I sent a helpful email to Kim, and got a friendly response in return.

I sent a helpful email to Kim, and got a friendly response in return.

 

So .. did it, or did it not include the word "dumbass"? :)

It most certainly did not. :-)

Easternmost part of the E&Y/Tucker tower site:

 

 

Yeah, I think the Waterfront Line might see more use in the near future ;-)

 

The west section has a LOT of earthmoving going on:

 

Not sure what this is being used for (aside from drilling into the ground):

 

And a panoramic update for you ingrates!  :lol:

wow great to see progress. nice pictures A+

fantastic!

thanks for the panoramic

 

-ingrate

MayDay, that large rig with the auger on it is for auger cast pile installation.  It is basically pile filled with a type of concrete for foundation installation associated with the foundation shoring.  They drill the foudation (like a mini-caison) versus driving it like you see with H-shaped pile.  That's why I am loving this project.  There is finally some old equipment coming out of the wodwork taht has been sitting in the crane yard since...oohh say 1999. 

 

Maybe that little hole on the E&Y/Tucker site with the orange fencing around it is where the tower crane will go...

^ They are building on an unconsolidated lake bed.  Lake Erie used to be 180 feet deeper in Ice Age times.

"Maybe that little hole on the E&Y/Tucker site with the orange fencing around it is where the tower crane will go..."

 

That makes sense, but is there a specific reason you're saying that?

"Maybe that little hole on the E&Y/Tucker site with the orange fencing around it is where the tower crane will go..."

 

That makes sense, but is there a specific reason you're saying that?

 

Honestly, I can not figure out what other reason it is there.  Therefore, no specifics, just an assumption.  I don't know if they would want it right over the Main Avenue Bridge, but I think they will need two cranes (1 dedicated to the garage and the other for the tower).  I don't know the foundation plan for the structure, I am assuming a mass excavation, but i think they would want to get that done first before seeting the crane.  It does not see as though they are ready fo it yet. 

Getting back on the topic of the Flats East Bank project itself:

 

Lots and lots more earthmoving going on:

 

The big "pipe" on the lower right is actually the top of a chain link fence:

 

What about the big turquoise pipe sticking out of that block of concrete in the lower left of the first picture.

 

 

Still wondering.

Here's what's going on...

 

Montgomery Burns Burns Slant Drilling Company.

 

Mr. Burns, owner of Springfield Nuclear, has also owned or co-owned a number of business ventures including the Monty Burns Casino, "Li'l Lisa" recycling, an ocean slurry manufacturing plant, Burns Slant Drilling Co., Burns Media, the electric company, the water works, and a hotel on Baltic Avenue.

What about the big turquoise pipe sticking out of that block of concrete in the lower left of the first picture.

 

I am assuming that is an exhaust (stink pipe) for the sewers.  I don't think they dug up the old infrastructure yet and I am sure letting gases build up underground is never a good idea.

Here's what's going on...

 

Montgomery Burns Burns Slant Drilling Company.

 

Mr. Burns, owner of Springfield Nuclear, has also owned or co-owned a number of business ventures including the Monty Burns Casino, "Li'l Lisa" recycling, an ocean slurry manufacturing plant, Burns Slant Drilling Co., Burns Media, the electric company, the water works, and a hotel on Baltic Avenue.

 

 

BRILLIANT!!

Maybe that little hole on the E&Y/Tucker site with the orange fencing around it is where the tower crane will go...

 

I walked around the site this afternoon.  It appears that the pile of dirt is actually some sort of brick structure that used to exist there (or still functions, say for sewer access).

 

What was on this lot before it became a parking lot?

Good question - here are some pics from clevelandmemory.org:

 

 

 

 

 

And here is a quick panorama from today:

 

And the mysterious "hole to nowhere":

Man, I am at a loss on that one.  I have never seen a ladder coming out of it, so it can't be access to anything.  Maybe they're leaving it open to see how much groundwater they are going to encounter seeping into the foundations as they dig them out.  They can make sometime of comparison off of that.  I am almost positive it is some type of "test hole" for stability of the soil or water infiltration.  Who's know's, I could be way off base.

I believe that it is an ancient Mayan temple.

portal to the olympics?

Aw c'mon, MayDay. That's some damn funny/creative stuff right there.

 

Seriously though, I'd love to talk with some of the construction workers to see what artifacts they might have found. After all this is where Cleveland started. There's got to be something interesting they're digging up.

maybe they found jimmy Hoffa haha

Your weekly update - looks like the western section of the site has been cleared and smoothed. Now there's a big pile of dirt/rubble on the eastern section:

 

 

^Thanks for the update MayDay;  BTW there are two brick buildings on the east end of this site, I'm guessing right where you snapped these shots, what if anything will become of them? In other words, are they in any way included in this project? Anyone with knowledge on this please feel free to answer even if it's been discussed before please. 

Yep, there's a parking lot between the two brick buildings which is where I've snapped all the "panorama" shots. I don't believe they're in any way involved aside from being adjacent.

^Thank you much... Does this mean the eastern elevation of the Ernst Young building may be somewhat obscurred?

Welllllll that's what I've been trying to figure out - I've emailed the good people at Flats East Bank for renderings, but they haven't gotten back to me.

 

From what I know now, the building will have parking underneath, so that may (operative word - may) result in the first floor being even with West 9th street - but how much is anyone's guess.

Welllllll that's what I've been trying to figure out - I've emailed the good people at Flats East Bank for renderings, but they haven't gotten back to me.

 

From what I know now, the building will have parking underneath, so that may (operative word - may) result in the first floor being even with West 9th street - but how much is anyone's guess.

 

They haven't even submitted the building's plans to design review.

Welllllll that's what I've been trying to figure out - I've emailed the good people at Flats East Bank for renderings, but they haven't gotten back to me.

 

From what I know now, the building will have parking underneath, so that may (operative word - may) result in the first floor being even with West 9th street - but how much is anyone's guess.

 

They haven't even submitted the building's plans to design review.

 

I appreciate you trying to get some new renderings MayDay, I'm sure we're all eager to see something more in line with what the final product will look like.

 

Considering all the site prep going on you would think we're close to having something ready for design review. Does anyone have an approximate time frame for when it comes up for approval?

New pics - no panorama since things haven't changed too drastically, but some new items of note:

 

 

Panning for gold?

 

Structural steel for something?

 

The steel is visible behind the truck in the center of the pic:

MayDay for President

Thanks MayDay!  No Gold, looks like they're still doing some auger cast pile installation for the shoring hence the concrete truck in the one photo.  Have you noticed any utility work (sewer pipe or manholes on-site) yet?  Also, in that last pick, any idea what that rectangular area on the ground is that almost looks like there is visqueen plastic surrounding it?

 

Edit:  Nevermind, I see sewer pipe staged on the property of what used to be..ohh, lets say Hooters or Rivers Edge.

MayDay for President

 

As IF I'd want to be demoted from my spot as HBIC on this forum! ;-)

 

Sorry gotribe, did you mean this (on the western section):

 

Or this (the mystery hole/Ayers Rock)?

Unreal MayDay!  Where do you come up with this stuff.  That is exactly what I meant.  I still don't know what's under it.  Maybe a Chia Pet 40 story condo tower that they're watering. 

 

Also, it appears as though you finally discovered what is in the "Pit". 

thank you for making me spit water on my keyboard...

 

 

LOL! I had to do a double take on that one.

thank you for making me spit water on my keyboard...

 

 

 

I just had taken a drink of water like 2 seconds before I looked at that pic....  Thank goodness I didn't kill my laptop!

I just had taken a drink of water like 2 seconds before I looked at that pic....

Me too.  MayDay involuntarily chokes half of UO!  Thanks!

Thowwwwy :-)

Amazing.  That moment makes me so proud to be a Spartan.

 

Thanks for the updates!

thank you for making me spit water on my keyboard...

 

It was funny, but it wasn't that funny!

thank you for making me spit water on my keyboard...

 

It was funny, but it wasn't that funny!

You had to be there! :-P

i just know mayday is sending copies of those outstanding pictures to the library. Very nice. Historic. In the day , I can remember hang'n wit da fellas an shoot'n rats off d'poo's dock @ 3 in the morning. Great memory's. Call the cops? Hell, they were already there. I was looking over the action a couple months ago and almost shed a tear watching my youth fade away. 

Or this (the mystery hole/Ayers Rock)?

 

THIS!  IS!  CLEVELAND!

 

No one grabbed that one, huh?  I'm dissappointed.

^LOL!!

Great pictures!

 

Are we ever going to see a decent rendering of the office tower?  Or, are we going to have to wait until it is built?

 

Also, are the Wolsteins ever going to have a formal groundbreaking?  By the looks of the pictures, I think they are too late!

 

For such a high profile project, the Wolsteins seem to have a very low key approach.

Great pictures!

 

Are we ever going to see a decent rendering of the office tower? Or, are we going to have to wait until it is built?

 

Also, are the Wolsteins ever going to have a formal groundbreaking? By the looks of the pictures, I think they are too late!

 

For such a high profile project, the Wolsteins seem to have a very low key approach.

 

They'll have to go to design review pretty soon. Once that happens, we should be able to see a rendering for the tower.

This is just the infrastructure work they're doing. New sewers, streets, utilities, etc. I'll bet this portion alone (including ripping out the old stuff), is costing tens of millions of dollars. Think of what First Interstate had to do get ready to build Steelyard Commons, or what RTA had to do to with Euclid in the downtown portion. That's pretty much what's happening here except Wolstein gets to tear everything down and start all over. This is a LOT of work they have to do just to make the slate clean...

^and they are doing it quickly and en masse. It really is amazing how quickly things can get done when it is necessary (office tenant leases).