A look at the 4,000-cubic-yard concrete pour for Chicago’s upcoming Vista Tower

On Saturday, construction crews as well as spectating skyscraper fans were treated to relatively mild weather as 400-plus truckloads of concrete were injected into the foundation of Chicago’s upcoming Vista Tower. Requiring 4,000 cubic yards of gray stuff, the day-long pour utilized both side-mounted troughs plus long, spindly mobile pumps to fill the large rebar cage that will become the bottom slab for the 1,186-foot combination luxury condo/hotel supertall tower.

Following the pour, the site was immediately covered-up by crews to create and maintain optimum conditions for the concrete to properly cure. The next step in construction will see Vista start to take shape above ground. The tower was granted a permit last week covering construction from sub level 5 (ground level) up to “floor 01”—essentially even with Upper Wacker Drive. The tri-level roadway is also being extended eastward to reach Vista’s future lobby and will eventually connect to Lakeshore East’s N. Harbor Drive.

The Vista Tower project is a $1 billion joint venture between Chicago’s Magellan Development and Chinese partner Dalian Wanda Group. Designed by Studio Gang in collaboration with bKL Architecture, the frustum-shaped building officially broke ground in September 2016 and will become the Windy City’s third tallest tower when it opens in 2020.

Jay Koziarz

• Massive concrete pour scheduled this weekend for Chicago’s Vista Tower project [Curbed Chicago]
• Chicago’s 1,186-foot Vista Tower officially breaks ground [Curbed Chicago]