Masonry Magazine October 1983 Page. 13
Unit Masonry Wall Wins Over Competitive Materials
Chicago apartment highrise topped out in record time
When the architect, general contractor and owners of the 30-story, 280-unit Clark & Chestnut Apartments on Chicago's Near North Side were engaged in pre-construction planning, they had to decide which of several alternative exterior wall treatments to utilize.
They looked at and rejected-metal panels, aluminum curtain walls, precast concrete panels, poured-in-place concrete. Instead, they selected a unit masonry wall as the most cost and energy-efficient system. They also opted for the warmth and color the brick wall would add to the builder.
Record Topping-out Time
The superstructure was completed in record time-from caissons through topping-out required less than five months. The actual pour cycle was calculated at three days, or two floors per week. Thus it required only 15 weeks to top out the 30-story structure, considered to be a record for this type of construction.
According to William V. Nagy, vice president of the general contracting firm, E. W. Corrigan Construction Co., Oak Brook, III., "The much talked about, but illusive, three-day pour-cycle was achieved on this project. The field operation was scheduled to the fraction of an hour."
The masonry work on the Clark Chestnut Apartments, supplied by Hansen & Hempel, Inc., Elmhurst, W., followed 10 floors behind the concrete pour. Enclosed swing stages protected the bricklayers in the winter months. The attached 244-car garage (pictured) is part of the project.
A climbing tower crane hoists materials on the Clark Chestnut Apartments project. The bricklayers worked from swing stages on their upward climb on the 30-story building.
Windy City Blues
Corrigan's project superintendent. Tom Kelly, said, "Everyone knew exactly where to be and what task they were responsible for to accomplish a smooth flow of materials, men and equipment. The only lost time we had was due to high winds which prevented the climbing tower crane from hoisting the necessary materials to keep the job working.
The mason contractor on the project was Hansen & Hempel. Inc., Elmhurst, III. The masonry work followed 10 floors behind the concrete pour. Work was kept on schedule by working from fully enclosed swing stages during the winter months.
The Clark/Chestnut project was designed by Weese, Seegers, Hickey & Weese, Architects Ltd. of Chicago. Eugene Callahan, Sheldon Baskin and Daniel Eptstein is the developer.
MASONRY-SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER, 1983 13