55 West

[JRS1]

they were pouring concrete today into those two cast uprights.

[JRS1]

the 1st two uprights are now complete with concrete and a 3rd one has the form around it. officially gone vertical.

[dpalum]

Won't be long now... weather permitting. What do you think would happen if a major storm hit Orlando like Charlie in '04? (Knock on wood of course!)

[JRS1]

Won't be long now... weather permitting. What do you think would happen if a major storm hit Orlando like Charlie in '04? (Knock on wood of course!)

I think they've gone a long way to "Charlie-ize" ORL since then; trees cut back from power lines; new power stations & repairs to old ones;

But, I think they need to have complete floors on the towers with no open window openings by storm time, otherwise... trouble. Maybe they can use the theatre level of Plaza as a shelter if worse comes to worse.

[JRS1]

uprights 2 and 3 have forms around them as of this am.

[chgochris]

Any ideas as to when we should see cranes for this one

[JRS1]

Any ideas as to when we should see cranes for this one

I'd say not for a couple of months; but, I'm not that much construction savvy.

[orlandonative]

Won't be long now... weather permitting. What do you think would happen if a major storm hit Orlando like Charlie in '04? (Knock on wood of course!)

Nothing immeadietly. You basically unlock the cranes and tie everything else down. In Florida, you plan for that kind of stuff like you excpect it to happen. The biggest affect would be long term, pretty much every project in the pipeline would disappear. Materials go back into escalation, you finish the finish the projects that are already bought out, and then you look for a new line of work. A hurricane might be the worst possible thing to happen to construction this year.

Any ideas as to when we should see cranes for this one

After they drill the piles located under the base(s).

Edited May 16, 2006 by orlandonative

[GregoryMCSE]

Nothing immeadietly. You basically unlock the cranes and tie everything else down. In Florida, you plan for that kind of stuff like you excpect it to happen. The biggest affect would be long term, pretty much every project in the pipeline would disappear. Materials go back into escalation, you finish the finish the projects that are already bought out, and then you look for a new line of work. A hurricane might be the worst possible thing to happen to construction this year.

After they drill the piles located under the base(s).

would a project like this get finished.. or would they scrap it in mid stream?

[orlandonative]

would a project like this get finished.. or would they scrap it in mid stream?

No, they would finish it. Typically before you build these there is a buyout process in which you do just that, you buy everything (for the most part) that you'll need to build your building. In a case like this you have already factored in what is considered normal escalation into your price, therefore if it increases more than that you are pretty much grandfathered in at the pre-escalation cost. Overall its generally a good practice for everyone involved unless something like this actually happens, then the supplier gets screwed.

However, current conditions might end up being a blessing in the end. What it does is force owners/developers to really act swiftly when it comes down to making decisions. The threat of your project already potentially being at its lowest price, and increasing daily, is a huge motivator.

[facilities man]

However, current conditions might end up being a blessing in the end. What it does is force owners/developers to really act swiftly when it comes down to making decisions. The threat of your project already potentially being at its lowest price, and increasing daily, is a huge motivator.

Very true. I'll bet the developers of 55W wish they hadn't drug their feet on this project. If they would have built it two years earlier as originally scheduled they would have beat most of the run up in construction materials costs. They probably would've saved 50% of construction supply costs and made a lot more money.

[Tim3167]

Update 5/20/2006 - First concrete columns going vertical and it looks like sections of the tower crane have been dropped of on the site.

[JRS1]

WOW.

I missed the sections of the tower crane on the site.

of note, Blue Heron#2 and Westin Imagine both have one tower crane up at their respective sites right now. FH got their two just, what, two weeks ago...

[sunshine]

It is about time they start the first floor.

Do they have more retails than the plaza?

[Dale]

It is about time they start the first floor.

Do they have more retails than the plaza?

It will have a half-million sq.ft. vertical shopping mall with an IKEA.

[sunshine]

Dale,

This is not Malaysia we are talking about.

[radiostatic102]

Can you imagine what SunTrust is going to look like with Plaza on one arm and 55W on the other?

The word "Pimpdaddy" comes to mind...

It's good to see the cranes are about to go up. Very nice.

[F-L-A]

I'd still prefer to see a building that overshadows Suntrust rather than compliment it.

[orlandonative]

It is worth remembering that you pour walls and columns, as opposed to pumping floors. As you get closer into the interior sections, access to these areas from the ground becomes very limited. Waiting a couple of months to put up cranes, as previously suggested is unreasonable. m actually suprised the bases haven't been attached to the foundations yet.

[JRS1]

It is worth remembering that you pour walls and columns, as opposed to pumping floors. As you get closer into the interior sections, access to these areas from the ground becomes very limited. Waiting a couple of months to put up cranes, as previously suggested is unreasonable. m actually suprised the bases haven't been attached to the foundations yet.

Good point.

I just saw that the base of the white crane is being installed as of this AM at the western edge of the lot. Also, there are maybe 4 or 5 rebar uprights at the SW corner of the lot being intalled as well.

[JRS1]

Correction: there are TWO white crane bases being installed-- one closer to Church St. to the west and the other towards Pine to the eastern side of the lot.

[orlandonative]

Correction: there are TWO white crane bases being installed-- one closer to Church St. to the west and the other towards Pine to the eastern side of the lot.

There might even be a third one there somewhere.

[Hard Hat Girl]

There might even be a third one there somewhere.

Only two tower cranes.... as of tomorrow morning both bases will be cast in their respective pile caps. Just have to wait until the concrete comes up to strength. I estimate you'll see tower cranes late to mid June.

[orlandonative]

Only two tower cranes....

The mystery of 55W continues.

[JRS1]

Only two tower cranes.... as of tomorrow morning both bases will be cast in their respective pile caps. Just have to wait until the concrete comes up to strength. I estimate you'll see tower cranes late to mid June.

so I was a little off-- one and a half months vs. at least a couple of months. good news, though. I figured maybe 3 cranes b/c of the bulk of the project...

Edited May 25, 2006 by JRS1