Frieze Tag

Both cranes escaped from the lot this week.

The large crane now presides on Second South.

I was surprised to see a wave from Mike, the crane operator.  No wonder everything is moving fast at this end.

As the forms fill in the gaps, he is leaving room for the driveway on the far left.

In this picture, the entrance is off to the right and the driveway runs across the front.  The south lift station, one of three on the site, is visible.  A trench for a beam runs through the center of this photo.

The current driveway level is visible along the bottom of the photo, but the slanted opening in the concrete marks where the driveway base will actually be.

The area on the left is where cars will finally be low enough to enter the underground garage.

President Uchtdorf recently visited the temple site.

I hope he saw the new arch under the south gable.

He probably didn't enter via the south entrance.  The article said he climbed around on the scaffolding.
There is a lot for him to climb around on.

For sure he saw the new stone under the east gable.  The temple has come a long way in two years.
Andrew Gibson made a touching slide show of the history of the reconstruction.  It's set to music, so turn up your volume a little.

The workmen are organizing the geofoam on the west lot into rows and shapes.

This terraced area might end up being a gentle slope.

Forms for the wall near the mechanical building are rising.

I checked on the niches. 

I noticed that the lower niches have a flatter arch at the top.

The upper niches are more pointed.

The sixteenth niche, on the southwest tower, is still waiting for its sandstone veneer.

Men worked on the watercourse level on the south side.  They were not working quietly.

I am hopeful that the watercourse work might move to a location where we can see it a little more easily. 

I tried to check the progress of the watercourse on the north side, but my normal watching spots were not available.

Machines and moving fences completely blocked any possible views.

Those who could see weren't talking.

It's amazing how long I can stand and watch and still not figure out what's going on.

But I did spy an interesting pallet of bricks.

Much higher up, copper flashing now runs along the roof ridges.

The ladders directed my view so I could get a closeup.

I saw new PVC pipe on top of the black fabric over the geofoam around the north planter.

I recognize sprinkler lines when I see them.

It's easy to figure out from this view from the construction cam where the dirt will go.

Now that the niches are almost complete, I can focus on the frieze board on the towers.

The northwest tower is the new object of attention.

The men worked while I watched.

The frieze board on the northeast tower was put in place with its molding intact.  This board on the northwest tower is going up with just holes.  You might have to look closely, but those boards have holes.

There is more fancy woodwork going up.  This view is of the soffit and fascia along the northeast face.  Blog readers have been helping me with my vocabulary.

The fascia is built out at an angle to reach the edge of the roof.

My camera zoomed in so you could get a better view.  The soffit is covered with new wood.

This is a picture of the fascia on the west side of the north face.  It is still being prepared for trim.

The soffit is much more visible above the brick dentils on the south side.  Ultimately, all of these areas will have the beautiful white trim, but only the towers will have the frieze board.

Which is probably good.  If everyone looks up to admire the towers, no one will see the beauty on the ground.

Steeple, Slate and Niches

Here is the Church.

Here is the steeple.

Look under the tarp,

And see all the people.

Lots of people.

Robert Jaramillo took this picture on Saturday showing geofoam going upstairs.

It's being used to build up the base of the steeple, seen here from the construction cam.

In the meantime, Foamhenge is growing below.

Our new favorite stone is still beautiful.

A new arch has appeared under the south gable.

The trimwork continues on the northeast tower.  Notice the men in the lower right-hand corner.

They are probably discussing how the trim will be hung along the fascia boards.

Ultimately, the new trim will spread over to the south gable, and then there's no stopping it.

My camera looked up a lot today.  The slate reaches the top of all four gables.

North, south, east and this west gable.  They are all covered with slate.

This is niche #15, next to the entrance at the base of the southeast tower.

This doorway was an entrance for the tabernacle.  Stairs in both east towers of the temple will lead from lower instruction rooms to an upper instruction room.  There will be exterior doors in each tower, but only for emergencies.

Masons worked to complete the arch above this new niche.

This is the very last niche.  Maybe next time.

I learned that the fountain was poured yesterday.  It was actually hard to tell while at the site if its walls had been poured.

But a little spilled concrete confirmed the pump had come and gone.

And then he returned this morning and poured the floor of the pavilion.  The opening behind the elevator shaft is for stairs, which will rise from the east, on the left, to the west.

The pump didn't spill any concrete here.

A cement truck worked with men in the north lot near the new planter. The man with the circular hose is using an electric beater to shake out any bubbles in the concrete.

Forms have reached the end of the south lot and tension cables are being laid.  The crane is moving a form for a beam into place.

Both cranes were busy, but they are working themselves out of a job.  The wall along the center-left of this picture marks the south entrance.

When the cranes have finished their work, they will just head west and up the ramp.

Since that could be soon, the exit is being prepared for them.

From the top of the steeple base,

To the bottom of the water course, the work is everywhere.

My camera zoomed in on Moroni shining in the morning sun.

Don't worry.  My camera zoomed in on this, too.

But I knelt right next to these beautiful flowers to capture them.