SAN FRANCISCO | 535 Mission Street | 378 FT | 27 FLOORS - Page 7

CityKid · #**121** Posted **Jun 25, 2008, 11:14 PM**

Everyone at my office over on 2nd Street and Mission has commented on the new piling driving. The old timers are convinced that as soon as they finish one, they start building another.

BTinSF · #**122** Posted **Jun 25, 2008, 11:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CityKid

The old timers are convinced that as soon as they finish one, they start building another.

We would hope so, but this "old timer" can assure you that there have been several long gaps, especially in the late 80's and early 90's when they built very little.

JAC6 · #**123** Posted **Jun 25, 2008, 11:32 PM**

So that's where the noise is coming from...

And it is a very small footprint, as many have noted.

BTinSF · #**124** Posted **Jun 25, 2008, 11:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by peanut gallery

They are driving piles into all the holes they dug last week. They had one in the ground and another moving into position at around 7:30 this morning.

Yes. They seem scattered about the site so I'm pretty sure they are test piles. But they won't be able to pull them out--I assume they'll have to jackhammer them away to excavate. Looking forward to some digging equipment showing up on the site.

Reminiscence · #**125** Posted **Jun 26, 2008, 12:43 AM**

Good to hear about all the piledriving going on. I havent had the chance to swing by and check it out myself, but its good to see this one about to start getting serious.

On a side note, are we convinced this is only 49 m? I was never awesome at math, but I do know it should be more like 116 m.

peanut gallery · #**126** Posted **Jun 26, 2008, 6:54 AM**

Here's the photo I took this morning. The first pile is in the ground while they work with the next one:

By this evening all but a couple of the test piles were in place.

peanut gallery · #**127** Posted **Jun 26, 2008, 8:21 PM**

Well, I guess the test piling is done, as they've hauled all the equipment away. I hope it went well and, as BT mentioned, we'll be seeing some earth-moving equipment onsite soon.

peanut gallery · #**128** Posted **Jun 27, 2008, 8:42 PM**

They are wasting no time. There are various digging, moving and jack-hammering equipment doing their things onsite today. The have cleared everything that sticks up (landscaping, concrete benches, test piles light stands, etc) and even dug a good sized trench along Mission. I'll post a couple photos when I get home.

peanut gallery · #**129** Posted **Jun 27, 2008, 10:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BTinSF

As to the mass and it's relationship to 555, the rendering shows this building taller than the corner building and it looks to me like there will be a stairstep effect up to 555, then down again to 101 Second. I don't think it will be unpleasant.

I finally realized that at 380' this will be about the same height as 100 First St (the corner building). In fact, it will be slightly shorter. I sure hope 535 gets a little more height so there is indeed a step effect. I think it would need to be at least 400' to create that effect.

BTinSF · #**130** Posted **Jun 27, 2008, 11:25 PM**

The Planning Dept. documents say "approximately 380 ft" and looking at the rendering again, it's got a crown that's at least 3 and maybe 4 stories tall. That's 40 or 50 ft. I'm betting it tops 400 ft. counting the crown.

WonderlandPark · #**131** Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 12:47 AM**

Math check: 380 ft is 115.8m (it reads 49m in the thread title)

pseudolus · #**132** Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 3:08 AM**

What do "test piles" test for?

WildCowboy · #**133** Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 6:01 AM**

They drive test piles to see how deep they need to go to reach solid rock (or at least really really compacted material) stable enough to support and stabilize the building. With the information they gain from the test piles, they are then able to have the rest of the piles manufactured at very close to the proper length.

peanut gallery · #**134** Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 6:09 AM**

Here's an overview of the site at lunchtime:

Here's what used to be a landscaped area with large concrete-block benches. That hole next to the pile of dirt is deeper than it looks. It's as deep as, well, that pile of dirt:

We've waited a long time to see this sight at this site:

This is what's left of those benches and the tops of the piles:

Reminiscence · #**135** Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 6:59 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WonderlandPark

Math check: 380 ft is 115.8m (it reads 49m in the thread title)

Thanks for bringing that to attention. I had mentioned that a little up there, but I dont think they saw it.

roadwarrior · #**136** Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 3:32 PM**

Why is this still listed as a "proposal"? I thought that piledriving and bulldozing constituted a construction activity. No?

peanut gallery · #**137** Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 5:55 PM**

I think the guideline is something permanent, like piles or foundation work. In this case, I don't think the test piles are permanent and will be removed as they dig down.

Downtown Dave · #**138** Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 8:39 PM**

They already have filled in that deep hole:

peanut gallery · #**139** Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 9:47 PM**

Hmmm. I wonder what they were looking for down there? Some kind of soil test procedure?

Reminiscence · #**140** Posted **Jun 29, 2008, 3:37 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by peanut gallery

Hmmm. I wonder what they were looking for down there? Some kind of soil test procedure?

Another abandoned ship from the 1800s perhaps?