Brazil for Spring Break allegedly in return for a residential building permit in a manufacturing district which caused the DCAP and Buildings Commisioner to resign. Google Street view Morgan and Fulton and head just north toward the tracks…
I just finished reading a book, The World Without Us, which, among other topics, details pretty extensively step by step what would happen to buildings if people weren’t around to take care of them. It says that it will only take a few years of water infiltration to undermine the structure, especially if exposed to a few freeze-thaw cycles. It would shock me if they are able to ever safely finish the building you mention Stokes at Kinzie…it already is starting to look like its going to fall apart.
Gordy,
Can I borrow that book?
this guy(igor gabal)soon going to end in jail.he has also property in elgin illinois.there also work stopt,because he is violating constructin permits and codes.and people stay away as posible from this kind of buisnesman.because you end up with big hole in your pocket.he does not paying his contractors for work they doing at his properties.thats also one of the reasons why work is stopt.i think he is looking for new victoms to scam.so people stay away from this scam.happy christmas to eweryone.hohoho
As usual, I caution against lending credence to anonymous commenters.
It is clear, however, that Mr. Gabal surfaces with some frequency as a defendant in court filings.