I'm reserving judgement until the project is complete, but I'm not surprised by the look so far.  To me this does not look all that different from the renderings.

 

Here's a link to a pic of the rendering that was in the Plain Dealer back in 2011:

 

http://media.cleveland.com/architecture/photo/tower1jpg-dc8cc7b5d0fd1121.jpg

I'm surprised at the length of time its taking to wrap the building. It'll be 2016 by the time its done! Sheesh.

 

Liking how this covers up that silver band at the top of the bldg

 

I'm surprised at the length of time its taking to wrap the building. It'll be 2016 by the time its done! Sheesh.

 

Welcome to government work.  Your tax dollars in action.  One day at a time....

I'm surprised at the length of time its taking to wrap the building. It'll be 2016 by the time its done! Sheesh.

 

Welcome to government work.  Your tax dollars in action.  One day at a time....

 

This is a little bit more involved than simply mounting glass panels on to an existing structure.  We've seen long delays in private developments - 668, Schofield, etc. - and we've seen government projects move rapidly - new county admin building.  I guess it needs repeating, even on here, that you can't always judge the progress of construction projects by looking at pictures.  The Terminal Tower clean-up took longer.

 

^Common Hts., you know better than to counter such comments with facts :wink:

The terminal renovation understandibly took long because 75 year old Terra cotta was actually being replaced. Working on the County building I'm familiar with why/how it is getting done so fast. I understand their not simply cladding the building with new glass as if it were a new build. I also understanding that the federal government shutdowns funnel down to projects like this as well. That said I'm still disappointed at the speed this is going.

I believe that is has been mentioned on this site before, but there are federal regulations in place that have led to a longer construction time frame for this project. There are certain materials that cannot be used, restrictions on certain construction techniques, and even restrictions on where certain materials and equipment can be stored. And I agree with Hts121, there are more aspects to this project that aren't easily observable.

I believe that is has been mentioned on this site before, but there are federal regulations in place that have led to a longer construction time frame for this project. There are certain materials that cannot be used, restrictions on certain construction techniques, and even restrictions on where certain materials and equipment can be stored. And I agree with Hts121, there are more aspects to this project that aren't easily observable.

 

Ding ding ding ding.  I refer you back to my original statement. 

 

 

 

 

Not to mention, I think this winters high wind speeds near the lakeshore led to enforcement of OSHA rules and regs for suspending moveable scaffold from rooftop anchors.  That combined with cold temperatures.  working off a building at that height is rough in any winter, especially this past one.

The rumor I've heard from knowledgeable people that work in the building is that OPM rejected a lot of the materials and work as not being up to the strict standards set in the contract requireing more than a little rework last summer and fall. That combined with the weather has them way off schedule.

 

Interesting trivia fact for the day, construction on the building was started in the 60's before the Erieview building was announced. The Erieview building, which is several stories taller, was finished over a year before the Federal building.

Ugh, I'm all for environmental enhancements but I have yet to see a view of the new encasement that does the building any favors:

 

IMO, it did look nice from the inside when I was in there last week. No pictures though as I was there for a job interview.

^^ Its a shame because this building was one of the best looking from that era IMO. The new encasement is going to make it one of the ugliest at this rate. Hopefully when it is all done it will look better but at this point it looks terrible.

I really don't get the hate for the new look!:). I think it looks better, but in this case it's putting lipstick on a pig.

^I agree.  This project was not done for aesthetics, but it is going to make this building look better IMHO.  I never liked the old look and am hoping this new look adds some more diversity to our skyline.

Figured I'd resurrect this. I'm pretty sure the entire Hilton will be completed by the time this project ever finishes, but anyways they finally got the top layer of glass up on the south side of the building.

 

I know this is a government job, but why is this taking so long?

I know this is a government job, but why is this taking so long?

 

You answered your own question  :-D :-D :wink:

They're actually only about 6 months behind schedule. It wasn't an ambitious schedule to begin with, but they're close to it.

And this was another topic prematurely moved to the "Completed projects" section when it clearly is not finished.

I was reading some of the original posts on this thread and yikes!  I forgot that this project was $121M and only has an annual energy savings of ~$600K per year.  Makes me want to  :drunk: :drunk:....  It's true that if the federal money wasn't spent here then it would have been budgeted to another region but that's besides the point.  The tax payers get stuck with the bill either way.  Does the government ever perform a simple cost-benefit analysis?    Ugh.... sorry to ramble but had to get out the frustration.

^Is this only an energy savings project? If they are addressing deferred maintenance to the curtain wall and improving aesthetics, there are more benefits to add into that calculation.

I was reading some of the original posts on this thread and yikes!  I forgot that this project was $121M and only has an annual energy savings of ~$600K per year.  Makes me want to  :drunk: :drunk:....  It's true that if the federal money wasn't spent here then it would have been budgeted to another region but that's besides the point.  The tax payers get stuck with the bill either way.  Does the government ever perform a simple cost-benefit analysis?    Ugh.... sorry to ramble but had to get out the frustration.

 

Hey, it'll end up paying for itself....in just over 200 years

I think blast-proofing was another aspect.  Does anyone know why the east façade did a massive reconfiguration and looks different than the other 3 facades?  I'm guessing that had something to do with the 6  month delay.

I think blast-proofing was another aspect.  Does anyone know why the east façade did a massive reconfiguration and looks different than the other 3 facades?  I'm guessing that had something to do with the 6  month delay.

 

Yup. First, the building's proximity to surrounding streets is why the FBI, ATF, etc were relocated to a new building on Lakeside yet set back from the street in a horizontally spread out structure that couldn't be brought down Oklahoma City-style. But many more federal offices remain in the federal building which had to be protected as best it could from street-side attack.

Don't let the environmental aspects of this throw you.  This was all about blast proofing the building.  They could have brought this building up to current security standards, or they could have built a new building to those standards for twice as much.  This has all been covered in this thread before.

Don't let the environmental aspects of this throw you.  This was all about blast proofing the building.  They could have brought this building up to current security standards, or they could have built a new building to those standards for twice as much.  This has all been covered in this thread before.

Agreed. It was called an energy efficiency project mostly for accounting purposes. In 05/06 DFAS, which takes up over a third of the building, basically gave GSA the choice of build a new building or make the building blast resistant. When they priced building a new building that met the Defense Department standards on new buildings it was going to be over $350 Million.

 

A part of why it's so expensive is that in addition to slapping some new windows on, they have to replace all the HVAC in the building (most of which is covered in asbestos.) Plus the windows had to be custom ordered, you can't just go pick up blast resistant windows at any old supplier. All the work is being done with the building open to the public. Not to mention every worker, tool, piece of equipment has to go through security every time it enters the site.

Update from yesterday ...

 

 

^ New windows are looking pretty cool. I'm curious to know how the views from the inside are affected by the additional glass.

Also, I noticed the top of the building from the Innerbelt Bridge the other day, and from that distance, it looks like a totally new building on the skyline.

 

^ New windows are looking pretty cool. I'm curious to know how the views from the inside are affected by the additional glass.

On the 9th street side of the building the view isn't significantly different as the glass is clear. On the other sides it looks fine if you're looking down, but looking toward the horizon it does affect your ability to see. I've been waiting on taking any pictures as they're not cleaning the windows at all during construction so all you'd see in pics are the filth that has built up during the construction.

I think it's mentioned above but back to the longest project in history :) why does the eastern face have clear glass and the south has the glass with the brownish frosted tint. It looks weird

I think it's mentioned above but back to the longest project in history :) why does the eastern face have clear glass and the south has the glass with the brownish frosted tint. It looks weird

 

Three years and counting. This must be one of the most egregious misallocations of resources in Cleveland's history. Over $120 million for this boondoggle. Meanwhile, the roads outside the building (and in neighborhoods across the city) are literally crumbling away, but we are meant to celebrate an increase of the road-resurfacing budget to $10 million per year.

 

And yes, I realize that it's federal funds going towards this project, and it's not like the city could have decided to spent it on something else. Nevertheless, the juxtaposition is just maddening to me.

Three years and counting. This must be one of the most egregious misallocations of resources in Cleveland's history. Over $120 million for this boondoggle. Meanwhile, the roads outside the building (and in neighborhoods across the city) are literally crumbling away, but we are meant to celebrate an increase of the road-resurfacing budget to $10 million per year.

 

And yes, I realize that it's federal funds going towards this project, and it's not like the city could have decided to spent it on something else. Nevertheless, the juxtaposition is just maddening to me.

 

If only it were that simple. Besides, Congress is already raiding the general fund to keep the highway trust fund from falling into insolvency.

It probably wouldn't have been much more to construct a brand new office tower somewhere downtown instead of $120 million into this old one...

It probably wouldn't have been much more to construct a brand new office tower somewhere downtown instead of $120 million into this old one...

 

Probably true. Maybe $150 million to $200 million to provide the same square footage with the same security features, bomb-resistant exterior, etc.

And in about 200 years, it will pay for itself in energy savings.

As has already been covered, they're doing this primarily to make the facility more bomb resistant, the energy efficiency is a nice bonus, but gets coverage because people like it.  The estimate for replacing the facility outright was at least double the $120 million they are spending on the new shell.

It's really strange that the glass on the east-facing side isn't frosted like all the other glass. It really doesn't look good. Did the renderings show it like that?

I heard they are aiming for a June 2016 completion in time for the RNC Convention.  lol :wink:

I heard they are aiming for a June 2016 completion in time for the RNC Convention.  lol :wink:

 

Maybe they'll be done. Contractors contribute to political campaigns to make sure the work never ends.

It's really strange that the glass on the east-facing side isn't frosted like all the other glass. It really doesn't look good. Did the renderings show it like that?

 

I think it's just that picture.  I had a meeting at 9th and St. Clair earlier this week and looking at the building from that intersection the glass on all the sides looked frosted.  It was also a cloudy day, so maybe it depends on how the sun hits the glass. 

Is the glass actually frosted?  I thought I remembered reading that there were problems with condensation building up between the inner and outer layers of glass

Is the glass actually frosted?  I thought I remembered reading that there were problems with condensation building up between the inner and outer layers of glass

 

That's surprising.  And for another $75 million, they'll tear those off and fix the problem....  :roll:

There aren't condensation problems, it's fritting. Small dots that are frosted that allow a view out but block excessive heat gain.

 

It also has almost no use on the north or east facades of buildings, hence its exclusion from those sides.

^ Wait, so it's actually not frosted on the east facing side? MidwestChamp just said that he saw it in person and that the glass was frosted on that side.

^that's how it looked to me, but again it was a cloudy day too and it could be more the way the sun hits it. I was driving and couldn't take a picture unfortunately.

Not sure, I was basing that off the photo where it looks like it's not. If it is it's just for consistency's sake, not for any actual cost saving measures.

Two comments:

 

1.  I think the pyramids were built faster than this project is taking to complete. 

 

2.  When viewing the building this past Saturday while the morning sun was reflecting on the East façade, it was clear that there are a number of windows on that side that are sweating/fogging up.  The overall impression was not a good one.  Looked cheap and poorly constructed.  I wish we had some good investigative journalists who could look into this boondoggle. 

 

That is all.