North, South and West Lots

This is a view of the tabernacle site from the new construction cam.  I can now watch what's going on from home.  While it's just two glimpses per hour, zooming in on places of interest is addicting.  I was intrigued by the grout walls which are clearly visible in this photo.

When I got to the site, I was really surprised at the number of people there.  Lots of people.  Some in suits with corsages.  Families with kids in arms and strollers.  The grout wall is clearly seen on the left side of this photo.  The shadow is from the tabernacle itself.

A moat of water stands along the retaining wall.

I don't think I'd be comfortable using the red ladder to exit the north lot.

The west grout barrier has its own moat.

The basement was completely quiet today except for the noise from a solitary red ladder.  I noticed some new cardboard tubes.

I can guess that the green rods are cemented into each of the 400 micropiles.  The tubes in this picture seem to be filled with cement.

I will suppose that is to be the fate of these tubes, too.

This is a nice view of the tabernacle through the south fence.  The lot has been filled with machinery until this week.

The three pools which were related to the drilling of the micropiles in the basement are now dry.

Although the track hoes in the south lot were quiet today, it was evident that excavation of this lot is beginning. 

Junior Track Hoe worked alone to remove metal bars.

Daddy Track Hoe worked hard this afternoon in his quest to remove the remnants of rebar and cement from the west lot.

His friend worked by his side, behind the NuSkin building.  Lines of dump trucks entered and exited the south lot to receive construction debris from both track hoes.

For the record, watching track hoes scoop cement into dump trucks is no less than Jurassic Park Meets the Sound Barrier.

These black tubes or rolls are onsite in preparation for whatever's coming next.

After watching the trucks and machinery on the west side, I walked back along Second South and then north on University Avenue.  Again I encountered many onlookers.  One man was standing in what I would describe as a precarious position.  Did I caution him?  Lecture him in my best grandmotherly voice?  No.  I handed him my camera.

Piling Work is Finishing, Work on North and South Lots Expands

I took my family to the tabernacle this morning.  Oh, such a beautiful day!

The first thing I did was study the rocket launcher on the east side.  Two blog readers believe this is the base for a crane.  Once they said that, it sure seems obvious. 

I'm thinking this is going to be a very solid base.  I can't wait.

The crane will be able to lift supplies all over the north lot, and likely into the tabernacle, too.

The north lot is clearly being excavated down another story.  Mr. Track Hoe was filling the dump truck.

I was a little distracted pointing out four track hoes to my grandchildren, and as a result I didn't notice the grout wall until I got home.  But I believe that wall is now visible.

I'll keep watching this.

I zoomed in on the north retaining wall.  It is definitely being extended down.  I cannot explain the horizontal pipes extending from the I-beams.

This is a closer look of one of the pipes, and also a view of what might be a well.  My engineer-husband and visiting son, also an engineer, studied this picture but couldn't offer much help.  This is very specialized work.

While taking pictures of the track hoes in the garage lot, I noticed the wall along the west side.

I wish I understood it more.

I could not find the drilling machine in the basement today, just this green machine.

I saw this row of micropiles and noticed a similarity between them and the larger piers which were drilled months ago. 

I am guessing the micropiles are filled with rebar for added support. 

I took this picture from the west side, still looking in vain for the drilling machine.  I think that part of the work might be complete.

There is some interesting action happening on the south lot.

There was a circus of dump trucks removing dirt from the garage lot.

The trucks leave at the entrance on Second South, but it was obvious the south lot is being cleared.

Even the mobile office pods were being taken off the lot.

I overheard a discussion that indicated the south lot will be excavated. 

Now that the snow is gone, this will certainly be a better working environment.

Between the tabernacle construction and the NuSkin expansion, there was a lot to see today.

My grandson had a wonderful time.  His father and grandfather both have engineering degrees from BYU.  His great-grandfather and his great-great-grandfather received their engineering educations at the University of Utah.  Is it an omen that this sweet child fixed two broken toys from my play closet this morning?

This is a picture from his camera of the remains of the garage lot and part of the NuSkin construction.

What's important is that he loves track hoes as much as I do.  

Architects, Angels and Enigmas

My engineer-husband accompanied me to the site this afternoon. 

You are wondering about the snow today in Provo.  Word is that spring has been delayed a week.

One lone machine pounded away at the cement from the NuSkin garage.

Parking is difficult at the site except on Center Street, so we walked around the block to check things out.

While we were there, the sun came out!  You can see the pit which was once the garage.  I believe the track hoe in the background is working on the NuSkin construction.

We saw some interesting things at the site.  First, there was a rocket launcher on the east side, between the tabernacle and University Avenue.  What did my husband think?   Well, he thought it was interesting.  That's engineer-speak for, "I have no idea."

Then we saw that the north lot has been excavated again.  New wood has been placed at the bottom of the retaining wall.  How deep is this going to be?  I've underestimated deepness before, so I'm not even going to venture a guess.

The rest of the lot was very quiet.   

This is a big lot to be completely quiet, by the way.  While we walked, water vapor rose from the melting snow on the lot.  My husband and I talked about the difference between steam, humidity and fog.
Welcome to my life.

It was eerie to see the machines, usually full of life and bouncing around, sitting silent and still.  Mr. Track Hoe, however, had parked himself on a hill before shutting down.

We noticed a new slab in the south lot, near University Avenue.  This post has a picture of the greenhouse which protected the slab while it was being built.

Some have asked about the design of the new temple.  While not trying to be pedantic, I have decided this might be a good time for a short history lesson.  This is a photo from the northwest of the current tabernacle, on the right side of this picture.  It was completed in 1898. An earlier tabernacle on the left was built in 1856.  A smaller building just to the right of the center of the picture housed the baptistery.  An earlier blog post explains more about these buildings.

The tabernacle built in 1898 originally had five towers, including a center tower.  In 1917 the center tower was removed because the roof was sagging.  Notice that the building was built before First South was constructed.

This is the tabernacle that people of this century knew and loved.

This is that view of the tabernacle today.

William Harrison Folsom, an early convert to the LDS Church, designed the Provo Tabernacle.

Brother Folsom also designed the Manti Temple, which was dedicated in 1888, ten years prior to the dedication of the Provo Tabernacle.  The Manti Temple is one of eight temples which does not have an Angel Moroni.  I have been told that the architects working on the new temple are attempting to be consistent  with the architecture of the Manti Temple and the 1898 Provo Tabernacle.

This is an early rendering of the Provo City Center Temple.  Notice the Angel Moroni on the center tower.  You might be interested in an unofficial 3-D view.

This rendering of the new temple currently hangs on the east side of the construction site fence. There is no angel in this picture, and no First South, either.

However, today I saw a different picture.  This hangs on the fence on the west side.  I likely stood right in front of this Tuesday while I was at the site, but at sunrise, in the dark, I did not notice it.

But this rendering has an angel on top.  Someone is messing with us.

This is today's view of the west side.  I'll be on the lookout for any Angel Moroni's.