17 stories will still looks good if it’s a broken tooth in the skyline it’s the result of more eye candy for us photographers who like taking pic of the city.
May 16, 2024
Let’s talk about soldier piles and lagging walls
If you have seen the construction site in the last week, you probably have seen the large crane and drills onsite. This equipment will be used to set the soldier piles and lagging walls, basically the shoring structures I referenced in past updates. These shoring structures are designed to limit the horizontal movement of soil during the excavation process. So, what are soldier piles and lagging walls? Soldier piles are usually steel h-shaped beams driven vertically into the ground. These beams are spaced in a straight line about 6 to 10 feet apart, and then horizontal wood or concrete is placed between the soldier piles, called lagging walls. The walls transfer the horizontal pressure to the soldier piles, creating a safe excavation area.
Gravel parking lot sign anchors?
Great view of the lagging walls
This week’s update image shows the detail of lagging walls.
The excavation and grading of the job site are moving along nicely. Crews are also continuing to install the underground utilities at the site.
Looking ahead, we anticipate the commencement of deep foundation work in June, a significant milestone.
I hope they are putting in foundations that will withstand the Boring Machine when it digs out the tunnels running under the street once my master plan begins.
For a refresher, here is the link to the architects’ site: East Civic Tower - Ratio Some nice renderings here.
Need to somehow get a downtown library in the same style now.
That would be awesome! Lots of wonderful, natural lighting in the design would make a great place to read.
I count 20 stories in their rendering, but the website says 17 stories just below. Are there any renders with the actual floor count matching what is getting built? OR is this another RUSBus debacle??
Hmmmm, IIRC, the bottom few “floors” were actually going to be a big, high ceiling atrium type space - with perhaps walkways around the windows, but maybe they’re just counting that as one BIG first “floor?” And then the top “floor” is really just a decorative wall, so maybe just not counting that in the floor count. Someone can definitely tell me if I’m off base:
Well, at least 2 stories at the bottom are “one” floor:
They lopped off three floors to save money
If that is indeed the final render and they’re not counting the lobby/atrium floors in the floorcount then this will be taller than 301H and probably 300’.
its gonna be huge… and modern we are doing things no other city is doing. Can’t wait for the next phases also.
Maybe an unpopular opinion… but I actually like this building a lot and will be very sad when it goes.
It is totally unique in DTR. It represents a style and time period that I think will be cherished much more in future decades. Government buildings of the mid 20th century that had a bit of tasteful subdued style make me nostalgic in a unique way. That’s why I’m actually a huge fan of NCSU campus.
I think the mid-20th century had some really strong buildings (I think the State Archives and the doomed Administration Building are great examples). This one doesn’t speak to me in the same way. It interacts so poorly with the street - just a lot of blank brick wall and dark space - and doesn’t have the same grandeur or beautiful materials.
To be fair to it, it has the issue that many modern buildings do where bad execution ruined interesting ideas. The sunken plaza under the cylinder (which is a fun touch) is always dark and empty and the shades always being down on the ground floor windows make them feel blank and unwelcoming.
Yup, agreed. Tear the shit down! lol
I actually don’t think every inch of street space has to be hyper-engaging. Quiet, reclusive spaces like the pit under the rotunda can be a nice breather sometimes. There’s nothing alienating about this building. It stands head and shoulders above the state govt mall buildings that look like cheap office park turds. There is something special about this one. Buildings that remind you from time to time that the city is a giant machine and not all parts of that machine are for entertainment or commerce can be good occasionally, in moderation.
I’d much rather take out the deck first and think about this one carefully.
I think this building is ugly af and if it was demolished today, I’d celebrate. When I moved here and realized that was city hall, I laughed out loud and was like, well I guess Raleigh used to suck. Glad it’s getting better. And only 15 years later we’re finally getting its replacement.
To note, Durham has a very similar city hall, and even that looks better than this.