Construction Update - January 28, 2010

The construction of the 100 Block and the 200 Block of S. Gay Street is really starting to move on now and we are establishing, I believe, a really good rhythm with the work crews. This week we are working on the curb and entrance to Fire Street and are ready to pour the crosswalk in the 200 Block along Summit Hill. We are also ready to begin pouring the sidewalk in the next section of the sidewalk on the western side of S. Gay Street.

We finished pouring concrete for the bulb out sections at the beginning of the western sidewalk ( see pictures below) as well.

We plan to open up both sections of the sidewalk in the 200 Block on Friday and remove the fencing there so this will really open this area back up. We just finished the knee wall adjacent to the parking lot on the western side so the crosswalk along Summit Hill is all that remains before we begin work in the Vine Avenue intersection. This work will probably not take place until sometime in March as it will be involved and will require a complete closure of that intersection for around two weeks. We will have to likely flag for delivery trucks in the 200 Block and will allow valet and other parking on the 200 Block as best we can.

We will also have to bag, once again, the parking meters on State Street for no parking as we plan to remove that section of road and reconstruct that short piece of sidewalk along Treble Clef Park from Summit Hill to the tie in with the new sidewalk.

The first pieces of colored concrete have been poured in the 200 Block ( see next two pictures) and the remaining crosswalk at Summit Hill will be poured to the same color. I am told this is the predominant color for the rest of the project although there are some various shades for the banding yet to come.

We now have several crews working at once and the plan is to begin sidewalk construction on the eastern sidewalk of the 100 Block, beginning at Vine Avenue and working north until the supporting columns underneath begin. This work should go quickly as there is little supporting structure required. The estimate is for the construction on this piece to take one week. Then the plan is to move over onto the western sidewalk in front of FMB for another week.

At that point we will be ready to work in front of the Emporium, probably beginning on the evening of February 8 and working on the next two sections for the next three weeks or so ending just before the entrance to Slamdot.

While this work is going on we hope to be completing the micropiles and new column construction in the area of Unarmed Merchants and Dewhirst Properties. The plan is also to begin pouring concrete back for the roadway on the 100 Block on either end such that a complete lane can be finished along the western portion of the roadway in the 100 Block.

Weather permitting, we think we can really get moving along from here on out.

You may have noticed Southern Constructors has hired a gentleman just to keep all of the windows clean so we are thankful for their continued consideration for folks on the block.

Water services and just a small amount of electrical work is about all that remains as far as remaining utility work goes.

Don't forget the Streetscapes meeting scheduled for February 16 at 5:00pm at the Emporium. In addition to the Contractor, Engineers, KPD, KUB, and the CBID, I planning to invite the Fire Marshall office for input into Use Agreements for the under the sidewalk areas and other considerations.

As always, thanks for your interest.