Preparation for the Temple Basement Begins

Excavation continues to the point that there is no longer a hole under the Tabernacle -- it's just wide open.

With two weeks of temperatures below freezing, this track hoe was working hard to get through the ground.  The tandem trailers were lined up again on First West, taking their turns at the site.

I know there's going to be underground parking at the new temple, but it's not going to be here.

There is no longer any trace of First South.

Normally there is always something going on along the east side, but not so much today.  

This man worked alone grinding rocks off the piers.

I arrived close to noon so these machines were quiet, but I suspect these lifts are for carrying workmen to high points on the piers so they can grind the rocks off there, too.

The north lot appears to be fully excavated.  It is now becoming a staging ground for what I believe is work on the basement.  Printing on the white bags being stationed at the west end of the retaining wall say, "Ash Grove."  A google search leads me to believe this is some kind of cement, and there were many more bags on the south lot.  Notice the construction lights next to the white generator at the right of this picture.

The north lot is going to be the place to watch for the next few weeks.

This piece of machinery was being dragged from the south lot to the north.  The writing on the side says, "Dewind Dewatering Inc.  A google search indicates this a construction site dewatering machine.  If I were going to build a basement in ground that was once part of the Provo River, I'd want to make sure it was protected from the water table which ebbs and rises depending on the snowfall.  

This view of the north lot from the west shows two more construction light sets, one on the far left, and another on the far right, next to the mound of dirt by the tabernacle.

Exploring the West Side on a Beautiful Day

Today two tourists from Massachusetts asked me about the Nu Skin parking garage.  They wondered if we could get there to take pictures.  It was a brilliant idea, resulting in some great pictures of the west side. The tourists get credit and thanks from me.

This is the view of the south face from the west.  I have taken a lot of pictures of the southeast tower from a spot near the light post in the center of the picture.  That intersection is University Avenue, which goes north and south, and 100 South, which is now permanently interrupted at the temple site.

A view of the north face from the west.  The area in the left lower corner of this picture will ultimately be underground parking for temple patrons and Nu Skin employees.

This is a detail of the upper west window.

This is a view of the west entrance, which has now been covered with gunite on the interior.  Notice the foundation is being removed and the building supported with I-beams.

This is a close-up of an upper window on the west side.

This is a view through that window of the northeast tower interior.

Still from the west, this is the northwest tower doorway.

Interior beam work is easily visible in this close-up.

This is a view through the northwest tower of an interior I-beam brace.

The window I was peeking through with my telescope lens is just to the left of the light.  That same beam is on the right wall in this picture.  The photo was taken from the eastern entrance.

Sometimes I try to get creative with my camera.  I thought this was an interesting picture of an original door still remaining in the southwest tower.  I believe an original door still hangs in the northeast tower, also.

Still from the west, this is a view to the north east.  The intersection of University Avenue and Center Street can be seen.  Notice the tower caps at the northeast corner of the temple site.

I was standing at the northeast corner when I took this picture.  The day was bright and beautiful after several days of snowy weather.  Of course, the 21 degree temperature was invigorating.

This is a view from the light pole at the southeast corner.  Notice the tower caps at the north end of the temple site.  Also notice what appears to be a retaining wall between the east side of the tabernacle and University Avenue.

Two men worked in these low temperatures to build the retaining wall.

The snow made peering under the foundation easier.

This is a view of the court house, east across the University Avenue from the tabernacle.  

Demolition work continues on the north foundation.

A small track hoe busily worked to pull chunks of brick away to make room for I-beam supports.

The two tourists and I walked along Center Street, just north of the temple site, to get to the Nu Skin parking garage.  A blue awning barely on the right of this photo is where we we were heading, but our route was not direct at all. 

Construction on the Nu Skin is extensive.  This is a view of their new building from Center Street.

After walking completely around the block, I was able to take this picture of the back of the new building.

This is a view looking east down 100 South.  Nu Skin is to the left.
The tabernacle is almost in the center of this picture.

This is Provo's main Post Office on 100 South.  There is a lot of speculation about what will happen to this property.  Today, however, it was busy with customers who politely did not hit me as I stood in the road.

This is the view of the Nu Skin's parking garage from the post office.  The LDS Church has purchased the garage and will ultimately remove it.  However, it is currently being used by Nu Skin employees.

I was actually excited to see this view of the west side of the tabernacle and take the pictures I used at the beginning of this post.

As I walked back to my car, I couldn't resist taking a picture of this snow-topped statue.

This was a beautiful day to visit the new temple site.

Delicate Work

At the Regional Conference on September 16th, Elder William R. Walker said that the "delicate work" on the Provo City Center Temple was ongoing.

It appears that this delicate work includes building an inner structure to support the exterior walls.

Through this window on the east is a view of the back side of the north wall, covered with rebar.

A helpful closeup shows new internal wooden supports.

A different type of metal supports are inside the towers.

For weeks workmen have been gutting the inside to make room for this internal structure.

I am not sure what I'm seeing, but I can photograph it.

This is an edge of the northern face.

A close-up shows the wall to be quite thick.  The question is:  how sturdy?

This is a close-up of what appears to be a roof support on the west side.
This photo is from the south.

From the northwest, a view of that tower or support.
An enormous pile of rocks occupied this spot last month.
The rocks have been moved to make room for construction vehicles.

This is a window frame over the south entrance.