This Week’s
Construction
Update
At long last, the
persistent hammer of rock excavation equipment has
come to an end. Abundant and extremely
durable bedrock was the cause for the lengthy
undertaking, and almost 650 cubic yards of
rock has been removed from the site, enough to
fill 25 truckloads with solid rock. The way
is now clear to begin construction of the
expanded basement area and restroom facility to
the east of the Pavilion. The rock
hammer equipment will be replaced by a
much quieter drilling rig that will smoothly
core through the bedrock to create structural
anchoring for the new building
foundation.
In an exciting preview of the
final plaza design, pavers were recently
installed and the pedestrian walkway shifted to
the northern edge of the site. Although the
tree pits and bollard locations are framed out,
trees will not be planted at the site until next
spring to ensure the best possible environment for
the newly planted trees.
Looking ahead,
much of the work over the next two weeks will
involve reconstructing the northwest corner of the
site at 17th Street and Broadway as well as the
traffic island on the northeast corner
at 17th Street and Park Avenue South.
Building sewer connections will also need to be
made in the midblock roadbed of 17th Street,
necessitating a minor traffic diversion to keep
traffic moving along 17th
Street.
Question of the
Week
Question:
Why are sprinklers operating on the site when it
is under construction?
Answer: The
mobile sprinkler system is part of the
contractor's obligation to minimize dust that is
generated by work at the site. Other dust
control measures include manual wetting down of
surfaces and rinsing of equipment and tires during
the work day and before leaving the site
premises. These dust control measures are an
important part of reducing airborne dust in
order to provide a more pleasant climate for
visiting the park or shopping at the
Greenmarket.
