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New projects in Monroe North


GRDadof3

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8 minutes ago, KCLBADave said:

You are brave.  I am deathly afraid of heights.  Looking through those photos made my stomach queasy. 

Dude, I'm afraid of heights too. My hands were sweating for a good hour after I got back down on the ground. It was unbelievable though. 

The entire crane tips forward when the operator picks up a big load, and then tips back when the load is released. You can't really tell from the pictures how much the thing sways in the wind, as it's designed to do. And it wasn't even a windy day. :)  We had to call the operator when we were beginning our ascent, and then again when we got just below the cab. It took us 15 minutes just to get up there.  And when you get about 2/3's of the way up, you're sweating pretty hard and freezing at the same time, and even while standing on the platform you're holding onto the rail because they thing sways so much.

And THEN, when you get to the platform just below the operator's cab, you have to call the operator on the phone (can't text) and he gives you the OK to climb up to the boom section. Otherwise, crunch!! A nice big hug between crane parts (the boom obviously rotates separately from the tower portion).

When you're up on the boom section, the operator still has a job to do, so the winches are going and the whole thing is turning. 

It was pretty intense... I'd do it again in a heartbeat, lol. 

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16 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

Dude, I'm afraid of heights too. My hands were sweating for a good hour after I got back down on the ground. It was unbelievable though. 

The entire crane tips forward when the operator picks up a big load, and then tips back when the load is released. You can't really tell from the pictures how much the thing sways in the wind, as it's designed to do. And it wasn't even a windy day. :)  We had to call the operator when we were beginning our ascent, and then again when we got just below the cab. It took us 15 minutes just to get up there.  And when you get about 2/3's of the way up, you're sweating pretty hard and freezing at the same time, and even while standing on the platform you're holding onto the rail because they thing sways so much.

And THEN, when you get to the platform just below the operator's cab, you have to call the operator on the phone (can't text) and he gives you the OK to climb up to the boom section. Otherwise, crunch!! A nice big hug between crane parts (the boom obviously rotates separately from the tower portion).

When you're up on the boom section, the operator still has a job to do, so the winches are going and the whole thing is turning. 

It was pretty intense... I'd do it again in a heartbeat, lol. 

Awesome photos and description. But did I miss harnesses in the photos? Or are you not clipped in/tethered to the crane structure? 

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21 minutes ago, thebeerqueer said:

Awesome photos and description. But did I miss harnesses in the photos? Or are you not clipped in/tethered to the crane structure? 

No harnesses required apparently if you're inside the walkways. You'd have to try pretty hard to get out of the walkways, but I can definitely see dropping stuff accidentally. Hardhats had lanyards attached to them so they don't fly off. I had to wear my camera inside my winter coat until I stopped to take pictures. Then it was, remove gloves, put them somewhere, remove camera, remove lens cap and put it somewhere, try to use the viewfinder with a hardhat on, etc... Plus I wanted pictures on my phone, so there's another set of hands I wished I'd had.  First world problems I know. 

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3 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

Did you see the latest renderings when you were there? Are they the same? All brick? 

Joe

Precast concrete panels with brick inlaid on them. They pretty much look like brick unless you get up real close to them and you might catch the seams between the panels. There's a sample outside the construction trailer. 

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3 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

Precast concrete panels with brick inlaid on them. They pretty much look like brick unless you get up real close to them and you might catch the seams between the panels. There's a sample outside the construction trailer. 

It doesn’t sound great. Hope it looks better than described. :)

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11 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

It doesn’t sound great. Hope it looks better than described. :)

Haha, I don't think you can tell the difference from actual laid brick unless you really studied it up close. The bricks are actual masonry, just basically pre-mortared (and shallower). It's a nice color too, goes with the neighborhood. 

BTW, I noticed the Gill Industries signs are off the building they own (bought from GR Spring and Stamping). Anyone hear anything about what's going on? Did they sell to another company? 

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41 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

Haha, I don't think you can tell the difference from actual laid brick unless you really studied it up close. The bricks are actual masonry, just basically pre-mortared (and shallower). It's a nice color too, goes with the neighborhood. 

BTW, I noticed the Gill Industries signs are off the building they own (bought from GR Spring and Stamping). Anyone hear anything about what's going on? Did they sell to another company? 

Cool. I'll have to sneak down and see if I can get a photo!

Joe

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3 hours ago, crinzema said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DTGR-3.jpg

Nice pics! In this one, I noticed that they've built the land bridge from the East bank of the Grand River now, to work on the 196 bridge. Interesting that MDOT can fill in the river so quickly. They should have them put the rapids back in the river. :) 

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14 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

Nice pics! In this one, I noticed that they've built the land bridge from the East bank of the Grand River now, to work on the 196 bridge. Interesting that MDOT can fill in the river so quickly. They should have them put the rapids back in the river. :) 

Off topic,  but what are they doing to 196?

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Some photos from today. Embassy Suites and 601 Bond are going to make this area almost unrecognizable. 

 

4F17F408-3496-4286-AACE-197E24A15268.jpeg

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A4FB183D-D3F8-43E4-8A44-047AA418B630.jpeg

The Rockford building on the riverfront is looking good. Those balconies are going to have some amazing views. You can see the art panels they’re installing to screen parking  I think they look nice  I was worried when I saw the renderings  

 

CFA1236D-B949-40FB-B6E6-00D8AD76F0AB.jpeg

CB611933-B9D7-42AE-8319-F4747FC2D0AB.jpeg

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On 1/14/2018 at 5:06 PM, joeDowntown said:

Some photos from today. Embassy Suites and 601 Bond are going to make this area almost unrecognizable. 

 

4F17F408-3496-4286-AACE-197E24A15268.jpeg

A22244B5-2957-422D-B21F-A5DA8E72C3FE.jpeg

 

A4FB183D-D3F8-43E4-8A44-047AA418B630.jpeg

The Rockford building on the riverfront is looking good. Those balconies are going to have some amazing views. You can see the art panels they’re installing to screen parking  I think they look nice  I was worried when I saw the renderings  

 

CFA1236D-B949-40FB-B6E6-00D8AD76F0AB.jpeg

CB611933-B9D7-42AE-8319-F4747FC2D0AB.jpeg

 

Glad to see the steel going up again on the Embassy Suites. It seemed to sit at the same floors for a while there.

And look!! The fish artwork on that apartment building! Although it doesn't look like the renderings! :)

On 1/14/2018 at 5:11 PM, joeDowntown said:

601 Bond. One more floor and the penthouse of the Ammerman building will feel like a fishbowl. :)

 

50D47B9C-6B37-4D1A-8BAD-3A6D55752177.jpeg

I noticed that the other day too. I've been in a few of the condos in there that face East, some with two-stories of windows, and wonder what it's like in there now. 

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2 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

The Embassy Suites has been topped out I believe and it looks massive from the street, and from I-196. I think maybe because it's so longggggg?  I'll see if I can swing by today and get some pictures.

It is. Long enough that it’s ticky to get a photo that does it justice. I love how it connects the buildings on Sixth Street to the rest of the neighborhood. Definitely makes it a more contiguous neighborhood. 

 

Joe

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On 2/3/2018 at 11:04 AM, joeDowntown said:

It is. Long enough that it’s ticky to get a photo that does it justice. I love how it connects the buildings on Sixth Street to the rest of the neighborhood. Definitely makes it a more contiguous neighborhood. 

 

Joe

I couldn't agree more.  Monroe North is going to be bustling when that place opens up. 

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On 2/3/2018 at 11:04 AM, joeDowntown said:

It is. Long enough that it’s ticky to get a photo that does it justice. I love how it connects the buildings on Sixth Street to the rest of the neighborhood. Definitely makes it a more contiguous neighborhood. 

 

Joe

Tried to get a picture from the lot across the street, then got a phone call and got distracted and forgot to take the picture! :) It is pretty dang wide though. It's like being up close to a cruise ship.

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