Hmm, what's going on at Van Buren and Canal this morning? Anyone?

https://app.oxblue.com/open/clarkcon...erconstruction

https://i.imgur.com/Qrmzsvv.png

^ looks like it might be soil testing.

with a former parking garage sitting on the piece of land, they might have a fair bit of soil testing to do before the caisson rigs start drilling.

Ah good point. Hard to do testing under a parking garage. Was hoping they'd roll right into drilling. Hopefully they just take a quick dip, lol. :haha:

We don't have to guess there is a second construction cam for this project that is much closer to the action at the same link.

Feel like such a doofus. Thanks! I think that's newish... Plus OPO rooftop construction too. And Tokoyo Inn! :tup: https://app.oxblue.com/open/clarkcon...erconstruction

https://i.imgur.com/FLFtZwZ.png

Just checked the webcam... banana time??

^ the new piece of equipment looks like it might be a pile-driver.

perhaps for site perimeter piling?

The same vertical rigs are used by other contractors for caisson work, haven't seen RevCon use one for caissons yet, but generally the caissons are sunk, the piers installed, and the caissons removed before the sheet pile starts.

^ i was thinking that it might be for some kind of pile driving because i didn't see any drill bits, caisson sleeves, or rebar cage assembly on site, but there are a couple of long wide flanges laying nearby, so........

The 12:04 shot appears to show an excavator moving a (modest) belling bit.

from the webcam, it looks like pile driving to me, but i'm no expert.

can anyone in the area today confirm?

The drill could be for soldier piles which means excavation will be next. When I zoom in, the resolution is lost.

That is definitely a sheet pile vibrator pusher thingy on the red vertical rig.

I believe work has begun on the secant pile wall. I'll post a couple of photos later. Also, two concrete trucks were on site.

December 18, 2019

That looks like they're coring something. I know when they did the transit center next door they had problems driving sheet piles and had to drill out some old concrete in order to do so.

Concrete trucks are possibly filling an old utility vault/duct.

So confused, as an amateur. Would love a YouTube video of what makes this one different, digging wise.

What size bit is this? :shrug:

Great pics solar!

There was a pedestrian tunnel from the demolished parking structure to Union Station. Possibly they are dealing with that?

Possibly part of it, but most of the pedestrian tunnel is staying and will connect into the new tower. The tunnel is also mostly located under Canal Street. Only the last ramped section was being removed and rebuilt.

This is a complex site with lots of built history. There is a freight tunnel that runs through the center of it for instance that has to be maintained, and the 'L' used to cross through it as well. I believe the piles from the demolished garage are too high for the new basement level (there might be other foundations as well). and part of the site at the southeast corner used to be part of Canal Street. I know the bus station was delayed many times while discovering previously uncharted abandoned and active utilities. Any one of these things could be involved in the current site work.