Aga Khan Foundation: Islamic Community Center

[phillip_white]

1 hour ago, thatguysly said:

That is one heck of a foundation for the entire site seeing that the building is only on a portion.

From the rendering you can see that the plaza behind the main structure leads down to a grassy area, which I'm guessing is designed to be a usable space instead of burying the required volume of stormwater detention.

https://imgur.com/kagjQGK

[thatguysly]

11 minutes ago, phillip_white said:

From the rendering you can see that the plaza behind the main structure leads down to a grassy area, which I'm guessing is designed to be a usable space instead of burying the required volume of stormwater detention.

https://imgur.com/kagjQGK

Great point about detention requirements. Looks like a creative way to meet them and not just have a giant detention basin onsite. 

[freundb]

2 hours ago, tangledwoods said:

Long story short the process they are using is likely called "soil nails"  here is a nifty website explaining things:

Soil nailing | Keller North America (keller-na.com)

the surface of the walls is similar to shotcrete that you see on a pool, but there is also a retention component drilled into the earth.

Thanks! Learned something new and it's not even lunch time yet

[j_cuevas713]

I'm still in shock this is actually happening

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

I talked with a McCarthy worker about the possibility of putting a second tower crane but she said this will be the only tower crane. Two levels of underground parking.

[tangledwoods]

I hate to pollute the site with my crappy cell phone shots but I got one of the complete crane this morning:

[Foundation]

[hindesky]

[cityliving]

[tangledwoods]

Project is coming along quite nicely.  I am a bit suprised that they were able to get a lane closure permit on montrose.  Their trucks are crazy backing up traffic in the mornings and evenings. 

[Luminare]

24 minutes ago, tangledwoods said:

Project is coming along quite nicely.  I am a bit suprised that they were able to get a lane closure permit on montrose.  Their trucks are crazy backing up traffic in the mornings and evenings. 

Ah yes. You are learning the number one rule above all rules. If you are a big enough person, client, company... people will bend over backwards to serve your wants and needs. This is just how the world works. If you are a small development why would any city approve a lane closure for you, but if you the Aga Khan...now thats different.

[cityliving]

 

[editor]

Oh, wow.  That was quick!

[Ross]

On 4/6/2022 at 3:07 PM, tangledwoods said:

Project is coming along quite nicely.  I am a bit suprised that they were able to get a lane closure permit on montrose.  Their trucks are crazy backing up traffic in the mornings and evenings. 

It's Houston. You pay the permit fee and get the lane closure. Looks like $134 per lane per block per week for a street like Montrose. Details here http://www.gims.houstontx.gov/traffic/PermitDetails/RoadwayObstructionPermitDetails.aspx

Realistically, the City has to allow this, or it would be difficult to build things.

[jmitch94]

13 hours ago, Ross said:

It's Houston. You pay the permit fee and get the lane closure. Looks like $134 per lane per block per week for a street like Montrose. Details here http://www.gims.houstontx.gov/traffic/PermitDetails/RoadwayObstructionPermitDetails.aspx

Realistically, the City has to allow this, or it would be difficult to build things.

In New York they usually don’t even close the side walk down. This is just another example of our city bending over backwards for big money interests at the cost of everyone else. 
 

Also $134 a week is criminally cheap. If they are going to charge that little they might as well not charge at all. 

[MidCenturyMoldy]

50 minutes ago, jmitch94 said:

In New York they usually don’t even close the side walk down. This is just another example of our city bending over backwards for big money interests at the cost of everyone else. 

It's not just Houston. Lanes on two major streets in San Antonio (Broadway and Nacogdoches) have been closed for a year now while some large mixed-use apartment building is being built.

And lanes get closed all the time in New York. Usually it's a covered sidewalk that temporarily replaces the lane that's closed.  

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.754783,-73.9990259,3a,60y,233.13h,87.92t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s589UpDdx98pW3SiuyYxJcA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en

Edited April 21, 2022 by MidCenturyMoldy

[Ross]

8 hours ago, jmitch94 said:

In New York they usually don’t even close the side walk down. This is just another example of our city bending over backwards for big money interests at the cost of everyone else. 
 

Also $134 a week is criminally cheap. If they are going to charge that little they might as well not charge at all. 

There has to be somewhere for the materials delivery and concrete trucks to park while offloading their goods.

[editor]

18 hours ago, jmitch94 said:

In New York they usually don’t even close the side walk down. This is just another example of our city bending over backwards for big money interests at the cost of everyone else. 
 

Also $134 a week is criminally cheap. If they are going to charge that little they might as well not charge at all. 

Having lived in New York for decades, I have to disagree with your assessment.  But perhaps things have changed since I lived there.

While I agree with you that $134/week in Houston is way too cheap, shutting down sidewalks and street lanes for private construction and other events is a common, ordinary activity in every American city.

In Chicago, some aldermen send out a weekly e-mail that includes a list of the closures.  Here's the one from the 42nd ward just last week: (I removed the protests and the gas main construction)

--:--

Filmings

The Chi

The Chi will be filming at 505 N Lake Shore Drive on Tuesday, April 19. During the filming, parking at the following locations will be prohibited:

North side of Illinois from Lower Lake Shore Drive to Streeter Dr (Tuesday, April 19th 4:00AM- Wednesday, April 20th)
North side of Illinois St. from McClurg Ct. to Peshitgo Ct. (Tuesday, April 19th 4:00AM- Wednesday, April 20th)
South side of Grand Ave. from Peshitgo Ct. to McClurg Ct. (Tuesday, April 19th 4:00AM- Wednesday, April 20th)

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Brian Fairley (location manager) at (773) 521-1509.

Crane Lift: 640 N Wabash Avenue

On Saturday, April 16, from 8am-8pm, there will be a crane lift at 640 N Wabash Avenue. During the lift, the following will be closed:

Sidewalk on the west side of Wabash, from Erie to a point 100' south thereof
Curb lane on the west side of Wabash, from Erie to a point 100' south thereof
One southbound traffic lane on Wabash, from Erie to a point 100' south thereof

There will be barricades and flaggers in-place throughout the lift.

Crane Lift: 7 West Monroe Street

On Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14 from 8am-8pm there will be a crane lift at 7 West Monroe Street. Throughout the lift, Monroe, from State to Dearborn will be closed to vehicular traffic. The crane will remain on-site during the overnight hours.

There will be barricades, detour signs, and traffic control on-site throughout the lift.

 

214 West Erie Street Renovations

On Monday, December 13, Crane Construction began renovations of 214 West Erie Street. During construction, the following will be closed:

Sidewalk/curb lane in front of 214 West Erie Street. The curb lane will be used as a pedestrian walkway. Crane Construction will place jersey barriers and ramps in the curb lane to protect pedestrians and provide wheelchair access.
Close 100' of the north/south alley adjacent to 214 W Erie Street. This is a T alley and residents of 222 W Erie will still be able to access their parking garage from the alley entrance on Franklin and Huron.

This project is expected to be completed summer of 2022 (weather dependent).

LG Construction: 751 N. Hudson and 451 W Chicago

LG Construction has recently broke ground at 751 N. Hudson Avenue and 451 W. Chicago Avenue, which are adjacent parcels. Work hours will be 8am-5pm, Monday-Friday.
 
Throughout the project, the following will be closed:

Sidewalk/curb lane/traffic lane of the east side of Hudson, from Chicago to the first alley south thereof
Sidewalk/curb lane/traffic lane on the west side of Sedgwick, from Chicago to the first alley south thereof
Sidewalk/curb lane on the south side of Chicago, from Hudson to Sedgwick

There will be a protected pedestrian walkway in the curb lane on the south side of Chicago Avenue, from Hudson Avenue to Sedgwick Street.

This project is expected to take 18 months to complete (weather dependent).

354 North Union Construction

The Onni Group is constructing a 33 story residential building with 373 units. Work hours will be 8am-8pm, daily.

Parking will be prohibited on North Union, from West Kinzie to the cul-de-sac west thereof throughout the project. All construction equipment and vehicles will be staged on the Onni Group’s property. This project will take approximately two years to complete.

 

430 N. Michigan Lobby Renovation
 
Starting in mid-September, GNP Realty Partners will be renovating the lobby at 430 N. Michigan Avenue. Throughout the project, there will be a 40’ urban canopy on the sidewalk in front of the building. In order to place the canopy on the sidewalk, the planter bed and City Information Panel (CIP) at this location will be temporarily removed. Both the planter bed and CIP will be reinstalled upon completion of the project.
 
The project is expected to be completed in May 2022.

 

--:--

Now, back to that fee — Yeah, $134/week is stupidly cheap.  In my estimation, it should be closer to $300/day.   If I can't park a row of cars along the entirety of a city block for $134/week, a construction company shouldn't be allowed to occupy that space at that price, either.

In Chicago (again, sorry for all the Chicago data points, but it is the city that I have the most familiarity with), the 1 Bennett Park building has to pay the city for a tiny slice of air above a sidewalk.  There is a very small decorative arch (kinda like a gargoyle ornament) that hangs 3¾ feet over the sidewalk, 777 feet above the ground.  That's $400/year in rent to the city.  In Houston, I suspect that would have been ignored.

[editor]

Just an update to the discussion about $134/week fee.  It looks like my idea of $300/day was out of line.  I checked Chicago, and found this.  It's from 2014, but as near as i can figure, the fe for blocking an entire street lane varies by type of lane, how long it is blocked, and what used to be on the sidewalk.

If it's a street lane with parking, fee starts (monthly) at $10/foot, with a minimum fee of $200.  It goes up to $40/foot, with a minimum fee of $800/month, if you're there for 18 months or longer.  (A standard city block in Chicago is 660 feet x 330 feet.)

If it's a street without parking, the fee starts (monthly) at $20/foot, with a minimum fee of $400.  It goes up to $80/foot, with a minimum fee of $1,600/month, if you're there 18 months or longer.

If a bicycle rack has to be removed, that's $150.  If a parking meter has to be removed, that's $150 per meter + the city's estimate of revenue lost.  If a parking pay box has to be removed, that's $1,000 + the city's estimate of revenue lost.  If a non-parking sign has to be removed, that's $150 per sign.  If it's a no parking sign that has to be removed, that's free for some reason.

There are some other interesting charges, like $47.88/hour if you need a city marine officer to do whatever it is that city marine officers do while your construction barge is moored alongside your construction site.  Same rate for cops on horses.  A flunkie to guide pedestrians around your construction is $26.19/hour.  If for some reason you need a deputy chief, that's $86.54/hour.

 

[hindesky]

[toxtethogrady]

On 11/15/2021 at 3:10 PM, MidCenturyMoldy said:

Yikes! Star Spangled Banner butchering.

As in....?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ-O72WMRKo

On 11/16/2021 at 8:20 AM, thatguysly said:

Love it. It reminds me of the Menil, the new Modern Art Museum expansion, and little bit of the McGovern Centennial Gardens. It seems like it would fit in better at in the Museum District but love that it adds to a different part of the city right off Buffalo Bayou.

Reminds me of something the Smithsonian might have commissioned...

[j_cuevas713]

The scale of this is incredible. 

[hindesky]

The crew is working at ground level on the northern part of the building. Southern section is still in the basement.

[hindesky]

Now working above ground.

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

Creating a road to start work on the garden part of the project.

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

[hindesky]