River Landing developer readies for big dig
December 13, 2008
At least 18 months since casting the vision for the River Landing Village downtown mega-project, developer Lake Placid is about to start digging.
The Calgary developer has taken out its city excavation permit. It allows Lake Placid's contractor to begin digging as soon as it gets fencing around the site, said Bob Baran, the city's manager of building standards.
Digging and stabilizing the hole could take four to six months, Baran said.
"It's a big job. When you drive by, all you'll see is a big hole."
The hole will be deep enough -- nine metres at its deepest point -- to accommodate several levels of underground parking. It will span the entire site, which sits between Second and Third avenues, 19th Street and Spadina Crescent.
As the hole takes shape, a contractor drives pins into the ground at an angle away from the hole to stabilize the corners, Baran said. If necessary, a crew will shore up the hole's walls from the inside with timbers or a form of concrete shot against the walls.
Some major building projects, such as EnCana's construction in Calgary of what would be Western Canada's tallest building, have been put at risk with the tightening credit market. Lake Placid has until Jan. 19 to pay the $4.8-million price to the city to close the purchase of the site.
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/todays-paper/River+Landing+developer+readies/1070845/story.html
So, here's to hoping they're able to get that money together!