Gables, Cranes and Rain

My nephew Chris went to the tabernacle site for me today.

Even in the rain, he gets good pictures.

Steel beams for the roof are multiplying.

All four gables now have steel supports. 

The concrete slab over the annex can be seen in this picture between the gravel and the tabernacle.  Once it's waterproofed and has styrofoam and dirt over it, the area between Center Street, where Chris was standing to take this picture, and the temple, will be level.  Some of the most amazing aspects of the temple will be hidden from view when everything is finished.

Of particular interest right now is the catwalk being built above the grand staircase.  This view from the construction cam shows the catwalk just right of the center of the photo.  Catwalks, I am learning, make essential parts of the temple easily accessible.

Steel supports for the catwalk drop down from the roof beams.

Supports for the north and west gables can be seen here.  The west gable is the only gable whose brick survived the fire.  Notice the base for the center tower in perspective with the northwest tower.  Both will have tower caps soon.

The dark steel framework you are seeing directly behind the west gable was placed after the fire to keep the gable from falling.

It will be removed once these roof supports are fully in place.  The north gable support is to the left; the south is to the right.  I learned at Sunday's fireside that the organ pipes, which were along this west wall, were found melted in a blob.  I've been sad about that all week.

The vertical support for the east gable is in place, but the roof beams on this side aren't as far along as they are near the other gables.  The ground level is being enclosed so the workmen can have some warmth this winter.

The upper level can't be enclosed until the roof structure is farther along.

I don't know that this tower cap is the southwest tower cap, but it might be.  Only the black crane can reach the southwest tower to lift its cap into position.  I'm watching for that.

The new temple has a handsome neighbor.  The Utah County Courthouse, built in 1926, is across University Avenue.

The black crane moved the concrete bucket around today.

The cement truck filled the bucket in the south lot.

The black crane lifted the bucket to the farthest corner of the west lot.

I've been watching the workmen make some adjustments to the sump area in this corner for quite awhile.

A green rebar spider over the sump is just out of view here.  It looks like this job is about finished.

However, there is still massive rebar work going on in the west lot.

I want to point out a few things visible from the cam.  First, the welding robot climbed up to the lid of the annex.  That makes me suspicious that his former location on the west side is about to get some attention.  Second, the gray circles in the concrete are water marks near the six drains which were placed in the waffle plating.  Obviously, the drains are working.  Third, the spot created for the art glass above the brides' room is easily seen on the far right.

Chris, thanks for helping me out on this rainy day!