McHugh Concrete completes nine-hour pour at 1000M

McHugh Concrete has completed a nine-hour continuous concrete pour including nearly 4,000 cubic yards of concrete for the mat slab foundation for 1000M, a 73-story luxury apartment tower at 1000 S. Michigan Ave. in Chicago’s South Loop. With construction led by McHugh Construction, 1000M is co-developed by Time Equities, JK Equities, and Oak Capitals.

This major construction milestone completes the foundations under the main tower of 1000M, which will be one of the city’s tallest apartment buildings at 805 feet when it is delivered in 2025.  

“A mat slab pour is always a celebratory day because we can see the project really start to come together, and now we can start to go vertical,” said Rob Muzenjak, concrete superintendent at 1000M for McHugh Concrete. “A concrete pour of this magnitude along one of Chicago’s most famous and popular streets is definitely a rarity and required extremely detailed logistical planning to ensure we had concrete trucks arriving at the site continuously throughout the day.”

One lane of Michigan Avenue alongside the project was closed Saturday for the more than 400 concrete trucks delivering concrete to the site, which is across from Grant Park. Sweeper and vacuum trucks mitigated dust and dirt around the perimeter, and flaggers were posted alongside the site for pedestrian and vehicular safety.

Prior to Saturday’s pour, McHugh Concrete installed 685 tons of steel rebar (about the same weight as 15 Boeing 737-800 airplanes), and general contractor McHugh Construction coordinated below-ground preparatory work, including drilling and socketing caissons to bedrock approximately 87 feet below ground to support the tower portion of the skyscraper, perimeter sheeting, waterproofing and piping for utilities.

Designed by the late, luminary architect Helmut Jahn, 1000M features a highly sculpted form with an angular cantilevered base topped by glassy residential floors that widen as the building rises. Helmut Jahn’s Chicago-based design studio, JAHN, continues to serve as the architectural firm of record for 1000M.

The 738-unit apartment tower will offer residences ranging from studios to three-bedroom penthouse units. The development will also feature luxury amenity spaces including a golf simulator room, an outdoor swimming pool with cabanas, a cookout area, and a full-service 73rd floor bar and lounge with city views. In addition, a 325-car parking garage will be concealed behind the apartments so as not to be visible from Grant Park.

“Our team collaborated with the developers and McHugh Construction at every step to bring Helmut and JAHN’s vision for 1000M to life,” said JAHN managing director Philip Castillo. “1000M will be JAHN’s tallest project in Chicago, and we look forward to seeing it enhance the Michigan Avenue streetscape and take its place on the skyline.”