Phoenix CityScape Thread

[gymratmanaz]

I too am Mr. Positive, but I am with both of you here. I pray that someone adds something here to sooth our concerns and frustrations. Where are Mr. or Mrs. Cityscape (Designers or architects) to tell us?

[CANUC]

The reality is that without the residential component and by that I mean not just half of one tower but the remaining two condo towers Cityscape will not, I repeat will not change downtown in the way its backers would like us to believe. I’ve said this before early on in this thread and I believe it even stronger now, RED will only meet its minimum requirements in the immediate future and what we will be left with will be a slight improvement on an ill conceived idea like the Arizona Center for the foreseeable future.

Consider this; most of us agree that what is truly needed is sheer headcount, feet on the street, people and in quantity. This is why neither the AZ Center nor the Collier Center where able to meet the expectation of even the people who had a direct involvement in these projects. Look at the numbers themselves, if SCS is fully occupied and if 44 Monroe is fully occupied that is still only about 400 residential units. In what other part of the city would 400 units spur new retail development or be able to sustain current retail? The reality is that the number of occupied residential units in the core needed to accomplish this would need to be in the thousands. So Cityscape’s initial conception of 1000 units was certainly a step in the right direction however the more they deviate the less likely they are to reach their intended purpose.

So IMO Cityscape’s real problem; a really good idea coming to fruition at a really bad time, with the downturn in the housing market and a looming recession this thing may end up deader than dead. Ultimately developers are developers and will look at the bottom and not some idealistic concept of what downtown could be and if that means that if the housing market isn’t the residential portion won’t get built. But because of this retail will suffer, if they open AJ’s and PF Changs will operate very much like other DT business which is not very much and what we will end up with will be yet another stubby office tower...hope I don't sound to negative.

[plinko]

It wouldn't bother me so much if it was somewhere else in DT and not at the datum. I still would much rather see the city partner and build a multi-modal facility with towers above for lite rail / busses on Block 77 and build a new central park on Block 22. Block 23 could be still left aside for future development agreements. The Luhrs block could be redeveloped (leaving the existing towers) into a new Phoenix Central Station for commuter rail and Amtrak. If you look at the blocks between Central and 1st Avenue to the south there is plenty of room to do this. I'm not sure what you would do with the existing Union Station, but it's simply too far away to adequately link to the lite rail.

Just my pipe dream...

[soleri]

CityScape's mega-project ambition was meant to sidestep some of downtown's fundamental problems. Unfortunately, even mega-projects require a setting worthy of their ambition. But expensive and plentiful housing in our perpetual work-in-progess downtown cannot simply be willed into reality. Once again, it's the old chicken and egg problem.

CityScape tried to solve this conundrum by making the components interactive and interdependent. At the outset, I was skeptical because I didn't see the markets for retail and residential somehow coalescing into a synergistic whole. If you're going to spend at least $400/sf to live downtown, you probably want more than chain retail. You want a dynamic environment that doesn't depend on people like yourself making it happen.

Top-down urbanism relies on mega-projects mostly because the city is already too damaged to grow itself organically. In effect, projects like CityScape are the disease of which they pretend to be the cure. Great cities, however, are complex life forms where the variety of uses are rich and deep. It helps to think of a city as an ecosystem because you'll be more careful in keeping it alive if you see the whole as a living being. Paradoxically, it's good news that even a successful CityScape was not going to revive downtown. Knowing that, it gives us an opportunity to cultivate the seedbed for a real city.

[PhxPavilion]

Collier Center...Part DUH.

Arizona Center part trois.

My guess would be the minimum and depending on if Kimpton wants to back out or not we may either see a much reduced Palomar/residential tower or a tower furthur down the road if at all, same for block 23.

[tempedude]

Where in the world is everyone coming up with the idea that the Palomar Hotel or none of the condos will be built? I don't recall that Red or anyone else has said that. In fact, I don't even recall the developers even saying anything about not developing block 23. Actually, a hotel/condo tower makes sense...because the hotel part (revenues) will help offset the cost of building the condos above once the hotel itself is in place. In due time the housing market will recover and the condos will sell, and they may sell currently anyway, albeit at a slower pace until things improve.

I understand though what is being discussed here is the minimum of what the city requires; however, I am left scratching my head at all the speculation here in the in the forum. If someone knows something I missed please fill me in.

[shawneriksmith]

I agree...this project just "broke" ground a couple of months ago and construction has essentially started but everyone has already deemed it a failure. Yes, the residential market is in a downturn, especially here in Phoenix, but that doesn't mean it will be in 2010 when the residential/hotel tower will be halfway done and the office tower will probably be complete (along with OCPE). I'm sure over the next 1-2 years there will probably be a dozen design changes and modifications to construction timelines for a project this massive. Let's not jump to any conclusions just 3 months after the "groundbreaking".

[gymratmanaz]

So we all should just breath? Probably a good idea, though it is hard caring as much as we do.

[JimInCal]

Let us not forget the 44 Monroe scenario: Oh no, they've stopped pouring concrete for 5 minutes...their going to seal over the elevator core and just use it as a garage... ;)

[gymratmanaz]

So the sky isn't falling??? :)

[HX_Guy]

Let us not forget the 44 Monroe scenario: Oh no, they've stopped pouring concrete for 5 minutes...their going to seal over the elevator core and just use it as a garage... ;)

Haha yea, that was classic! :D A lot of us thought they were going to just build the parking garage and stop there.

About Cityscape, we're just discussing what would happen if they only build the minimum requirements. There hasn't been any word to imply that is what is going on, it's actually the opposite...I keep hearing they are going full steam ahead with the whole project.

If they just do the minimum, then it would be a failure as I don't see many retailers being attracted to a place with so few residents and any places that do open would close early just like they do now.

If however they end up building all the residential units, or even the 765 (65 apartments, 200 units on in hotel/condo tower, 500 in one tower on block 23) plus what we have with Summit (165), 44 Monroe (202), Orpheum (90), Alta (350) then it will definitely be a spark to something bigger I believe. That is 1572 new units (not even counting the older residential units in the downtown core) plus the 1300 ASU beds going in...potentially we'll have around 4,000 new residents to downtown on top of what's already there. I think those kind of numbers can make start to make it work and spark off other projects (or keep them online, as with Omega and the residential parts of Jackston St).

[gymratmanaz]

Thank you for putting things in perspective HX_Guy. Why aren't you King of the Forest?

[Sonoran_Dweller]

Thank you for putting things in perspective HX_Guy. Why aren't you King of the Forest?

King of the Forest??? At least try to do something more local, and Arizona oriented (King of the Sonoran Desert, or King of the Valley).

Forest??....pa-leeze.

[Buckeye Native 001]

King of the Saguaros?

[gymratmanaz]

Sultan of the Saguaros!

[andrewkfromaz]

Dude, you should totally pitch that to ol' man Al McCoy for a future Sun's nickname. It might could work for Shaq, but I think if the Suns ever drafted a big man, he should be nicknamed Sultan of the Saguaros.

Here's me getting off topic now. That was just a deviation, not hijacking the thread. I should have posted it in the Basketball thread.

HX_Guy is amazing. He needs to put stuff in perspective all the time, so we can quit panicking about every little rumor we hear.

[gymratmanaz]

The Our Leader

HX_Guy, who art in Phoenix
Hallowed be thy name
Thine Copper Square come
Thine will be done
In Phoenix as it is here in the forum
Give us today our daily thread
And lead us not into frustration
But deliver us from the evil of panic.

(No offense meant, just well-intentioned humor)

[jvbahn]

:previous: Not offensive in the least, just wondering what you were on when you wrote it(and where to get some).

[gymratmanaz]

It was 5:06 AM. Just woke up and couldn't sleep...... some creative thinking happens then!!!!!!!

[Vicelord John]

I've never seen nutswinging like this.

It's one thing to say thank you, but to take the time and write a poem? wow... thats just... stalkerish.

[gymratmanaz]

Careful Mr. Vandercook. I think your internal monologue is showing.

[Vicelord John]

my internal monologue is always showing.

[loftlovr]

Nice poem and well deserved gymratmanaz!
What a fabulous compliment to our beloved HX_Guy!

You should draft one for Vandercook so he can chill out,
He can always be the villain to HX's superhero!

[gymratmanaz]

THANKS LOFTLOVR!!!!!!!! I will put my mind to it for Mr. Vandercook.

Now I lay me down to sleep
Vandercook to stalk and creep
If I should rhym before I wake
I pray HX_Guy be our chief namesake

OR...

There once was a guy named Vandercook.
Who was negative 'bout all, with his outlook.
He poo-pooed, and he blurted.
"I'm dead right," he asserted.
I'll swear this, all day long, on the good book!

OR...

V is for Vandercook.
We can't live without him?
He stirs up the pot,
and makes us all grin.

An asset to the forum,
some might dissagree.
You cannot ignore him.
A lightning-rod he be!

He bustles. He panders
and makes a great din.
A pain in the ass,
I really like him!!!!!!!!

VANDERCOOK ---- LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO!!!!
-All created with respect and fun! :):):):)

[loftlovr]

you're actually quite a talented poet! :haha:

[gymratmanaz]

and I know it.

Thanks..... English teacher and actor here.

[Don B.]

I hate poems. As Spock would have said, I find them most...illogical.

Cityscape...nutscape...is there any actual news about the project here?

--don

[BA744PHX]

LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL
THANKS LOFTLOVR!!!!!!!! I will put my mind to it for Mr. Vandercook.

Now I lay me down to sleep
Vandercook to stalk and creep
If I should rhym before I wake
I pray HX_Guy be our chief namesake

OR...

There once was a guy named Vandercook.
Who was negative 'bout all, with his outlook.
He poo-pooed, and he blurted.
"I'm dead right," he asserted.
I'll swear this, all day long, on the good book!

OR...

V is for Vandercook.
We can't live without him?
He stirs up the pot,
and makes us all grin.

An asset to the forum,
some might dissagree.
You cannot ignore him.
A lightning-rod he be!

He bustles. He panders
and makes a great din.
A pain in the ass,
I really like him!!!!!!!!

VANDERCOOK ---- LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO!!!!
-All created with respect and fun! :):):):)

[Vicelord John]

aaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahhaahahahah

thanks for lightening up what was quite a dull night.

[kevininlb]

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m57/kevininlb/CityscapeEventBanners.jpg

Anyone see giant banners for CityScape? See press release below (there was a photo attached, which I'd try to attach here if I weren't pressed for time).

St. Louis, MO (PRWEB) February 14, 2008 -- Commerce Color, a large and grand format digital printer based in St. Louis, Missouri, printed the dramatic 40-foor vinyl event graphics that were unfurled from above the crowd at the Grand Opening celebration for the pioneering CityScape development in downtown Phoenix. CityScape, developed by RED Development and CDK Partners, is a $900-million, 2.5-million-square-foot mixed-use development combining residential, retail, hotel, office and public park space that will ultimately span three city blocks of downtown Phoenix.

Creative agency Bozell concepted and designed the event graphics for the fete, held at the US Airways Arena in Phoenix. Renderings provided by Callison Architects were superimposed onto photos of the existing skyline and printed onto 40-foot vinyl banners. At a key moment in the celebration, the event banners were unfurled from the ceiling and dropped dramatically into place, offering a real-time/in-perspective view of what the city of downtown Phoenix will look like. Bozell's Michael Pitzer found Commerce Color through a search on the Internet and selected them after visiting their website and seeing the size and scope of their previous work. What he saw gave him confidence to move forward with this project, which involved some things that had never been done before with printed vinyl banners.

The event graphics presented some unique logistical challenges: The banners were huge, so shipping was a challenge, as was installation: Commerce Color was selected in part because they had the ability to print on very lightweight material. Commerce Color also printed custom floor graphics for the event. Bozell contracted with an artist to do a "sidewalk chalk painting," which was then printed as a vinyl floor graphic. It looked like a huge hole in the floor, with guests peering down into a view of the park being developed as part of CityScape.

Says Pitzer, "Commerce Color did a great job. They worked really hard, got the event graphics done in an insane amount of time and the banners worked perfectly. The whole thing came off beautifully. If anything, I was amazed at how inexpensive it was to do something so dramatic."

[HX_Guy]

Yes, there were the banners at the ground breaking. I took and posted pictures of them after the Oct. 22nd ground breaking.

[kevininlb]

:( Damn, and here I thought I was breaking some news.

Well, at least I impressed myself in getting the pic posted.

[combusean]

^ Hey don't let that hold you back--it was still a good article. I like seeing how towers here make news in other non-developmental arenas as well.

Of course the article didn't cover the difficulty they had unfurling them, which was rather amusingly anti-climactic--a perfect harbinger of the project so far!

[renone]

First sign of real work being done this morning. A new dumptuck enters the site about every 15 mins, is filled with dirt, and then leaves. It looks like the big dig has begun.

[HX_Guy]

Awesome, good to hear!

Are you a new member, do you have a view of the site from where you're at? Would be cool to get updates from someone who sees the site everyday.

[gymratmanaz]

YES.....news to our ears!

HX_Guy....If no one can see Cityscape for updates, I have been doing many drive-bys each week, since I work out near Cityscape. I'll be glad to keep updates coming, as long as they keep digging and going!!!!! I also have been going downtown on Sunday afternoons to walk around and check everything out..... Maybe sometime anyone interested could do that together some Sunday????

[renone]

yes, I am a new member who works at renaissance one. My office is on the south east corner of the building, so I stare at the project all day long. I tried to take pictures through my window, but they come out pretty bad. I'll try to keep you updated.

[Don B.]

^ Try the shots early or late in the day, to minimize the glare as you look south over the project. Mid-day won't work well because of the glare, as you have found.

Welcome to the forum, BTW. :)

--don

[renone]

I'm trying to figure out how to post pictures. Here is a link to the one I just took:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24136455@N03/2291469771/

[HX_Guy]

Right click and get the web address of the picture, or "Copy image location" if you have the option when you right click. That should give you an address like this:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3232/2291469771_4ebc6a40ee.jpg?v=0

Delete everything after the ".jpg" part...so delete the "?v=0" then copy and paste the address between the taglines

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2201/2291469779_765f5084c7.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3232/2291469771_4ebc6a40ee.jpg

You weren't joking about there being constant trucks going in and out. In the picture, you can see one truck entering, one truck leaving, and two in the middle waiting. Nice! :D

[gymratmanaz]

Welcome renone!!!

Link didn't work, but thanks for trying....or at least, I couldn't reach it.

Nice to have an insider for updates!!!!!!

[PHX31]

Only thing is I don't see an excavator on site. It looks like a couple loaders are filling up the belly dumps with excess dirt that is onsite (maybe dirt from the drilling). No real excavation seems to be taking place. But, maybe they're just clearing the site in preparation of the real digging to come.

[renone]

I admit I know nothing about construction, but they are not removing excess dirt. They are digging down for sure, and have been doing so all day. The tractor that is loading the belly loaders looks to be about seven feet below street level right now. You can't tell from the picture, but the belly loaders have to drive down a hill before they are loaded. The grey dumster is above the yellow tractor.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3054/2292385362_34e176a123.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/2292424516_d16bded975.jpg

[PHX31]

yeah, I can see that they are below street level a little bit. But loaders don't really dig. They might be scooping up "new" dirt in their buckets (essentially cutting the entire site down to 7' below street level (or how ever far down they are going)). Once we see some excavators (basically a large backhoe on what look like tank treads with one giant arm/bucket), then we'll know the real digging is starting. Maybe there are some on site that we can't see in the pictures.

Thanks for the pics and keep them coming!

[renone]

Got it. That is exaclty what is happening, the loaders are leveling the site so that it is all seven feet below street level. There is one excavoator on site, but it is not being used yet.

[gymratmanaz]

Definitely progress. When I was there three weeks ago, the workman there said that they would eventually be digging down 40 - 60 feet down. He also said that soon double shifts would begin for all the digging and dirt removal.

Am I correct in that the drilling was drilling and then filling with cement, to make the first support pillars? Is that why they drill? If so, then do they excavate around the poured pillars? I see that type of thing right now at the OCPE site.

[Don B.]

This is scary that they are digging for this project, possibly the tallest skyscraper in Arizona (certainly one of the tallest if nothing else), and we can't even confirm the goddamn height of the thing. Somebody somewhere has to know what it is going to be. Orders for vast quantities of steel and concrete must be placed.

--don

[HX_Guy]

New permit today, and I have no idea what it is for. I noticed 44 Monroe had a similar one issued in Oct. 2007 as well as Summit at Copper Square which also had one in April 2007, so both were issued well into the construction, almost near the end of the construction cycle.

Anyone know what an "ABCO" permit is issued for?

Permit# ABCO-0800075 Issue Date 2/25/08 Expires
Permit Description
Project 06-5309 CITYSCAPE

ASBUILT CLOSE OUT

[Viperlord]

As-Built Survey: a survey conducted several times during a construction project to verify, for local and state boards (USA), that the work authorized was completed to the specifications set on the Plot Plan or Site Plan. This usually entails a complete survey of the site to confirm that the structures, utilities, and roadways proposed were built in the proper locations authorized in the Plot Plan or Site Plan. As-builts are usually done 2-3 times during the building of a house; once after the foundation has been poured; once after the walls are put up; and at the completion of construction.

I work for an engineering firm in SLC, we do as-built surveys for developments quite often. It's just the cities way of making sure what is actually being done on site in a way.

[tempedude]

Cool...right on!....sounds like Cityscape is finally underway in earnest (for real...yeah) with all the digging going on, etc

:thrasher:

[renone]

Sorry the quality is so bad.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2169/2293681495_ac452ba1c2.jpg

[Buckeye Native 001]

God, it's awesome to see that damn surface lot finally gone :tup:

Seriously though, what's the final height of this thing?

[HX_Guy]

Thanks for the pic renone, great to have someone on the board who sees the site daily from an awesome angle and is able to take pictures. :)

How feasible would it be to setup a webcam? :D

[AZ KID]

I have a question. In the picture all the digging is in the southeast corner. Are they going to dig out the entire lot or just portions of it?? Also isnt the office tower going on the north side of the lot??

[combusean]

God, it's awesome to see that damn surface lot finally gone :tup:

Seriously though, what's the final height of this thing?

I don't think we'll know until the crane comes down.

The official word from RED contradicts a permit reviewer's note about a scaled down residential tower. If it were in fact scaled down, I'm pretty sure we'd see something more solid in the permit system saying as much--such as yet another permit. That one hasn't been issued.

400 - 515' for the residential.
375' for the office.

[sundevilgrad]

Good to see the Roach Coach is on site, that means they're really getting to work...

[PHX31]

/\ hahaha, I saw that too.

[renone]

One of the belly loaders was about to turn into the work site from the far lane and crunched a small white honda. Traffic is backed up on Washington as far as I can see.

[andrewkfromaz]

I'll bet the Roach Coach folks are really suffering right now with the housing bust.

[combusean]

LOL ... I love the endless drama of this thing's construction.

If it ends up as a half-built mess poking into the sky and stalls for years I would consider it the perfect finale.

I don't entirely rule that out either. But disconnecting myself from that fear is too blissful. I'll enjoy any semblance of progress while it lasts. :)

[HX_Guy]

Sort of new rendering on a new billboard at the Cityscape site. Not really any changes, other then the Apple ad has been replaced and it shows slightly more of the building, exposing glass along 1st Ave which wasn't seen in the previous rendering.

http://nitnelav.com/cityscapebillboard.jpg

[andrewkfromaz]

If you look really closely, on the building in the poster on the building in the poster, you can see a building on a poster. Well, maybe not, but it would be hilarious.

[gymratmanaz]

Andrewkfromaz.....someone has too much time on his hands.....or needs to share something with all of us, so we can see this too!!!!!! :)

[andrewkfromaz]

I have really good vision. Sorry, I can't share.

I can lie, though, and that's an activity in which we can all participate!

[CANUC]

Interesting, if you look at the rendering in the rendering of the rendering the hotel/condo building looks much taller in the smaller rendering than what is rendered on the larger rendering. Maybe someone should ask RED to render the smaller rendering into a larger rendering and render the larger render into the smaller rendering and possibly will render up with a taller building:dissy:

[Viperlord]

Sorry the quality is so bad.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2169/2293681495_ac452ba1c2.jpg
It's good to see dirt moving, thats for sure.:tup:

:previous:
you guys in PHX need a webcam for Cityscape like the one we have for one of the blocks at the City Creek Center Project here in DT SLC. It also has night vision kinda as well. only downside about the camera, your porductivity at work tends to go down, if you know what I mean.

http://www.deseretnews.com/webcam/camera1.jpg

http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/9892/cranegn8.jpg

[gymratmanaz]

Viperlord, you scared me and got me excited thinking, where in Phoenix are those pictures from....... I guess i need a little more coffee to be more aware.

Yes, a web cam would mean a big drop in work productivity!!!!!! LOL

[Cranetastic]

Looks like the poster shows the tower at over 44-45 stories. I'm guessing RED is keeping it a mystery on purpose.

[gymratmanaz]

Is RED that mean and nasty???

[renone]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2361/2307681225_ac3ca82967.jpg

[HX_Guy]

Awesome, thanks again for the updates. Ive been checking back often and waiting for a new picture...now I got my fix. :)

Here is a larger version of your picture. Good to see the excavator doing some work.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2361/2307681225_ac3ca82967_b.jpg

[FireMedic]

when's the tower crane going up ?

[gymratmanaz]

From what I hear, there is a lot of digging to do....DEEEEEEP.

[FireMedic]

I take it, their will be atleast 2 tower cranes
one for the Wachovia tower & one for the office/condo tower ?
will they both be built at the same time ?
what's the status of Cityscrape tower #3 & Cityscrape tower #4
any idea how many floors their suppose to be ?

[HX_Guy]

The Wachovia tower will start construction first then the start of the hotel/condo tower will follow 3-6 months later from what I understand. Tower #3 should also start about the time the hotel/condo tower start...although the way things look now, that's pretty hard to believe by looking at Block 23.

This is the timeline they released back in October, my guess is as good as yours on how true they are staying to it.

As currently planned, the project will have three phases.

• Phase I (4th Quarter 2009)
o Class A office tower (Middle Block)
o +/- 200,000 square feet of retail (West & Middle Blocks)
o Apartments (West Block)
o The new Patriot’s Park
o Renovated Patriot’s Park parking garage (West Block)
o Underground parking (Middle Block)

• Phase II (2010)
o Mixed-use tower – residential condominiums and Hotel
Palomar (Middle Block)
o Mixed-use tower – TWELVE Hotel & Residences (East
Block)
o +/- 30,000 square feet of retail (East Block)
o Underground parking (East Block)

• Phase III (2011, based on market conditions)
o Residential condominium tower (East Block)
o +/- 30,000 square feet of retail (East Block)
o Above ground parking (Block 23)

We know the Wachovia tower will be 27 floors and 375', but still no word on the hotel/condo tower.

[FireMedic]

The Wachovia tower will start construction first then the start of the hotel/condo tower will follow 3-6 months later from what I understand. Tower #3 should also start about the time the hotel/condo tower start...although the way things look now, that's pretty hard to believe by looking at Block 23.

This is the timeline they released back in October, my guess is as good as yours on how true they are staying to it.



We know the Wachovia tower will be 27 floors and 375', but still no word on the hotel/condo tower.


Thanks for info
That's going to make Phoenix's skyline look awesome

[HX_Guy]

Some new permitting going through today, mostly dealing with sewer and water but also something called "Soil nails". Soil nailing appears to be a method of stabilizing the ground when excavating down deep as to keep the wall of soil from collapsing.

http://www.haywardbaker.com/images/illustrations/3289.gif

http://www.haywardbaker.com/services/soil_nail.htm


Permit# SHOR-T470922 Issue Date Expires
Permit Description SOIL NAILS FOR CITYSCAPE BLK 22
Description/Scope of Work: SHORING

DESCRIPTION OF WORK: Install Soil Nails per approved plan.

Permit# WSAB-T2190 Issue Date Expires

Description/Scope of Work: WATER SERVICES PLAN REVIEW

DESCRIPTION OF WORK: CITY SCAPE WATER AND SEWER PLANS 3 SETS EACH

[PHXguyinOKC]

sweet... they need to hurry up and dig down to get this thing soaring into the sky

[Azndragon837]

Wow, this will probably be one of the deepest holes in the Valley.

-Andrew

[tempedude]

Soil nailing appears to be a method of stabilizing the ground when excavating down deep as to keep the wall of soil from collapsing.

http://www.haywardbaker.com/images/illustrations/3289.gif

I think this is the method they used when they dug down for the Centerpoint Towers in Tempe also. Centerpoint also has underground parking. I think something like 4 or 5 levels below ground.

It was pretty cool to watch. they kept digging down, down, down, then in about 3 months you start seeing the tower itself emerging out of the ground. Then they were adding something like 2-3 floors a week.

Back on topic...good to hear about more permitting going on for Cityscape. This thing is really getting geared up to roll in a big way. :tup:

[gymratmanaz]

This will be really cool. Does anyone have camera angles to do updates or even stop action movie of it progressing?

Any guesses on when the powers that be might inform us about height decisions?

[CANUC]

Wow, this will probably be one of the deepest holes in the Valley.

-Andrew


I don't know the Sheraton was absolute canyon durring the time they were building its underground garage. If I recall correctly they dug down for the entire summer before they even began pouring/placing - remember that argument - the concrete.

[renone]

Non-stop work at the site this week. A new belly loader drives in about every 15 mins, gets filled, and then drives away. There is a lot of jackhammering today, I assume to remove the remaining concrete from the old bank vault.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3293/2312432375_eda839df97_b.jpg

[HX_Guy]

They have definitely done a lot of excavating. This is a picture you took on Feb 25th, just over a week ago.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2201/2291469779_765f5084c7_b.jpg

[PHX31]

If you are taking one picture pretty much every day (or at least one or two a week), you should save them all in one place and create a time lapse video at the end of the project. That would be awesome! (try to take the picture from the same location, ie, a desk or something. So far they all look to be good.

Weren't they supposed to somehow save the old bank vault? Or is that at the Hotel Monroe that I'm thinking about?

[HX_Guy]

You're thinking of Hotel Monroe.

And his images are saved on Flickr, so it should be possible to make a time lapse video after some more are complied.

[gymratmanaz]

There is a bank vault at Cityscape. A month ago, one of the workmen said that the original Wells Fargo bank vault was left in the ground on the north west corner of the land. They were going to dig it up. I am not sure if they were going to save it, but they knew it was still there.

[renone]

Correct. My images are saved on Flickr, and I take them from the same place as often as I have time. I have no idea how to create a time lapse, so I'll leave that to those more knowledgable.

[HX_Guy]

I asked earlier but didn't get a response...any chance of a webcam being set up? :) Hell, I'll even buy the webcam. :D

[gymratmanaz]

I would pitch in too. Who needs productivity?

[renone]

Sorry - not sure my bosses would let me have a webcam on my desk.... Besides, the computer in my office is terribly slow as it is.

[HX_Guy]

Yea...I didn't really expect it to happen. :)

Now...where's the picture for today? Haha...everytime I see the Cityscape post at the top then I see you were the last to reply, I'm thinking "Sweeet...a new picture!" :D

[gymratmanaz]

-and each time I see your name HX_Guy, I'm thinking, "Sweet....new important info!"

You do seem to always come up with big announcements.

[CANUC]

Well I can tell you that it is difficult to gauge just how deep they have dug from the pictures that renone posted. You really have to see it in person to get a better idea of dimensions. They are down one complete level and if I recall correctly there was suppose to be three levels of under ground parking so taking this into account I’d say they will dig down about four floors before they begin to pour concrete and since it seems from the picture taken on February 25th to this week they dug up a floor in one week they may be done by the end of March to mid-April. At that point possibly some concrete.

[gymratmanaz]

I just drove by and they a4re making good progress. I think it will go even faster this next week, since part of this weeks work was still preliminary excavation. Now it seems they are into reall round the clock digging? Does anyone know if they are digging in two shifts(day and night)?

[HX_Guy]

Well I can tell you that it is difficult to gauge just how deep they have dug from the pictures that renone posted. You really have to see it in person to get a better idea of dimensions. They are down one complete level and if I recall correctly there was suppose to be three levels of under ground parking so taking this into account I’d say they will dig down about four floors before they begin to pour concrete and since it seems from the picture taken on February 25th to this week they dug up a floor in one week they may be done by the end of March to mid-April. At that point possibly some concrete.

They are digging out 248,750 cubic yards. Block 22 is approx 12,050 square yards therefore they are digging down 20.6 yards, or about 62'.

[gymratmanaz]

that matches up with what a workman told me about a month ago that they were digging down between 40 - 60 feet.

Any word on when they might take PSP down? Still would be cool to see the main shade structure from it moved to the new Civic park or someplace else in the city. It is kinda cool.

[HX_Guy]

I heard nothing will be happening with the park until summer...so it will be a while.

[andrewkfromaz]

They are digging out 248,750 cubic yards.

That's a LOT of dirt. I don't know what to compare it with besides small projects that my company bids that wouldn't mean anything to anyone else, but suffice to say: that's a lot of dirt.

[HX_Guy]

Does any know if they will need to install the tower crane before they start building the underground parking garage?

Is a tower crane needed to build the garage itself, since it takes up the whole lot and there isn't room for a crane on the side?

Then...can a tower crane be installed on top of the parking garage (at street level) or that isn't safe...and it needs to be anchored at the bottom?

Anyone remember how Bank of America was built? I believe that has underground parking right? Should have been pretty similar to this project it seems.