Losing Sight of the Basement

Foundation forms are creeping around the basement.

This is what I call the south porch, but I don't know if it will eventually be an entrance from the underground parking garage or not.

I figured out why the west side foundation will be different than the east side.  The west side basement will extend past the footprint of the original tabernacle.  The towers on that side will need to be supported by the foundation because the piers will be cut away.

This view of the west side from the construction cam shows the foundation forms being built under the towers.

Foundation forms aren't being constructed beneath the two east towers.  I don't think it's because those two towers will be stairwells, but because the basement cannot extend east.

This is a view from the cam of the center of the north side foundation.  Notice that the Jacobsen crews have begun building the exterior forms.  It is easy to see that the foundation is being built between the piers.  Once the tabernacle rests on the new foundation, the piers can be cut away, at least on the inside.

I cropped another photo from the cam of the northeast tower.  Again, notice that the foundation forms aren't being built under the east tower.  Crews are using the upper east lot as a work area and are securing rebar below for a concrete pour, and Mr. Crane is assisting.  This area will be underneath an elevator from the north lot, which will be a one story basement annex, to the lower level of the temple basement.

I won't be able to take interior pictures of the basement much longer.  

This is a view of the interior side of the south foundation form.

I assume since you are still reading that you are as interested in peeking inside the basement as I am.  Notice the piers along the forms on the north side.  Removing them after the foundation is poured will increase the usable space in the basement.

This view of the north lot shows dry concrete after the big pour last Friday.

This view of the west side shows the wide-flange columns which were being worked on last week.  Today you can see that more than half have been cut off at ground level.

They've been replaced with a wooden fence, likely just to keep Baby Track Hoe from falling.  I can't explain the lower level on the right.  I arrived at the site after all the machinery had shut down, but it looks like micropiles have been driven there.

This view of the west lot shows the walkway from Center Street, which appears to be shored up as it approaches the site.

Wells are in place along the south wall of the west side.  Remember that the entrance to the underground parking is in the center of this picture. 

This is that entrance on First West.  The pile of gravel is there to keep stray people with cameras from entering, I'm sure.  The original Nu Skin building is in the center of this picture, with the new addition extending to the left.  Look at the construction wall above the wooden barrier in the center of this photo.

I took this picture while peeking through that spot along the construction barrier.  It appears the entrance is being prepared for concrete.  I guessed that because the writing says, "Install this side against concrete."

I like visiting the site when everything is in action, but I can't get pictures like this when there are trucks and machines in the way.  I have presumed that the underground parking garage will just be one level, and this picture indicates that the lot might be deep enough.  I have been known to be wrong before when guessing just what is deep enough, so don't put any money on this.

Since I usually use my zoom lens here, you might not have appreciated how big the south lot really is.

Time For Foundation Walls

Work began again in the basement today after the foundation pour last Friday.

It became easier to see the vertical rebar after the pour.

The entire basement is a workshop.

The upper north lot is workshop for forms.

In the meantime, more rebar was placed on the north lot.

The retaining wall appears to be finished on the west side.  South of this wall is the post office lot.  The entrance to the underground parking garage can be seen on the far right.

I arrived after quitting time tonight, so no moving trucks impeded my view of the south lot.

I was happy to get this close-up of the brick wall in the south lot.  It's being totally ignored.

Pretty soon the tabernacle will be off the stilts!

Pour in the Morning

Jacobsen crews were already at work pouring a new slab when I arrived at the site at 4 a.m.

The sounds at this hour were eerie.  The concrete pump made loud, squishy noises every 3 seconds.

Cement trucks arrived about every five minutes in order to keep the pump busy.

I was surprised to see a line of cement trucks along First West.  Another big pour was happening next door at the Nu Skin site.  From the post office lot, I could hear both pumps squishing, a bizarre symphony accompanied by the rumble of engine noise.

Somehow the basement looks the same, even at this hour. 

But the tabernacle, it's always amazing to see!

West and South Slabs Poured

I took a quick trip to the construction site this morning to check on the progress in the basement.

A slab on the south side was poured yesterday.  I think it would make a nice porch, except that at some point this will all be underground.

A slab on the west side was poured, also.  I was sad to these these tracks in the concrete.  

I captured this photo from the construction cam.  I'm pretty sure these tracks were left by the wild ladders last night.

The new, dashing green ladder was trying to remain undiscovered.

Since the workman were busy laying wallpaper on the basement floor, they didn't notice him. 

The ringleader, I'm certain, is the red ladder in the back.  He has mastered his, "Who, me?" look.

The only one with any sense was Mr. Crane, who managed to cast his shadow without leaving any marks at all.

Concrete was poured in the northeast corner, too.  This view is from the construction cam. 

The south lot gets a little deeper each time I see it.

I walked along the west side.  Notice the concrete tube on the right.  It was Nu Skin's turn for concrete today.

The jackhammer last week cut out a sidewalk from the Post Office lot which was quickly filled with asphalt.  I was hoping for more, but, no.

I arrived downtown at the end of the Provo City Marathon.  The runners were the main attraction today.

However, a few turned around to admire the majestic tabernacle.  Gorgeous day, happy people, great city!

Aerial Pile Driver and the Northeast Corner

This handy-dandy aerial pile driver was at work over the north lot when I arrived at the site.

This view from the construction cam was what prompted me to go.  I captured it at 10:30 and then decided I need to see for myself what was happening.  I've been watching the northeast corner and was happy it was getting some attention.

My peek-through spot was crowded with interested onlookers who pointed things out as I looked through my camera.  The generator in the center of the photo powered the pile driver.  Notice the two I-beams on the right.  The crane was working to get one in his grips.  Also, notice that the French drain system is progressing.

A front-end loader helped the pile driver grab the I-beam.

It took a few minutes, but soon the I-beam was captured--

and in the air!

I'm not sure how this pile driver works, but for sure it was just as noisy as the other pile drivers on the site, and it worked just as fast.

The workmen in the muddy pit did not stand idly by, either.

This all happened in the space of just a couple minutes.

From the west side, I decided to zoom through the basement piers and take a picture of the new I-beams.  

But when I got home, I could see a whole row of I-beams.  Someone help me -- where did these come from?  My engineer-husband, who would be able to figure this out, is at Chris's graduation, so I can't ask him until later.  

The construction cam is having difficulties as I'm posting this blog.  This close-up was captured from the 11 am photo.  I'm not seeing a long row of I-beams here or anywhere along the north side.  I'll look harder the next time I'm at the site.

Work on the east wall of the south lot is progressing.

I watched a very busy fork lift for a few minutes.  He dodged trucks and workmen like a kid leaving a candy store.

These I-beams are new along the end of the south lot.  Much of this lot has been excavated several feet down.

I watched this pit being dug earlier in the week. The excavated pipe is likely the remnant of a utility conduit.  Many things are a mystery to me, so I asked Provo City if any of the construction plans were available to the public.  They cheerfully gave me the landscaping plans for the temple grounds.  I can see that an entrance to a few parking spaces at the end of the south lot will be at this location.  I'll study the plans and include information that might be useful later.  

Work continues in the basement.  I'm ready for the next step, whatever that is. 

This yellow beam seems to move a little bit each time I see him.  I think he's trying to sneak away.

And barrier walls are being placed along the west entrance to the parking garage.  An Okland contractor invited me to park in the new Nu Skin garage the next time I visited.  I just might!