Efficient Schedule Maintenance Drives Clark Construction’s Structural Steel Top Out at 110 North Wacker

In November, Clark Construction topped out structural steel at 110 North Wacker, a state-of-the-art skyscraper located directly adjacent to the Chicago River.

The project team worked with the efficiency of a well-oiled machine, pouring new floors each week with the curtain wall following close behind. Maintaining this level of excellence throughout the construction of a high-rise building is no easy task – but for the Clark team, well-versed in building towering skyscrapers that have changed the very skyline of Chicago, this level of precise coordination is considered standard protocol.

“We have been very lucky to put our plan in motion and watch it follow through,” said Joe Sadowski, a project executive with Clark Construction. “Our subcontractors were instrumental in executing the plan and getting us this far. Their partnership has gone a long way in making us as successful as we have been.”

In September 2018, the office tower began its 57-story climb following an eight hour pour of 3,300 CY of concrete to form the reinforced foundation of the building. During the pour, a barge-mounted crane arrived onsite to aid in the construction efforts. This creative approach showcased the team’s commitment to keeping the project on-schedule – something that has continued over the last year as 110 North Wacker continues to rise in the Chicago skyline.

“Maintaining our schedule has been crucial,” said Bob Borello, a vice president with Clark Construction. “It always feels great when there’s pre-planning up front, and then the planning is executed and the milestones happen exactly as planned.”

Directly across the Chicago River from 110 North Wacker is another project that the team is very familiar with – 150 North Riverside. Much of the Clark team worked on the construction of that building, along with many of the same subcontractors, for the same client, Riverside Investment & Development. When starting pre-planning efforts on 110 North Wacker in early 2017, Riverside recognized the importance of project team continuity in helping lead efficient construction efforts.

Clark has been a part of the 110 North Wacker project since pre-planning efforts first began in February 2017. The project is expected to be completed in 2020.