What goes up must come down (first)

We are pleased to report that Verdante construction is proceeding on schedule. And while we are feeling happy as we compare progress on the site with the schedule, we also understand how mystifying it can be for others watching the site to see so little visible progress.

Here is what we mean by “What goes up must go down (first).” After demolishing the existing building, the next step in construction is excavation and the forming and pouring of foundations. Because of the complexity of the site, the building will “go up” in three phases, with the first phase being closest to Congress Street. The initial effort was to dig, frame, and pour nine very large footings in the northern portion of the site, and to form and pour frost walls around much of that area.

Then the fun began! We brought in a giant, custom designed “trench box” to hold up the sides of the hole while excavating, forming, and pouring a mat slab for stair tower B. And what a slab it is: approximately 900 square feet and 46” think. Yes – almost four feet of solid concrete.

Then, while the masons started construction of the six-story stair tower B, the giant trench box was moved to the Hampshire Street side of the site to hold up the sides of that hole while an even larger mat slab, also 46” thick, was formed and poured for stair tower A and the elevator shaft.

The excavation crew finished digging the hole for the parking pit along Franklin Street while the Stair A mat was being formed, and the foundation crew is now moving to form the slab for the pit.

In the weeks to come, you will see Stair B rising six stories – about 77’ – into the air, looking like a tall, lonely tower. But starting in late September, the site will start to make more sense as the steel erection crane comes on the northern portion of the site to erect the steel in Phase 1. This part goes quickly, so suddenly it will seem as if the building is flying up.

As soon as the masons finish the Stair B block work, they will move over to build Stair A tower and the elevator shaft, completing that work in time for the steel erector to move to that part of the site when Phase 1 erection is complete.

As construction progresses through these phases, we will make additional updates on construction progress. In the meantime, do not hesitate to reach out with any questions about how Verdante is going down before it goes up.