Basement Studies in the Late Afternoon

The late sun made for some fun pictures this afternoon.

I can't wait to show you what I saw at the site today.

I know you've been wondering about the pools on the north lot.  Well, nothing's been going on there for a week.  It appears the plan for the grout pools is to have them disappear by evaporation.  And since Provo is in a desert, that's not a bad idea.  Another week should do it.

The south lot is definitely disappearing.  Evaporation had nothing to do with this, I'm sure.

Track hoes were working in the basement, even though I had arrived close to quitting time.
And I could see some pots in the southeast corner.  What are those?

I was still on University Avenue when I took this picture.  I wanted to get a good look inside the basement.

There are several things to see in this photo.  The framework around the basement is progressing, and there are those pots again.  Of course, there's always a track hoe or two.

I took this photo from the west side.  Not much was happening in the southeast corner.  It's deep, but dry.  

This is a view of the east end from the west.  I could see new framework there.  I'm not sure it goes completely around the basement yet.  I got distracted.

I watched Daddy Track Hoe approach the basement.  I wondered if he had to knock before he went in.  If we played Where's Waldo, you could look for me in this picture.

I'm in love with the track hoes, in case you haven't noticed.  This one was being so careful, slowly reaching in for a scoop of dirt, and then backing up into the south lot.  One scoop at a time.

Look how close he got to the piers.

Obviously the goal is to get the dirt, and nothing but the dirt.

There are several things to see in this picture, too.  Sometimes I don't see it all until I get home, but today, with the sun cooperating, I knew what I was aiming at -- like the trench.  Why is there a trench?  More framework along the basement edges.  There are two track hoes at work, and of course, there is always a red ladder somewhere in the basement.

This workman was scraping the floor, perhaps leveling it.  I could see a transit and had watched him use the shovel, too.  It was a cold day.  I had to wear my coat and I needed my gloves, except I didn't have them.

What's with the pots?  They are arranged nicely on the southwest corner.  I'm pretty sure they are filled with dirt, not cement.

These pots are along the north face -- I'm on the west side.

Two workmen placed these pots in the center of the north side.  Why isn't the framework in a straight line?

You are thinking, "Maybe she could ask her engineer husband what's going on."  Ya, I thought of that.  His suggestions weren't very helpful since I didn't see any cement-making machines in the basement.

And there are a lot more pots, too.

My best guess is that since spring is coming, these are flower pots.

And the trench will bring water for the flowers.

Although I don't think this is just one big greenhouse.

But it is big.

Digging Away in the Southeast Corner

I intended to make a quick trip to the construction site today.   I don't know why I ever think that -- my trips are never quick.  But, not too much was happening at the west end.  

I zoomed in and saw a red ladder on the east side.  That usually means something.

When I got over there, three track hoes were busy digging away.

The two little ones were working fast and furious, but Mama Track Hoe was unbelievably gentle.

The little track hoes have no problem staying out of her way, but the piers don't move very fast.

I hope someone was keeping an eye on this guy, who was about to scoop himself off his perch.

Remember the newly remodeled south entrance to the basement?

Good news!  There's now an entrance on the north side, too!

Really -- Deeper?

I was stunned to see track hoes and a dump truck under the tabernacle late this afternoon.

There is no question they are digging a few feet deeper.

Cause I guess this wasn't deep enough...

It looked a little crowded in the basement, actually.  Two smaller track hoes are working together in the upper left side of this picture.  Daddy Track Hoe is yellow, right in the center.  A blue lift which holds welders is in front.

Daddy Track Hoe is loading dirt into the dump truck who is parked in his favorite spot inside the south entrance.

We've seen what the dump truck does with his dirt -- he drives it onto the south lot.  You can see the back of a tandem trailer on the right.

In between loads from the dump truck, this track hoe slowly plugs away at the dirt in the south lot.  I watched a series of tandem dump trucks receive loads of dirt this afternoon and drive away.

This view from the southeast corner shows everyone working hard.

I noticed something else new, also.  See the wooden frame along the ground?  This view is from the east looking at the west side.  Just a few days ago those horizontal metal braces were along the ground.  I want to guess that this new level will be the lowest, but I've said that before.

This is a close-up look at that same frame, although this time I'm on the south side.  Who's with me -- can we vote?  This is the bottom?

I was actually standing in the parking garage on the west side when I took this photo.  The water is from our snow this morning, which has already melted.  I'm sure it made for lovely working conditions.

There are always welders working away.  The lift kept them out of reach of the track hoes this afternoon.

This is the north face taken from an open construction gate on Center Street.  But the distance is deceiving -- the tabernacle is actually a very large building.  I have been told that when completed, this temple will be the 18th largest temple in the Church, and it's not like there are 19 temples anymore.

However, this lot, on the north side of the tabernacle, is between the gravel lot where I was standing in the previous picture, and the tabernacle.  I was in the parking garage on the west when I took this photo.

It's going to be gorgeous.

Work Securing the Piers Continues

Snow today didn't slow down work on the basement.

It looks like I might have peeked in on a little prayer meeting, probably not the first.  Work on the braces continues all the way around.

Work on the slurry curtains along the retaining walls is ongoing in the north lot.  The red and white drilling machine was working along the west wall.  The trench in the center of the picture is taking slurry run-off from the machine to the pools.

This view of the north face shows a cement truck near the red and white silo, part of which can  be seen on the right side of this photo.  Construction of support buildings progresses in that area.  It wasn't very interesting to watch since most of it is happening under tarps, but I was also not very willing to stand around and figure things out in 30 degree weather.

There seemed to be plenty of machines working away in the basement.  Since I'd seen Mr. Track Hoe remove the ramp on Tuesday, I wondered how they got in. 

This new ramp is still on the south side, but its incline is less steep.  Can't have baby track hoe going in head first...

Although hard hats can go in on heads, I suppose.