Workers finding lots of surprises during Elgin Tower apartment project
From the three mysterious steps buried in the basement ceiling to the sepia-toned photographs left behind by long-gone tenants, the project to turn the Elgin Tower Building into apartments has been full of surprises.
Mitch Braam, project manager for Skender Construction of Chicago, said some blueprints didn't quite match what workers found inside the 1929-era building, whose beams and stairs aren't aligned as in modern buildings. As a result, floor plans for the 44 one-and two-bedroom apartments vary greatly, Braam said.
“Every unit has a different look; every unit has a unique twist to it,” he said.
Construction within the 15-story building is more than halfway done and expected to be finished by December, Braam said.
The building had fallen into disrepair and was bought by Capstone Development Group of St. Louis, which broke ground in September.
Officials have said the project amounts to about $16.6 million. That includes $6.35 million in tax increment financing from the city, plus several million dollars in state and federal historic tax credits. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The building initially was expected to be ready by May, but the project progressed more slowly than anticipated because it hinges on historic preservation, said property manager Chris Pezza of Miller Chicago Real Estate.
“The more layers of approval are needed, the more time it takes,” Miller said. “It's not like anybody dropped the ball or there were major surprises.”
The longest delay was to get approval for 272 custom-made windows, whose first shipment is expected in mid-September.
“It was very difficult to find something that met all the criteria,” Miller said.
The developer can get income tax credits amounting to a total 45 percent of eligible expenses — 25 percent in state credits and 20 percent in federal credits, said Anthony Rubano of the Illinois State Historic Preservation Agency.
His agency approves state historic tax credits and forwards its recommendation to the National Park Service, which approves federal tax credits, Rubano said.
The developer submitted a budget of $10.7 million in eligible expenses in 2015, he said.
So far, everything has progressed “pretty smoothly,” Rubano said. “It's a great building” with a project managed by “an experienced team of professionals,” he said.
As for the window delay, Rubano said he received the window drawing in August, requested additional information in September and approved it in April. “It just took a little bit of time for me to receive the drawing that explained the design well enough,” he said.
Construction has been all about maintaining the integrity of historic elements scattered throughout the building, Braam said.
There's an old U.S. mail chute that will be sealed off but visible; opaque “privacy” glass separating apartments from hallways; and corridors lined with one-inch granite. There are two bank vaults in the basement, dating back to the original tenant, Home National Trust.
“It's been cool to piece it all together,” he said. “It's difficult to work around, but it pays off in the end.”