Medical Mile/Michigan Street Developments

[torgo]

Having two cranes at this site looks so cool! I could just sit and stare at it all day. Good thing I can't see it from my desk!

[GRDadof3]

The idea is decent, but that building just seems a bit ugly... and trying to picture something that would look nicer, at that spot, would just seem odd. That hill just always feels like it's on the edge of downtown, just away from all the tall building, which is why I picture an ornate house there.

It's not so much the look of that particular Pittsburgh complex, but the goals it accomplishes. It takes advantage of the hill to give more residents a great view and it doesn't block views of those around it.

But yes torgo, those cranes look good from every angle. I had to be at Spectrum today, and sitting in the cafe that overlooks Michigan and the two tower cranes perfectly, I kept wishing I had my camera on me.

[GRDadof3]

Moving right along...

"Better get a sight on that 3rd one. It doesn't look quite right...."

[GRGyp]

"Better get a sight on that 3rd one. It doesn't look quite right...."

Is that the slant on the floor you are talking about? I thought the bottom floors were parking garage. You'd need that slope for drainage.

[GRDadof3]

Is that the slant on the floor you are talking about? I thought the bottom floors were parking garage. You'd need that slope for drainage.

I was only joking, but yes, that 3rd form has a dip in it in the middle. You could be right about that, or maybe they just haven't moved it up yet. I think those are concrete "crawlers", but that's just an edumacated guess.

[Allison Slater]

The 2nd seems slanted as well by a tiny bit, but not as much as the 3rd.

[Kayak1]

There was a national construction firm in town last week interviewing local companies for a joint venture on this project. I do not know what the progress is with the Architects. Any Architects out there?

[sparky05]

Some new photos:

[GRDadof3]

Some new photos:

Thanks sparky. I've noticed you can start to see the parking garage from I-196 now.

[hombre_de_ciudad]

Anyone know when ground-breaking is going to occur for the Van Andel Institute expansion?

[tamias6]

Some new photos:

What's going to happen to the brown building in the middle of the construction site? Will it be remodeled to incorperating it into the complex or will it be demolished to make way for something else as construction continues?

[JimInGR]

The Towers Building will be demolished next year as construction progresses. A new building will be built in it's place.

[rleuthueser]

The Towers Building will be demolished next year as construction progresses. A new building will be built in it's place.

More specifically, the first office tower financed by RDV/Christman will be erected immediately to the west of the temp parking lot next to the Towers Building. The core & shell contracts are being awarded this month and substantial completion is expected in March 2008. All tenant fitout must be completed so current Towers Building tenants can relocate to the new facility before demolition; I believe it will be late 2009 before the Towers Building no longer exists. (Demo of the building next to the brand-spanking new Lemmen-Holton Cancer Pavilion will be interesting - there will be about 20' between the two structures.) Parking ramp will be constructed below grade to connect the two sections currently under construction, and the Towers Building replacement RDV/Christman offce building will then be erected on top of the parking ramp.

[snoogit]

(Demo of the building next to the brand-spanking new Lemmen-Holton Cancer Pavilion will be interesting - there will be about 20' between the two structures.)

I'm guessing it will be one of those "boom boom boom" collapsing demos

[GRDadof3]

This has got be one of the most complicated construction projects in GR history (logistically speaking). Like a rubix cube moving this out the way, then that, then replacing it with that other thing, then back again. Maybe Devos Place was as complicated, but yikes! Thanks for the scoop rleuthueser.

[civitas]

Some new photos:

You can see one crane from the wast side of TGIF.

[Michi]

Ooh! Killer angle!

[dbrok]

Photos from this morning:

[GRDadof3]

Nice shots dbrok!

Placement boom base

Brenke Fish Ladder

American Seating Park

[Michi]

Q: When will the Towers Building be demolished?

[RustTown]

The Towers Building will be demolished next year as construction progresses. A new building will be built in it's place.

Michi ^

[Greedo]

Someone needs to ask that question at least once every month. It's just funny now.

[Michi]

I'm sorry. Thanks, though.

[sparky05]

Looking up the hill from Bridgewater:

Hey, what's going to happen with that big brown building between the cranes?

[Nitro]

Hey, what's going to happen with that big brown building between the cranes?

Maybe they can use both cranes to pick it up and deposit it somewhere else.