Winnipeg | Downtown | True North Square | U/C - Page 85

esquire · #**1681** Posted **Jun 20, 2016, 3:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riverman

From what I've heard from a relative that works for Hydro, some of the employees refused to work downtown, so they were accommodated at Taylor.

I'm not saying that you or your relative are full of it, but it would seem extremely unlikely that Hydro would operate a 100,000 sf+ building for the purpose of accommodating the workspace preferences of some of its employees.

Riverman · #**1682** Posted **Jun 20, 2016, 4:07 PM**

You can think what you want I guess. Some of the building is vacant, some of it is being used for a regional office as well. Surely you are not suggesting that Hydro would act in a rational fashion, are you? Nothing they do is rational.

Cyro · #**1683** Posted **Jun 20, 2016, 4:08 PM**

Interesting discussion on a tower completed in 2009 and Hydro workers refusing to work their ?

Back to the TNS project, Much activity surrounding the hole today. Looks like they're close to moving forward.

esquire · #**1684** Posted **Jun 20, 2016, 4:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riverman

You can think what you want I guess. Some of the building is vacant, some of it is being used for a regional office as well. Surely you are not suggesting that Hydro would act in a rational fashion, are you? Nothing they do is rational.

Touché!

bomberjet · #**1685** Posted **Jun 20, 2016, 8:44 PM**

Oh looky. The wooden frame is in the hole and tower crane base being prepped to go in. I wonder if that will be covered over, the tower crane base. Or if it will be above grade somehow.

CoryB · #**1686** Posted **Jun 20, 2016, 8:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

I'm not saying that you or your relative are full of it, but it would seem extremely unlikely that Hydro would operate a 100,000 sf+ building for the purpose of accommodating the workspace preferences of some of its employees.

I had heard there was actually significant design issues with the Hydro tower which exactly prevented specific work units from being able to function in the Portage Ave building. An example would be HR. Due to the relatively open design and high ceilings conversations in meeting rooms can be overheard by people outside the room. If you are for example having a meeting to discuss an employees performance you do not necessarily want the whole workgroup hearing it. This reportedly lead to people that normally work at Portage Ave scheduling meetings with only other Portage Ave employees at the Taylor building. From what I heard it caused some interesting dynamics for Hydro employees...

The take away here is that TNSE will need to put some careful consideration into its final building design to avoid lots of issues when it is completed. The issues with Hydro, although less public, would be similar the major post-occupancy renovations at IGF or how the move in date for the police HQ was delayed when pumps failed to remove water from the building after a heavy summer storm.

bomberjet · #**1687** Posted **Jun 20, 2016, 9:04 PM**

Thats a problem with a lot of open floor cattle pen (cubicle) layouts. Way too open, especially if you have a loud talker who's always on the phone.

But seriously, they could frame in some office space or boardrooms so there is privacy. In my current cattle pen config, only the HR manager and other office type manager have closed in offices. The rest are open cubes.

esquire · #**1688** Posted **Jun 20, 2016, 9:13 PM**

I once worked for a larger outfit with a sizable HR department... they probably had more enclosed offices per capita than most other departments, which generally had an open layout. They also had several enclosed conference rooms for privacy. It certainly wasn't an insurmountable obstacle.

bomberjet · #**1689** Posted **Jun 20, 2016, 9:14 PM**

Of course we have numerous boardrooms that are closed off too. Seems like a bunch of silly excuses to keep the other place open. Anyways, off topic here.

esquire · #**1690** Posted **Jun 20, 2016, 9:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Of course we have numerous boardrooms that are closed off too. Seems like a bunch of silly excuses to keep the other place open. Anyways, off topic here.

Wouldn't the likeliest reason be that they simply need the space?

bomberjet · #**1691** Posted **Jun 20, 2016, 9:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Wouldn't the likeliest reason be that they simply need the space?

I suppose. So they built their new tower a bit too small then. haha

robertocarlos · #**1692** Posted **Jun 20, 2016, 9:27 PM**

I don't believe that wood frame can hold the weight of a tower crane. They need to add some more 2x4 bracing, maybe in a triangle pattern.

bomberjet · #**1693** Posted **Jun 20, 2016, 9:32 PM**

And maybe a little concrete too haha

cllew · #**1694** Posted **Jun 20, 2016, 9:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomberjet

I suppose. So they built their new tower a bit too small then. haha

Actually no, there is a lot of extensive infrastructure at Taylor ave (data center, station Tele-control etc) that are a backup for other Winnipeg locations including downtown. I am not sure where all the Hydro rented space around 820 Taylor moved to, I am sure that some of it may have gone into the old building as some of those departments moved out to Portage Ave.

robertocarlos · #**1695** Posted **Jun 20, 2016, 9:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomberjet

And maybe a little concrete too haha

cllew · #**1696** Posted **Jun 20, 2016, 9:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by robertocarlos

I don't believe that wood frame can hold the weight of a tower crane. They need to add some more 2x4 bracing, maybe in a triangle pattern.

Before the concrete trucks show up I am sure that the PCL crews will make sure that all the required bracing is in place to hold it.

I'm not sure would something that thick be done in one pour or a couple of lifts of concrete?

Cyro · #**1697** Posted **Jun 21, 2016, 1:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Oh looky. The wooden frame is in the hole and tower crane base being prepped to go in. I wonder if that will be covered over, the tower crane base. Or if it will be above grade somehow.

____________________________

General idea of the process they'll be following..

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=6300305&postcount=63

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=6318433&postcount=71

bomberjet · #**1698** Posted **Jun 21, 2016, 1:30 PM**

Thanks Cyro. So those are single use crane bases then. Stay in place after the building is done.

bomberjet · #**1699** Posted **Jun 21, 2016, 3:47 PM**

Also noticing there is a caisson sticking out on the right side of the hole. Quite far down. Going back to the excavation depth of the hole. I wonder if it'll get deeper as they progress construction? Or just dig down to the top of caissons and build up higher from there.

Cyro · #**1700** Posted **Jun 21, 2016, 4:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Thanks Cyro. So those are single use crane bases then. Stay in place after the building is done.

This is the impression I'm getting at this stage of the work from the images..

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Also noticing there is a caisson sticking out on the right side of the hole. Quite far down. Going back to the excavation depth of the hole. I wonder if it'll get deeper as they progress construction? Or just dig down to the top of caissons and build up higher from there.

Appears like the latter, as well it actually looks like 2, not sure from the pics....They've also moved all the trailers out of the excavation site over to the Carlton lot in the last day..