This is so cool.

Hi Anonymous! Just wondering if you know how close they are to finishing the piers for the tower structure and when we might expect the matt foundation to be tied? I understand if there is a reason that you can't provide the info, but it would be cool to know a rough timeline. Thanks in advance if you know.

There going to start the base on the 14th of next month..

If anyone thinks that the Devon Tower will be built entirely with concrete and re-bar you are "wrong". If it is I am wrong.

The floors will be all concrete. they want to do a floor every 8 days..

There was just an accident on the parking garage site - a large pillar was knocked over as well as a slab - don't know if there was anyone under it, but may wanna keep the workers in your thoughts and prayers.

This is a late update.. The cran guy knocked 2 pillars off the top of the west side of the garage. One fell throw the 4 floors of the garage. the other landed in the alley behind the libary. No one was hurt..

Nice to have the structural system confirmed as Concrete, thanks anonymous.

It looks like they are getting serious about the excavation in the core area. Would love to see some more shots of the base area soon. Thanks for everyones efforts in posting information and images that help make following this project that much better!

Ask and you shall receive...

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/okcmomentum/dt021710-3.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/okcmomentum/dt021710-2.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/okcmomentum/dt021710-1.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/okcmomentum/dt021710-4.jpg

Nice multitude of colors of mud..and is it just me or is that the base of a tower crane under the black material?
http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/okcmomentum/dt021710-5.jpg

Hey thank you very much! I am consistantly amazed at the willingness of those of you who work in the area, in porviding great images giving us a more detailed peek at what is transpiring on the site. Thanks again for these great images! Yeah, I think that you are right. It looks very much like a tower crane base sitting there. It will be interesting to see if it is. That will be a huge milestone because of the high cost of having them on the site, they will not let it sit around unused, so that means good things for the tower.

Additionally, now that I have had a better look at the tower base area, where as I stand by my description of the core, curtainwall and the exterior columns, I think that the walls we see are possibly for retention purposes only. They are too close to the main exterior columns, that are visible on the left hand side of the 1st and 2nd photo and on the third photo on the right hand side just outside of the soil retention wall.

The core will be inset somewhat from there but will follow the form and shape of the retention wall.

It looks like we are getting into the water table a bit it is gettin' messy!

Woohoo!! Progress is a beautiful thing!

I also noticed a lot of wood forms and steel (shown in the 4th picture) at the ground level portion of the site. Maybe all that material is what will be used to make the form before they pour the pad? Just a guess.

There is also a lot of activity on the west end of the site. I haven't found a good vantage point yet to take a look. I was going to wander around in the library next door tomorrow to see if it's possible to get to any of the windows on the west end of it.

Yeah, the area where the large track hoe has been excavating is where (if I were a betting man) I would say the tower crane base will be set. It has become much more visible on the Web cam and there are four piers that look like they would match up with the base that is, as you stated, resting on its side just next to the hole and the 4 piers in question.

Thanks for the great pics(awesome!) and info. Keep it coming.

okcmomentum - could I ask where you are standing when taking pictures? Those last ones are great and look similiar but higher up than my window.

I took a bunch last week and they are already obsolete, so I'll try and remember camera tomorrow.

I took some photos of the site today around 3:15pm. Lots of movement going on and looks like things are coming together.
My photos can be seen here Devon Tower Construction - Images | Alonzo Adams Photography (http://archive.alonzoadamsphotography.com/c/alonzoadamsphoto/gallery/Devon-Tower-Construction/G0000omGSMWGhqKM)

I took some photos of the site today around 3:15pm. Lots of movement going on and looks like things are coming together.
My photos can be seen here Devon Tower Construction - Images | Alonzo Adams Photography (http://archive.alonzoadamsphotography.com/c/alonzoadamsphoto/gallery/Devon-Tower-Construction/G0000omGSMWGhqKM)

Nice shots Alonzo! You can really see the detail on where that crane is going. I wish the full size shot was available. At around 15MB (50MB uncompressed) per shot, I'd have to imagine you're shooting in RAW format, huh?

Nice shots Alonzo! You can really see the detail on where that crane is going. I wish the full size shot was available. At around 15MB (50MB uncompressed) per shot, I'd have to imagine you're shooting in RAW format, huh?

Yes, I shoot most of my images in RAW. I'm going to try and get down there and take shots every few days now that it is getting time for the actual tower to start going up.

okcmomentum - could I ask where you are standing when taking pictures? Those last ones are great and look similiar but higher up than my window.

I took a bunch last week and they are already obsolete, so I'll try and remember camera tomorrow.

I usually take pics from the top floor of the east garage in the SW stairwell.

Window washing anyone?

They are preparing to wash the windows on Oklahoma Tower.

Whoever has the Cam in their office put a "Say Cheese" sign on the window!

:please:
Is anyone doing the time lapse video's any more? I need a hit!

Cam Junkie #57

:please: I havent recieved yet OKCmomentum. :Smiley099

Window washing time there?

:please:

:please: I havent recieved yet OKCmomentum. :Smiley099

I'd love to BigD but I'm not that technologically proficient to know how. I believe MadMonk has provided these for us in the past. I'd love to see a new one too.

There's a crowd of firefighters down there along the south end of the parking garage.

I've been very busy and haven't had time to put a time-lapse together. I'll try to throw one together soon.

Do we know why the firefighters are all on in a crowd overlooking the site? There are a bunch of their vehicles on the road between the site and the Crystal bridge. Was there an accident? It would be weird for them all to be there as pure spectators and I would assume that the contractors would not allow them to block the road along the site entrance...so begs the question...hmmm

well it looks like the forms are all set for the tower crane base and the anchor bolts are in place, and ready to be poured. I would expect that to take place this afternoon, now with how complete it looks. I would then guess that it will be several day before the base is set, to allow for curing and to reach minimum acceptable strength.

They have the tower crane base in place at least for the moment...they still have to pour the foundation cap. They may be setting it so the anchor bolts will be aligned, and then maybe pouring it inplace? Although I have seen it more common to set anchor bolts pour and then set the base once cured a day or so. I guess we will have to wait and see!

Well earlier this evening they did in fact pour the tower Crane foundation pier cap in place with the base and anchor bolts supported in place. I cannot wait until morning when we get a clear look at our new friend that will become the central focus of action as the rest of the tower arrives to be stacked once the concrete has cured sufficiently. Gratefully the mail supporting piers were poured previously and so we will likely not have to wait very long for that event!

I don't know how the heck you people are telling this stuff from the camera shot - I can't see anything like that kind of detail.

Alot more of the Tower Crane is moving into the site right now.

Several sections of the tower crane just passed by me on flatbeds in front of the cox center!!! Woohoo!!!

Is that the tower crane they are starting to build? I can see a one piece already attached and more on the trucks on the street.

Someone please get down there and take close up shots! Platemaker / OKCmomentum?

Is there really still snow on top of the parking garage

Taken 2/19/10

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w219/ndobbs84/b4903d24.jpg


The white piece in the middle of all the Red Tower Crane pieces is the Cab the Crane operator will sit in.
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w219/ndobbs84/c84b1490.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w219/ndobbs84/340ae810.jpg

Sorry for the low quality.

Here's some similar pics to ndmoore's with a few more angles
http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/okcmomentum/057b7858.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/okcmomentum/48dbb57f.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/okcmomentum/a0cfcd04.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/okcmomentum/3c8604fa.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/okcmomentum/ee5204c3.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/okcmomentum/e84775b9.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/okcmomentum/6fbd01f6.jpg

amazing....can't wait!

Soooooooo....the concrete columns within the footprint of the Devon Tower site are old ones from the parking garage structure? I only ask this because there's that little bulldozer/jackhammer and lots of concrete chunks on the SW side of the footprint. I don't see any columns that were there yesterday. Plus they didn't have any rebar sticking out of them like the new ones popping up all around the site.

Oh, and thanks again for the updated pics ;-)

Oooh new zoom action on the cam.

You can't really tell in the pictures but they are breaking off all the concrete from the tops to expose the rebar. Those are all new columns. My guess is once they excavate all of them and break the top concrete off the rebar will be set to pour the pad.

I guess they're not as pretty as the other ones around the site because they were buried?

If you look at the images from one or two days ago, theye had spraypainted a line on the concrete columns. (and yes they are the new ones that will support the mat foundation) They were at all different elevations. So the jackhammer guy is in there breaking out the concrete that was not needed so they can get adequate tie in to the mat.

You can't really tell in the pictures but they are breaking off all the concrete from the tops to expose the rebar. Those are all new columns. My guess is once they excavate all of them and break the top concrete off the rebar will be set to pour the pad.

We received word at work that the mat will be poured March 13th, still a month out and is expected to take 20 hours.

Yeah once they get all of the pier steel exposed, then they are going to be working for a good while on tieing in tons and tons of steel. Now that the tower crane is going up, section by section, the site is a lot more accessible. They really have moved a lot of earth around in the last 24 hours. All of those blue coils that are stacked up on the site infront of the west garage on the south side are post tensioning cables that are ready to be used when they start pouring slabs on the site, and then floor by floor on the tower as they go up. These are exciting times!

The zoomed in camera gives better view of the pit area, however it is blury and so you can't really see anything clearly. If you could please pull it back so image quality will improve. I for one would appreciate it. Thanks again to all who are posting the awesome detailed pictures! Makes it really fun!

What a difference a day makes! The tower crane will be out of full view of the cam soon!

Definitely agree with OKC@Heart! We need to move the cam back to its original zoom. It's too blurry. It's like me using this rather large font... :-)

did the crane tower get taller?

did the crane tower get taller?

thats what i was just wondering... looks taller than it did a few hours ago

did the crane tower get taller?

Yes, it did and is getting taller, view the process here.................

YouTube - Tower Crane Raising Process (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX-ZdPPUuhM&feature=related)

HEY! where'd it go haha

Here's a time lapse of the crane jump today. For some reason the video wouldn't embed in the post so here's the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-d5EHS9B2s

To make this video I used Cam Studio (Free Screen Recorder) and a page auto reloader for firefox called reload every. I also used the direct link http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/webcam/DevonConstructionCam.jpg for the webcam image

yeah I drove by it today and its at least 250-300' tall

Any taller and the camera won't be able to see the top. Whatever can we do? :Smiley103

Here's a time lapse of the crane jump today. For some reason the video wouldn't embed in the post so here's the link.
YouTube - Devon Tower Crane (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-d5EHS9B2s)

To make this video I used Cam Studio (Free Screen Recorder) and a page auto reloader for firefox called reload every. I also used the direct link http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/webcam/DevonConstructionCam.jpg for the webcam image
:yourock:
That's awesome!! Thanks for posting it!

Thanks, looking good. I will try and get some pics Wednesday maybe.

Clue me in on some structual engineer knowledge please.

It looks as though a tower crane could easily be knocked over in some severe Oklahoma weather. How do they make tower cranes so sturdy when they only have a skinny tower base and a rather large top crane section?

I am pretty sure that as the structure and crane grow larger, the crane will tie into the structure.

yeah I drove by it today and its at least 250-300' tall

Wow, that's a big difference. I drove by Saturday night and it was only about 125ft.

Okay, I was able to throw together a video of the last 4 1/2 days' work. It's slightly over 7 minutes long, but shows the crane going up and the many footings being exposed in the middle of the building's footprint.

(Bigger screen available on YouTube's site.)

F5XcWJaICK0

Anyone down there with a camera today?

I hope the crane operator gets paid well... Over the next two years he'll be climbing higher and higher to get to work. That's a lot of rungs!

Great video! Thanks so much.

I bet at some point in height they switch to a self-erecting crane and place it on top of the building.

Tower crane operators are paid very well, but they are the upper echelon of their field as well. Beyond the rigors of the climb up and down each day, are the not leaving your cab for the entire time...let that one sink in for a minute. Everything that you have with you, you bring in with you and then bring down with you in the evening.

Having spent the significant money on the tower crane that we see here, that can extend to the height required for this building with additional sections. I would doubt that they will switch to a self erecting one mounted on the building. However I say that based only on my experience and so it is only an opinion. I would be interested to know from some who are on site who know what will actually take place.

But doesn't the cab act as an external "elevator" if you will? I noticed the cab going up and down the framework on Friday. Either way, it's not joe blow doing the job as someone said, these guys probably love it and are the top of their field.