Hudson's Site Building Thread

**EGrant** · June-04-20, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by ParisianLesion

Hence the word "similar." I'm not saying that he's going to build a garage, I'm saying that just because he has completed millions of dollars in caissons and foundations doesn't mean he must put a tower on top of it. If the economics no longer work out, there's nothing stopping him from mothballing the project and capping it. Probably more likely however is that he builds a smaller [[maybe MUCH smaller) structure with the ability to build it up higher later... ala Compuware building and the BC garage.

That's a very fair point, and different from the "nothing will ever be built, this is all a conspiracy theory" trolls that love to chime in.

**gthomas** · June-04-20, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by Dmberko11

No need for obscenities like that. Don’t understand why people on here have to attack one another like they do. The tower will get built. If you’re impatient then don’t check its status daily, I certainly don’t. Check in every now and then. While I too am mystified why they’re drilling so many caissons for the structure that will be built there and why it’s taking so long...I don’t have the answers. Maybe with the firm from Chicago that’s partnering with Bedrock to offer support will get the ball rolling.

Thank you. I'm just frustrated because I do love my city and always been the Detroit booster. But I will do what you suggested, just check in from time to time. Thanks again for understanding and being a civil adult. We all have freedom of speech, this is a forum.

**gthomas** · June-04-20, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

What happened gthomas? You were once one of the "over the top" Detroit boosters on this site [[almost at Metro level). Watch out for some of the newer posters. Civility is dying all around us.

Lol yes I was that guy, but I'm getting old quick. I just want to see this thing built before I die. Almost been my dream, I'll be more patient about it. Hope all is well with you 😁

**bigboat** · June-04-20, 05:45 PM

Very strange unless someone has developed the Covid Virus, no one was doing anything at the Hudsons site today and very unusual for a Thursday. With the way they have been working something is up, Bedrock has changed their mind again or Dan Gilbert has changed his. The slowness is very strange with this whole scenario, I don't think they worked on June 3 either. Something just does not seem right to me.

**Seven&wyo** · June-04-20, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by bigboat

Very strange unless someone has developed the Covid Virus, no one was doing anything at the Hudsons site today and very unusual for a Thursday. With the way they have been working something is up, Bedrock has changed their mind again or Dan Gilbert has changed his. The slowness is very strange with this whole scenario, I don't think they worked on June 3 either. Something just does not seem right to me.

Neat. Thank you for the copy/paste complaint. Again

**Satiricalivory** · June-04-20, 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by bigboat

Very strange unless someone has developed the Covid Virus, no one was doing anything at the Hudsons site today...

I think the camera recording time is messing up, when you first start the video you see a bunch of workers leaving the site in their cars so they were definitely there. There was no video at all yesterday June 3rd.

I imagine whoever works the thing has not been in the office for a long time.

EDIT: another piece of evidence that corroborates my theory, if you look at the last video all the machinery and equipment on site are in totally different spots.

**leland_palmer** · June-04-20, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by Satiricalivory

I think the camera recording time is messing up, when you first start the video you see a bunch of workers leaving the site in their cars so they were definitely there. There was no video at all yesterday June 3rd.

I imagine whoever works the thing has not been in the office for a long time.

EDIT: another piece of evidence that corroborates my theory, if you look at the last video all the machinery and equipment on site are in totally different spots.

It looks like the record is starting in late afternoon. You can tell by direction that the shadows are being cast.

**Dmberko11** · June-04-20, 11:36 PM

Originally Posted by gthomas

Thank you. I'm just frustrated because I do love my city and always been the Detroit booster. But I will do what you suggested, just check in from time to time. Thanks again for understanding and being a civil adult. We all have freedom of speech, this is a forum.

Detroit development is like Detroit sports. It stinks. And leaves you consistently disappointed. But every once in a while you get a championship or a good season [[skyscraper or mini construction boom). I try not to get too emotionally tangled in it as I am diehard Detroit as they come. I desperately want my hometown to become one of the country’s greatest cities again. Top five. Like it used to be pre-1950s. You never know what might happen. Industries change, population shifts. Sometimes you get hometown heroes like the Gilberts of the world and that helps. Detroit still has so much character and charm. Great metro area too. It’s not going away anytime soon. I predict in the next twenty years the population might get up to say 750,000 city limits. That’s still pretty sizable. And the metro is huge!

**bigboat** · June-05-20, 06:11 AM

Originally Posted by Seven&wyo

Neat. Thank you for the copy/paste complaint. Again

I'm not complaining at all. But, you have to admit this whole construction schedule is very, very unusual as to the way this major Detroit Development is being constructed. Most of us are sorry it has not come along further and closer to vertical construction. I'm disappointed, but also not a critique and I have always tried not to call commentators names or insult someone just because I give a perspective that is a little different from what they think, I'm open to anyone's opinion and I will always promise not to call you a name or insist you don't know what you are talking about.

**Atticus** · June-07-20, 08:34 AM

So if the camera doesn’t come back, does that mean nothing is happening in the pit?

[[No, I am not serious)

**CR75** · June-07-20, 10:31 AM

I am no civil engineer, but I can only imagine that the foundation work on this project is extremely complex. For one thing, the site hosted the largest voluntary imploded demolition in history. The only comparison that comes to mind is the WTC site: the foundation work for the Freedom Tower took many years to complete, before the building started to rise. I would imagine that only a handful of specialized firms can do this type of work. I don't think it's too crazy to expect delays, and honestly the deadlines that Bedrock set out from the beginning looked ambitious regardless.

In the greater scheme of things, though progress has been made, it is still hard for Detroit to attract investments. We see that everyday with promising projects being canceled due to financing issues, even at the micro level with people struggling to get mortgages. I guess if you don't live in the city you don't really understand these things. What Bedrock is trying to accomplish here is quite extraordinary, so yeah, it will take time. I for one salute the long-term vision that this firm has for downtown, and I am baffled by all the disparaging comments that I constantly see on this thread.

**abraham** · June-07-20, 12:13 PM

I could not agree more.

**EGrant** · June-07-20, 03:05 PM

I think for the most part, this thread is made up of people genuinely interested in updates, discussing the design, and the impact this huge project will have on the city. Then there's a very small, but annoying group of trolls love to come here and rile everyone up.

It's not even worth responding at this point, they just want a reaction from people have committed the sin of being interested in the progress of a construction project.

**Dmberko11** · June-07-20, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by CR75

I am no civil engineer, but I can only imagine that the foundation work on this project is extremely complex. For one thing, the site hosted the largest voluntary imploded demolition in history. The only comparison that comes to mind is the WTC site: the foundation work for the Freedom Tower took many years to complete, before the building started to rise. I would imagine that only a handful of specialized firms can do this type of work. I don't think it's too crazy to expect delays, and honestly the deadlines that Bedrock set out from the beginning looked ambitious regardless.

In the greater scheme of things, though progress has been made, it is still hard for Detroit to attract investments. We see that everyday with promising projects being canceled due to financing issues, even at the micro level with people struggling to get mortgages. I guess if you don't live in the city you don't really understand these things. What Bedrock is trying to accomplish here is quite extraordinary, so yeah, it will take time. I for one salute the long-term vision that this firm has for downtown, and I am baffled by all the disparaging comments that I constantly see on this thread.

Well said 😊

**JTburner** · June-08-20, 01:11 PM

A second large pipe similar to the one installed on 2:30 into the June 1 timelapse video was placed on 6/5 and was filled with a large rebar cage of equal length. Both of these large pipes reach above street level. The second pipe was placed roughly in the middle of the podium footprint.

**Atticus** · June-08-20, 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by JTburner

A second large pipe similar to the one installed on 2:30 into the June 1 timelapse video was placed on 6/5 and was filled with a large rebar cage of equal length. Both of these large pipes reach above street level. The second pipe was placed roughly in the middle of the podium footprint.

I’d be very curious to know if work resumed today, but it seems the camera is still down.

My optimistic guess what happened last week is that the construction crews only worked early mornings or not at all because of the protests. Basically, no one knew how the protests would unfold on any given day, and that posed a risk to the construction work. For instance, if tear gas or other looting would have happened on Woodward while the work was occurring, that could have been dangerous or costly to the construction workers and equipment. There was also the risk the protests could prevent workers and equipment from getting to or from the site. Obviously none of that materialized, but hindsight is 20/20. Rather than take the risk, the construction company probably just said no/limited work last week to be safe.

That is my hope at least, and again would be very curious what happened there today.

**JTburner** · June-08-20, 08:34 PM

Work resumed on 6/5 and continued today

**bigboat** · June-09-20, 04:51 AM

[QUOTE=Atticus;594245]So if the camera doesn’t come back, does that mean nothing is happening in the pit?

Since the discussion has been about the slow progress on the Hudson Site, does anyone know what has happened to the camera and the commentator cameraman, 48307? Have not seen any comments from him/her or any updated videos in at least a week.

**Atticus** · June-09-20, 05:52 AM

Originally Posted by JTburner

Work resumed on 6/5 and continued today

Good to know, and thank you for the update.

**Scottathew** · June-09-20, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by bigboat

Since the discussion has been about the slow progress on the Hudson Site, does anyone know what has happened to the camera and the commentator cameraman, 48307? Have not seen any comments from him/her or any updated videos in at least a week.

Hello! I am here! Things have been busy for me, I've been working 100% from home while taking care of my two children. It's been an adjustment. I've been monitoring this thread but I don't really engage the trolls, so I've been quiet.

A few things:
- I don't operate the YouTube channel
- I know the people who do
- I used to take pictures every few days, but I stopped doing that a long time ago when the time-lapse photography was published on the YouTube channel [[it's superior to my pictures)
- Work restarted at this site on May 11th from what I've seen in the videos
- There seems to be no work being done in the tower section other than prepping rebar that will go into the block section
- The Youtube channel is an automated system that is setup on the 12th floor of the One Campus Martius Building. I think that's one of the reasons why it kept running while all of Gilbert's folks were working from home [[and most still are)
- My hunch is that something broke the automation process that runs on the computer that does the YouTube videos

I will reach out to my contacts and report back if possible.

**JBMcB** · June-09-20, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by 48307

- My hunch is that something broke the automation process that runs on the computer that does the YouTube channels

Usually what happens is they set something like this up on a Windows machine, and when the monthly automated patch deploys, it reboots itself to install it and doesn't start up the streaming software on startup. When there is someone in the office, they can walk over to the machine and double-click the streaming app. When there is nobody in the office... You'd be amazed at how many self-deployed things [[weather stations, webcams, other web-attached gadgets) drop off the internet the first Tuesday of every month.

**Scottathew** · June-09-20, 01:32 PM

Hudson Site Camera Update:

The person who controls the camera lost contact with the computer that runs it. I know some folks in the office so I was able to leverage them to help out. The camera was unplugged and moved due to some things that are happening in the building. The camera is plugged in and has been positioned looking back down at the site. The computer is back online!

Hopefully we'll have a construction video for tomorrow!

**MrChrome** · June-09-20, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by 48307

Hudson Site Camera Update:

The person who controls the camera lost contact with the computer that runs it. I know some folks in the office so I was able to leverage them to help out. The camera was unplugged and moved due to some things that are happening in the building. The camera is plugged in and has been positioned looking back down at the site. The computer is back online!

Hopefully we'll have a construction video for tomorrow!

Thanks for assisting! I've missed watching these.