Beehive Of Activity

Everyone and everything was working at the site today.

Mr. Crane delivered concrete from the north lot to this tricky area at the southeast corner.

I watched the work surrounding the underground foyer entrance for quite awhile.  Of course, work can't proceed without assistance from the red ladders.

The underground entrance is just below the opening visible on the upper right side of this photo.  Forms, rebar and concrete walls are springing up everywhere.

The new crane was in constant motion.

Forms now cover the west lot.  The opening on the left is where cars will approach the underground foyer from First West.  Styrofoam and dirt will cover the concrete roof of the underground garage.  I'm pretty sure we won't notice that the roof is sloped for drainage.

The concrete pump visited the site earlier in the week and poured the roof over the generator room.

Last week he poured the right half of the concrete in this photo.  The left half, poured a few weeks earlier, was getting the waterproofing treatment today.

I assume that by now you understand how the waterproofing works. Men were working on waterproofing in the south lot and this picture is from that area.  The actual membrane is a thick liquid spread over new concrete.  A second man is holding a bucket of the black stuff which becomes the membrane.  The third man is rolling out a thick mat-like layer which protects the membrane.  All of the concrete on the site, including the foundation walls of the temple, has been protected with this membrane.

Rebar is beginning to cover the new forms on the west lot.

I took this picture while standing at the end of First West.  Cars entering the underground parking garage at my right will travel under this area.  Orange cables for east and west tension are on the right.  The north-south cables are coiled on the far left.

The workman in the trench is tightening rebar which will form beams for the underground garage.

I solved a months-old mystery I'd like to share with you.  Notice the blackened arch under the west gable.  Below it are three plaster arches.  This was the back wall of the tabernacle where the organ pipes stretched.  After the fire, metal from the pipes was a pile of slag inside this wall.

I took this picture on October 25th, 2012.  It shows the interior of the west wall.  A sheet of plywood covers the blackened arch area at the top.  The three lower arches have been framed.  An interior steel structure was being placed to stabilize the badly-damaged tabernacle.  Originally there were five widths of bricks, but two widths were removed.  The brick was needed for restoration, but also, removing two rows of bricks brought extra room to the interior.  The remaining three rows of bricks were secured with tie-backs, which are like long, metal nails.

The next month, on November 21st, I took this picture.  Shotcrete had been sprayed over the interior rebar.  Notice that the plywood area at the top is now completely covered with shotcrete.  The three lower arches are easily visible, though.  They will be part of the largest sealing room in the temple and will eventually be art glass windows.

This is the exterior of the high arch today.  I don't know what the plan for it is, but I'm sure it will be beautiful.

This is a closeup of the three plastered arches from the exterior.  You are wondering about the dots.  Could someone please tell me why I have never noticed these before?

Tie backs securing the interior brick have punctured the plaster.

You've probably forgotten all about the mystery I solved.  I took this picture above the east doors last August.  Blog readers and I speculated about the nails.  Now I know they are tie backs from the interior securing the bricks.

These protruding spikes are larger than the helical tie backs.  They are remnants of a small roof which extended from the old tabernacle.

I learned that the white steel I saw last week in the southeast tower is indeed framing for the tower staircase.  In an "Oh, of course," moment, I realized that the stairs will only go partway up the tower, from the ground level to the second floor.  There is no need for patrons to go higher than that.  A beautiful chandelier will hang in each tower.

Steel for the staircase in the northwest tower is visible at the top of the window.

This steel newel is visible on the other side of that tower.  The treads extend out from the column but aren't visible in this picture.

This is the steel framework for the staircase in the southwest tower.

Treads for the stairs can barely be seen through the plastic mesh on the east side of the southeast tower.

I asked about the tower niches.  I was told the plan for them will be exquisite, but the designers want us all to be surprised.  I can't wait!

The current construction entrance to the south lot is on the far left of this picture.  With new concrete spreading over the south lot, trucks don't travel here as much anymore.  Ultimately, the exit from the underground parking garage will be where the construction entrance currently is.

I was surprised to see some redecorating going on at this south end.  This big bath tub has been at the corner of Second South and University Avenue for perhaps a year, functioning as a separating tank.  Moving it was no small undertaking.

With the tank moved from its former place on the right of this photo, the sidewalk area can now be used to move equipment.  Once supplies are in reach of the new crane, he can move them to the temple.

I learned a few other tidbits.  The plastic sheeting covering the base of the steeple is doing an excellent job keeping heat in the temple.  As a result, work is progressing rapidly on the upper level.

Brick replacement, repair and repointing is happening behind the white plastic.

I was delighted to finally find the cache of bricks on the north lot being used in the restoration.

I hope your weather was as beautiful as ours was today.

Break In The Rain

A break in the clouds enticed me to visit the site this morning.

I suspected after Tuesday's pour I might see evidence of the tension cables being pulled.

The first portion of this photo shows the area which was poured in late January.  The east-west cables were pulled a few days later, and then trimmed away.  On the right you can see the cables which I believe were pulled in the last day or two.  The concrete blanket has been moved away to provide access for the Jacobsen crews.

Blankets on the south side of the pour were moved so the men could pull the north-south cables, also.

The north half of the west lot roof is being prepared for waterproofing.  This entire area will eventually be covered with styrofoam and dirt before it is landscaped.

Forms are quickly spreading over the remainder of the west lot in preparation for another pour.

The open area in the lower right hand of this photo marks the underground driveway.

I was happy to see the underground entrance taking shape.  Patrons entering from this south side will be able to walk through the temple at this lower level to the annex on the north.

We watched the annex being built and then covered last summer.  It is underground on this north side of the temple.  It will house dressing rooms and a beautiful brides' area.

My camera caught something new in the lower window of the southeast tower, on the right.

Is this framework for the spiral staircase?  We saw newels placed in the towers last fall.

Work at a newly poured wall caught my attention.  The men were trying to remove a form, but it was stuck.  They brought in a red ladder to help.

Suddenly the form was freed and the crane lifted it away.  The windows you are seeing in the new wall will be part of a security office.

The north side of the temple is almost completely covered in plastic to enable the brick repair.

We can still watch the ongoing restoration on the east side.

Recent rains have washed away some of the dust from the mortar removal.

I don't understand what is going to happen with these niches. I will see what I can learn.

The actual tower windows will have art glass.

I hope we are able to watch this work as the men progress around the tabernacle.

Scaffolding has been placed at the base of the northwest tower.  It is for the west side.

In the not too distant future the west side will look like the east side.

For a Saturday, there was a lot to see,

Especially for those who don't mind a few clouds.