As excavation work wraps up and pile driving nears, a tower crane permit has been issued for 1221 West Washington on the boundary of the Fulton Market District and the West Loop. The permit had been in the Chicago Data Portal since August 28, and it went live on Wednesday, October 8.
Excavation work for 1221 West Washington, September 2025
1221 West Washington by Pappageorge Haymes Partners
As the concrete contractor, McHugh Concrete is the master of the crane, operating it for general contractor Focus, who is also the residential tower’s developer. YIMBY visited the site in late September to view excavation work. The 19-story, 287-unit apartment tower Focus is erecting with DAC Developments and Melrose Ascension Capital came back to life with a full permit back in May, two and a half years after receiving its foundation permit in December 2022.
Chicago currently has nine tower cranes in the air; 1221 West Washington will be the tenth. The long-tenured rig at the Obama Presidential Center was taken down late last month. Permits have been issued for 410 North Elizabeth and 1630 South Wabash, but those machines have yet to be erected.
A permit for the first tower crane at Riverline was pending for 1010 South Wells, but that one has disappeared from the data portal. The 23-story hotel tower at 424 South Wabash, expected to begin construction in December, will certainly need a tower crane.
Here are your Chicago Nine:
Bally’s Casino Hotel
370 North Morgan
The Thompson Center/Google HQ
Shedd Aquarium
626 South Wabash
UIC Grenshaw parking garage
400 Lake Shore North Tower
Abbvie Foundation Cancer Pavilion
The tower crane permit, issued 10/08/2025, via the Chicago Data Portal
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Fulton Market Residential West Loop