Hudson's Site Building Thread

[bigboat]

[QUOTE=bigboat;563422]

Hello folks!


I cannot see much in the way of change, it does not look like they have put anything into the drilled caisson holes, cannot see any cement or rebar cage from these pictures.

In my opinion I'm rather surprised that all of that cement debris pile has not been removed yet either. I see a lot more of that black dirt that comes from the caisson holes, but have never seen any dump trucks removing it, does that happen at night? Many have a lot of questions, but realistically the best person to answer our questions would be someone directly involved in the construction oversight. The commenters on this site are speculators in answering questions and of course there is nothing wrong with that at all.

[Nicholas D'Asti]

They should really consider installing a webcam. I'm sure they will once the ball gets rolling in terms of actual structural construction work of the tower.

[Dmberko11]

They should really consider installing a webcam. I'm sure they will once the ball gets rolling in terms of actual structural construction work of the tower.

Exactly. There's no need for a webcam yet when they're just doing foundation work. It'll be so exciting when Detroit has several crains in the sky and things start to go vertical. I live in San Antonio and there's a lot of construction in our downdown

[Dexlin]

Just to be clear, the work is very much on schedule according to what Bedrock told Crain's months ago. They told them that from Fall 2018 to Spring 2019 would be foundation work. So, there won't be - and was never scheduled to be - any steel until spring.

The tower and the garage is scheduled to begin its rise, first, starting in spring, with the "block" to rise soon after in the summer. But they are and have been very much doing foundation work over this autumn and winter.

[stasu1213]

I think that Bedrock had arraigned the time schedule with the city ahead of time and the city probably had a hand in selecting the time frame including with the unions being involved. In any other city the time frame would be shorter

[Junjie]

I think that Bedrock had arraigned the time schedule with the city ahead of time and the city probably had a hand in selecting the time frame including with the unions being involved. In any other city the time frame would be shorter

No, this is very typical. I realize Detroit doesn't have many high-rises being constructed so people are easily duped by scare stories about how "Dan Gilbert is just pushing dirt around!" but actually it takes a good portion of time to do the foundation work and then to finish the building. The steel will go up very quickly and rapidly look impressive once they hit that stage of the project.

Here's a building whose construction I'm familiar with [[it was on my commute for a number of years when I lived in the DC area). It's less than half the height of Hudson's, and does have a big footprint but nothing comparable to the additional pedestal building in Gilbert's project: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1812_N_Moore

Groundbreaking was October 2010. The tower topped out in March 2013. It took them what felt like a very long time [[2010-2012) to tear down a McDonald's, dig a big hole, do a bunch of utility and foundation work etc. But the steel went up in the space of probably a year or less.

Gilbert broke ground at Hudson's at the very tail end of 2017, and from all accounts intends to start building up later this year [[2019). Nothing at all unusual, and perhaps even rapid for a project of this scale.

[Infrastructure]

Exactly. There's no need for a webcam yet when they're just doing foundation work. It'll be so exciting when Detroit has several crains in the sky and things start to go vertical. I live in San Antonio and there's a lot of construction in our downdown

I'd bet they have a webcam - its probably just not public yet. I was walking to work this morning and noticed a camera trained on the job site on the 8th floor balcony of 1 Campus Martius above the Kern's Clock.

Desktop research right now shows it present on the August 2018 streetview image, but not the July 2017 version.

[NSortzi]

Another thing to consider when looking at the length of this project is the fact that a four level underground parking garage had to be demolished before foundation work could begin. It takes longer to demolish structures than to dig a hole in the ground, which is how most high rise construction begins.

[stasu1213]

I do admit that the project is moving along quickly. Last year this time there were steel beams protruding from the ground. I had always wondered if the original site of the RenCen was the riverfront or was the site going to be more inland somewhere

[Scottathew]

I spoke with a contractor familiar with the project. He stated that the site [[didn't specify when) will be getting four giant cranes.

[EGrant]

Quad crane

[Worldsgreatest]

I spoke with a contractor familiar with the project. He stated that the site [[didn't specify when) will be getting four giant cranes.

nnnnnn

that'll shut the haters up real quick.

[Scottathew]

Here are some new pictures from today. Things of note:
- They were pouring concrete when I took the picture
- They are building a dirt ramp in the NW corner [[perhaps so they can do foundation work in SW corner)

[stasu1213]

Things probably will slow down if there is a snow storm. Construction always move faster when it's warmer. It had been reported that there are those whom have key position within city government who really didnt and dont want this project on the site. This site was just sat on for many years before Gilbert had taken interest in the property. There are probably still properties that are still being sat on throughout downtown and the city by owners who are just using them for tax purposes

[JonWylie]

Things probably will slow down if there is a snow storm. Construction always move faster when it's warmer. It had been reported that there are those whom have key position within city government who really didnt and dont want this project on the site. This site was just sat on for many years before Gilbert had taken interest in the property. There are probably still properties that are still being sat on throughout downtown and the city by owners who are just using them for tax purposes

What's the deal with people not wanting it on this site? I've haven't heard anything about that before.

[Dexlin]

Here are some new pictures from today. Things of note:
- They were pouring concrete when I took the picture

Just curious, but where were they in the site? I don't see any concrete trucks down there, but maybe my eyes are blind to them.

[Worldsgreatest]

Just curious, but where were they in the site? I don't see any concrete trucks down there, but maybe my eyes are blind to them.

The cement truck is on Woodward in the photo look closer, see the big large white tentacle thing? That's concrete being poured.

[Worldsgreatest]

What's the deal with people not wanting it on this site? I've haven't heard anything about that before.

This is the first time I'm hearing this as well. Who in Detroit city government doesn't want Hudson site developed? Explain further.

[Scottathew]

Just curious, but where were they in the site? I don't see any concrete trucks down there, but maybe my eyes are blind to them.

As they say in television shows depicting technology, "enhance, enhance, enhance". Here you go:

[bigboat]

The cement truck is on Woodward in the photo look closer, see the big large white tentacle thing? That's concrete being poured.

That big white tentacle thing is a concrete pumping truck, that allows wet cement to be installed in difficult locations. Does look like they are building another ramp. Maybe need to drill caisson holes where the large dirt ramp is.

[EGrant]

Does look like they are building another ramp. Maybe need to drill caisson holes where the large dirt ramp is.

Which might be why they never removed the large pile of rubble on that side. Turns out us armchair engineers might not know it all...

[Worldsgreatest]

They probably knew they needed multiple ramps so they could do reinforcement work on all the bathtub walls.

[A2Mike]

Some Macy's employes I know at Somerset were recently discussing what they said were Federated's plans to turn their store into a Bloomingdale's, since the Oakland Macy's is so close, although they also thought that they might actually put one in the new Hudson's site building in Detroit. This may be just the usual staff gossip, but I wonder if Gilbert has enough clout to pull off such a coup.

[Atticus]

Some Macy's employes I know at Somerset were recently discussing what they said were Federated's plans to turn their store into a Bloomingdale's, since the Oakland Macy's is so close, although they also thought that they might actually put one in the new Hudson's site building in Detroit. This may be just the usual staff gossip, but I wonder if Gilbert has enough clout to pull off such a coup.

The floor plans were already released, and basically there is not enough square footage of retail [[in the proper department store format) to get even a small urban Macy's to fit, even if Gilbert wanted. The retail fronting Woodward is of a format most similar to a strip mall, much as I hate to use that description with the Hudson's project. The back is for the "urban market" grocery concept.

Anyway, there will be enough space to squeeze in about 6 stripmall sized commercial stores/restaurants [[or less if a few pair together for a larger store/restaurant). Even all 6 combined would be much smaller than what an urban Macy's store would need.

[EGrant]

Maybe they meant the Monroe project?