Look! A Crane!

I took my visiting daughter to the temple site this morning.  When she was little I used to point out trains and cows.  This morning I found myself pointing out cranes...

and concrete pumps.  I will confess that none of us saw a construction blog in my future.

Of course, she pointed out a few things to me, too.  Look closely in the tower doorway.

Too impatient to wait for their turn in the sealing room, I guess.

I knew via the webcam that a pour started early this morning. 

Fortunately it was still going on by the time we arrived.  I was happy to see that the membrane was finally in place on the established slab.  Perspective is off in this picture, but the slab being poured is quite large.

Forms are being built for the walls of the mechanical tunnel -- it will get a pour soon, too.

It looks like the southwest foundation wall, on the left of this photo, got the first pour today.  It will be easier to see what's happened when the forms come down.    

It will probably look something like this.  I learned this morning that the last lift of the foundation wall will be poured in about two weeks.  I'll do my best to be there.

My daughter was not as interested in track hoes and cement trucks as I was. 

But she loved looking at the towers.  The original interior planks are being secured with Simpson clips.  I tried to google that but didn't get anything helpful.

As much of the exterior wood as possible is being left in place.  What you are seeing is plywood from either a 1917 or a 1951 re-roofing job . It's now looking like the four towers might remain on the site once they are restored.

That will make it easier for us to admire them.

I learned that this styrofoam I first noticed last week is very dense.  These blocks are on the Nu Skin boundary of the west lot.  They are permanent, and they will help with shock absorption from traffic or even from tremors, since the Wasatch Front is on a fault line.  Similar blocks were used in the construction of I-15.

The blocks are on the right side of the underground garage where the light is coming in.  If you remember, this entrance currently leads to the Nu Skin garage, but ultimately it will also lead right, to the temple garage.  If we can just be patient.