Vertical Action

Concrete was poured this morning on the north lot.  I took this picture while standing along Center Street, facing the north side of the tabernacle.  You can see the red block of the crane at work.

A reader asked me to explain the layout of the tabernacle site.  I will try to be helpful in this post with directions and landmarks.  This photo from Google Earth was taken before the fire of 2010, and before construction began on the Nu Skin addition to their campus. 

I labeled a photo from the construction cam which might also be helpful.

I took this picture while standing along University Avenue. The upper north lot can be seen on the right.  Crews began spreading the concrete on the north lot at 2 a.m.  The crane is delivering rebar to crews working between the tabernacle and the north lot.

I was impressed with how fast these men worked, and then I realized what would happen if they stood still for too long. 

With the morning sun, I had an easy time getting a good look inside the basement.  This photo was also taken from University Avenue, which runs along the east side.  

The entire basement is a bustling workshop.  This photo was taken from the post office lot.

Another reader pointed out the difference in foundation construction under the west and east side towers.  I paid special attention to that this morning.  This photo, also taken from the post office lot, shows the west side, with the southwest tower foundation at the lower right.  If you need help with orientation, the workmen involved with the concrete pour are in the upper portion of the photo.  Notice the copse of rebar in the center of the picture.  Similar rebar clusters are spaced along the outside of the foundation.

This is also a closeup of the southwest corner, but I took this picture from University Avenue.  In Provo we have to specify University Avenue, because there is also a University Parkway which actually has a university at either end.

This photo is of the southeast corner, taken from the post office lot.  Notice that the foundation here, under the southeast tower, is very different than what is happening on the west side.  I have been told that the two east towers will be functioning stairwells.  I didn't think to ask about the west towers and why they need a different foundation, but I'll see what I can learn.

Other onlookers this morning shared their enthusiasm about the height of the foundation forms.  This picture shows the center of the basement along the north face, taken from University Avenue. 

The ladders were happy to help out this morning.

I'm not sure they are going to be happy about the delivery of this scissor lift, though.

Mr. Track Hoe worked this morning to deepen the south lot.  Please realize that as the lot gets lower, all these pipes and equipment have to be moved around to accommodate the change in level.

This picture shows the addition to the Nu Skin building.  I took this photo from University Avenue, but I was standing south of the tabernacle.  On the far left of this picture you can see a green Jacobsen barrier.  Lift your eyes a quarter inch and you can see two street lights indicating the intersection of Second West and First South.  First South no longer exists south of the tabernacle, but it is in place south of Nu Skin, although their construction currently blocks the street.

Jacobsen has created a nice observation area at the intersection of First South, which still goes east, and University Avenue.  It is also an active bus stop.  You can see the lookout in the shadows.  And yes, that's me.  The western barrier of the south lot can be seen here.  Behind the barrier is the post office.  Farther still is the Nu Skin parking garage.

I stood a little north of that observation area to take this picture so you could see the entrance to the site from First West.  That entrance is in the center of this picture.  The shadows are of the tabernacle, and you can easily see the shadow of the west gable.  Gables on the other sides will have to be rebuilt.

I'm a little enamored with this brick foundation along the southern end of the lot.  If you look at the aerial view at the top of this post, this brick wall is just to the right of the entrance to the south lot.  The morning sun made for a good picture.  Two elderly gentlemen who walk around the site several mornings a week told me that they have no memory of an earlier structure in this spot, so whatever this was, it predates them.

I was delighted to see these machines at the corner of First West and Second South.  A flagman told me he worked for Cache Valley Electric which is installing cable for our Google Fiber project.  

Jullyn is a flagman for Okland which is building the Nu Skin addition.  Her station is between the post office, which can be seen on the right, and the Nu Skin parking garage, which is to the left.  Don't worry that she's in the way of the dump truck.  It backed into place under her capable direction. 

I took this picture from the Nu Skin parking garage.  I'm sure Jullyn was still standing in front of the dump truck, just off to the right of this picture.  The shared entrance to the underground parking garage for Nu Skin and the new temple is running through the center of this photo.  You are thinking that it must have been a beautiful morning.  You are correct.

The entrance, just like the tabernacle's south lot, gets a little deeper each time I pass by.

I take a lot of pictures of the west lot from the post office lot, which can be seen on the right.  The green construction barrier is too high for me to reach over, so I've learned to gently poke my camera between the green barrier and the jersey wall.  By the way, I am not the one who has bent the fence for better openings, not that I don't take advantage of those spots.

This view of the west lot shows the walkway between the Nu Skin building and the tabernacle site.  Center Street is at the end of the walkway.  I didn't take a picture from the other side this morning because I would have had to dodge cement trucks entering the lot from Center Street. 

Mysterious work continues along the wide-flange columns.  Notice that some of the columns have been removed, leaving a gap.  The track hoe was taking dirt from behind the newly paved northwest corner.

I walked back to my car along University Avenue and took this picture of the cleaned-up I-beams.  Fortunately, this area can be seen from the construction cam, so it's easy to watch.

I was surprised to see Baby Track Hoe racing down University Avenue.  I hope someone knows he escaped!

Time For Foundation Walls

Work began again in the basement today after the foundation pour last Friday.

It became easier to see the vertical rebar after the pour.

The entire basement is a workshop.

The upper north lot is workshop for forms.

In the meantime, more rebar was placed on the north lot.

The retaining wall appears to be finished on the west side.  South of this wall is the post office lot.  The entrance to the underground parking garage can be seen on the far right.

I arrived after quitting time tonight, so no moving trucks impeded my view of the south lot.

I was happy to get this close-up of the brick wall in the south lot.  It's being totally ignored.

Pretty soon the tabernacle will be off the stilts!

Pour in the Morning

Jacobsen crews were already at work pouring a new slab when I arrived at the site at 4 a.m.

The sounds at this hour were eerie.  The concrete pump made loud, squishy noises every 3 seconds.

Cement trucks arrived about every five minutes in order to keep the pump busy.

I was surprised to see a line of cement trucks along First West.  Another big pour was happening next door at the Nu Skin site.  From the post office lot, I could hear both pumps squishing, a bizarre symphony accompanied by the rumble of engine noise.

Somehow the basement looks the same, even at this hour. 

But the tabernacle, it's always amazing to see!

Late Afternoon at the Tabernacle

I was downtown for a city meeting tonight and decided to check on the tabernacle.

This corner got a concrete pour today.  What used to be a worrisome mess is now looking much better.

The shadows now have a nice, clean area to play.

I looked for the yellow beam which was on this lot two days ago.  It must have finally escaped, because it was nowhere to be found.  But I did notice micro-piles (on the left) for the first time.  That explains why this side of the wide-flange columns is dry.

The north lot is getting rebar.  This has been fun to watch via the construction cam.

Men were still working in the basement when I arrived.  It looks like layers upon layers of rebar.

The western barrier in the south lot is zooming along.  I could smell the freshly sawed wood.

Mr. Well-Digger was still working.  I noticed tonight that the western side isn't a straight line.  The tin shack on the right is in the post office back lot.  Notice the fence juts west before turning south again.  The well-digger isn't far from the southern end of the lot.  The little front-end loader was there assisting.

I was surprised to see Lake Bonneville rising at the entrance to the parking garage.  But you can see one well in this picture, and another is just behind the track hoe.   Apparently I'm not the first one to notice this.

Mr. Crane was grand tonight, with his new flag flying very, very high!