[Moncton] Infinity | Harper & Main & Bateau | 104m | 30 Storeys | Proposed

[BlackYear]

Before they pile drive them steel poles into the ground, shouldn't they be leveling the grade of the ground first? Drove by today and the ground is completely unlevel. I think the crane is just there just for decor until spring.

[Leroy321]

Originally Posted by BlackYear

Before they pile drive them steel poles into the ground, shouldn't they be leveling the grade of the ground first? Drove by today and the ground is completely unlevel. I think the crane is just there just for decor until spring.

I’m not entirely sure but they put wooden stakes in a square form resembling a tower crane pad I think that is levelled enough to pile drive for right now and then they can get a tower crane in as soon as possible.

[Monctoncore]

Originally Posted by BlackYear

Before they pile drive them steel poles into the ground, shouldn't they be leveling the grade of the ground first? Drove by today and the ground is completely unlevel. I think the crane is just there just for decor until spring.

Just have to wait and see what they plan. They may not need spring to level the ground, the Frost probably isn’t that deep, so it may not be difficult for them to level it out. I know nothing though, so I’m just speculating that it shouldn’t be a problem. We will have to watch for more and more equipment being brought to the lot.

[MonctonianSentinel01]

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

Not only would it be the tallest in Canada outside of major cities, it also would be in the USA as well. There is only 20 cities with a building that is 50 storeys in height or taller, the smallest of which are New Orleans & Oklahoma City. If you’re looking for what it would look like on a skyline, OKC has a 50 storey building and it sticks out like a sore thumb.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2024/01/27/oklahoma-city-skyscraper/72371121007/

Is it about to get worse or better?

[MonctonRad]

Shhhh - don't tell Ashford. It'll give them delusions of grandeur........

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Construction to begin on Main Street tower
City says developer could go as high as 30 storeys to create new gateway into downtown
Author of the article:Alan Cochrane
Published Jan 28, 2024 • Last updated 3 hours ago • 2 minute read
https://tj.news/moncton-miramichi/construction-to-begin-on-main-street-tower (paywall)


A construction crane is being set up on the vacant lot off Main Street where developers have proposed to build a 30-storey mixed-use building. PHOTO BY ALAN COCHRANE /BRUNSWICK NEWS

The newspaper article doesn't have anything new that we haven't alreasy discussed on SSP, but, you know what they say, - if it's in the T&T, it's gotta be true!!! Right???

Article says that while the project is approved for up to 30 floors the actual height is still subject to soil studies.

Is it just me or would you not expect the soil studies to see if 30 story's is even feasible would have been done by this point?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Article says that while the project is approved for up to 30 floors the actual height is still subject to soil studies.

Is it just me or would you not expect the soil studies to see if 30 story's is even feasible would have been done by this point?

Yes. Soil studies have already been done. The point has already been made that that's an awfully big boom crane just to be doing soil analysis. It seems obvious their plan is to drill to bedrock.

Now, I suppose it is possible that on the way down to bedrock, something catastrophic with the substrate might be discovered, imperiling the project, but, I think that highly unlikely.

The intent is for 30 storeys. People here and on Retail Talk & Share have mentioned that the plans are secure. This is what is going to happen barring some unexpected event.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Yes. Soil studies have already been done. The point has already been made that that's an awfully big boom crane just to be doing soil analysis. It seems obvious their plan is to drill to bedrock.

Now, I suppose it is possible that on the way down to bedrock, something catastrophic with the substrate might be discovered, imperiling the project, but, I think that highly unlikely.

The intent is for 30 storeys. People here and on Retail Talk & Share have mentioned that the plans are secure. This is what is going to happen barring some unexpected event.

Direct quote from the TJ article...

"Bill Budd, director of planning for the City of Moncton, said this week developers have approval to build up to 30 storeys, but the final height will be determined on soil studies and other work that has not yet been completed."

Is Mr Budd misinformed or did the TJ quote him incorrectly?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Is Mr Budd misinformed or did the TJ quote him incorrectly?

Bill was just being cautious in his response, which is entirely appropriate when you are dealing with the gentlemen of the press. Either that, or he was being misquoted.

I know from experience how screwed up reporters can get things. When I was in med school in Halifax, I was interviewed once by the Chronically Horrid regarding a research project I was engaged in. The headline was hyperbolic (eyecatching) but entirely wrong. It was months before my classmates would let me live it down.

Having said this however, it is entirely possible that something in the soil conditions at depth might cause a change in the height of this project. My understanding is that at present, no such problems have been uncovered, and, that the project is otherwise cleared for 30 storeys. Could something still happen? Yes, but, unlikely.

[Monctoncore]

I could be 100% wrong, but I think Mr. Budd is just repeating the same information from the council meeting they had when this was approved. Its very similar to what he was saying back then. At this point, I have no clue what they are doing, but I am sure we will see soon enough. Its a prominent location that a lot of people pass by daily.

[WhipperSnapper]

That crane is tall. It will either be drilling deep holes for soldier piles or caissons in place of a drill rig or a yet to be delivered drill rig will drill the holes and the crane will hoist and lower the rebar cages for concrete caissons.

Hammering piles into the ground is a possibility. They tend to bend when they hit denser material. Not good to have crooked piles for excavating underground parking or carrying the load of a 30 storey tower. It's noisy and disruptive work.

[new kid in town]

I drove by lunch time there and there's a second heavy equipment on site, as well as what looked like a container office.

[Leroy321]

There was some steel beams getting unloading today

[MonctonPerson]

Hard to tell from the ground, but the piles being driven today look like they would be around the base of the tower.

[new kid in town]

Retail Talk just posted onsite photos

[MonctonRad]

Soil testing my ass..............

[new kid in town]

Let's gooo!!

[Monctoncore]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Soil testing my ass..............

People on retail talk and share are pretty adamant that it is ������. Even one said they pile drive to test how big the building can be. We all could be wrong, but doing research, to test the ground they use much different equipment. They actually now have a sonar based system that can detect where the bedrock is.

I couldn’t see a developer, spending a lot of money to have a building designed, wind tested, do shadow studies and go through the city approval process, only to have to change everything because they forgot to see if the ground was suitable for a large building.

The only question is that usually you’d dig down first especially with under ground parting and then do the piles.. so that’s the only thing different about this.

[DyAm00394]

Originally Posted by Monctoncore

The only question is that usually you’d dig down first especially with under ground parting and then do the piles.. so that’s the only thing different about this.

Yeah as an example: the Fundy Quay here in SJ dug out a hole in the shape of the building, (an L-shape), then started driving in all the piles. It's only a 6-storey building on the waterfront and it's taken several months, (started in November and still not finished pile driving). So them just putting in steel without digging first is interesting.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by MonctonianSentinel01

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2024/01/27/oklahoma-city-skyscraper/72371121007/

Is it about to get worse or better?

That looks so silly. Their skyline is already a mess. This will be as bad as one of those middle eastern cities where this whole city is built around a single super tall skyscraper.