Chicago’s construction boom is nothing new. However, the Second City can claim first place when it comes to the number of active tower cranes constructing new apartment buildings.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Chicago is tops when it comes to construction cranes, having witnessed 31 active tower cranes working on residential projects last November. The total number of construction cranes working on all projects last November in Chicago was 56—a number only bested by the 62 construction cranes operating in Seattle. Mayor Emanuel announced at the time that the city had witnessed a post-recession record of active construction cranes late last year.
For those living or working in downtown Chicago, the news is perhaps unsurprising. The apartment boomin Chicago has been underway for the last few years as developers continue to add new hotel rooms, apartments, and office space to the city’s central business district. Neighborhood areas like the West Loop, Wicker Park, and Logan Square are getting in on the action as well with thousands of new apartment units on the way.
It’s expected that 33 new buildings are to deliver well over 6,000 rental units this year alone. The news of Chicago’s residential construction boom certainly seems to represent an odd paradox considering the United States Census has concluded that Cook County and the State of Illinois continues to lose residents. However, Chicago itself remains a beacon of industry and new construction as residents and downtown workers flood into the city’s thousands of new apartments.
