[peanut gallery]

I think I'm going to cry...

[Reminiscence]

I think I'm going to cry...

That makes two of us. I cant wait to start seeing excavation on site!

[BTinSF]

I work for the contractor. The workers onsite are surveyors starting to put up the "grid lines" Should see dirt moving real soon.

Posted by: Rupert at June 17, 2008 9:27 PM
Source: http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2008/06/535_mission_parking_lot_closed_and_about_to_break_groun.html#comments

[BTinSF]

Drilling today:

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x128/BSTJr/IMG_0119.jpg?t=1213832971

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x128/BSTJr/IMG_0120.jpg?t=1213833013

So there I chatted up a couple of guys--not those pictured; older and non-Latino--who looked like they were supervising and I asked when the real digging might start. They said, "About a week." So then I asked if this meant it was fully underway and the main man said, "I hope so. They only tell us what we need to know."

[peanut gallery]

I walked by today and saw the signs of drilling, but nobody onsite when I was there. As I mentioned in the Rundown thread, the site somehow looks even smaller now that it is cleared.

[Downtown Dave]

Setting up a crane:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/535Mission/535Mission-4217.jpg

[hi123]

:banana: Fantastic, this project will really complete mission street!

[WonderlandPark]

f-yes, San Francisco is keeping up the pace. Bye bye lot.

[viewguysf]

I have high hopes for this one actually turning out as good as or better than the rendering, especially with HOK involved!

[hi123]

Perhaps we should change the title to 'site prep'.

[Reminiscence]

Looks to me like the actual drilling has yet to begin, in which case, there would be no point in changing the title of the thread just yet. Hopefully this changes soon though.

[livin' in the city]

This is going to be fun to watch. Not quite sure how the "white" glass is going to look? I can't think of another rendering with the look of this building. Very exciting b/t this and the effect of watching 2RH going up should keep us going.

[BTinSF]

I wasn't sure what the crane was for at this early stage of construction. Turns out it is for unloading pilings:

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x128/BSTJr/IMG_0122.jpg?t=1214260002

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x128/BSTJr/IMG_0123.jpg?t=1214260127

[rocketman_95046]

^ Great... With pilings being purchased and delivered (a significant expense), I cant see any reason to doubt this building will be under construction soon. If they already have pilings, the steel is probably on order as well.

More good news.:)

[peanut gallery]

For testing purposes only, I presume? They haven't even cleared the asphalt or turned a shovel's worth of dirt. Seems a bit premature to deliver piles. Don't they need to dig down at least a story or two before driving piles?

[BTinSF]

:previous: Depends how deep the foundation is going to be. Sure, they'll have to remove the asphalt. But they didn't dig down much before they started driving piles at Trinity Plaza. If it's not going to have a parking garage, they wouldn't have to go very deep. And what they sometimes do is drive the piles, then strip away the dirt from around them and the concrete from any piling left exposed (as much as a full story's worth) to incorporate its rebar into a poured-in-place column.

My guess is these ARE test piles, but we may have to wait and see to be sure.

[Downtown Dave]

And this would be a pile driver:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/535Mission/535Mission-4290.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/535Mission/535Mission-4292.jpg

[peanut gallery]

^^^Yep. Watched them unloading that bad boy this morning. Seeing all that equipment do a tight dance around the tiny space, I realized this will be a hyper-crowded job site just like One Hawthorne. Except we'll get great views of this from the plaza on top of the parking garage next door.

[briankendall]

Yeah was at the HKS office opening and could hear the pile driving for blocks around. It was loud and hopefully and official start to construction. I asked about 45 Lansing... definitely lots of plans lying around everywhere. Can't divulge anything but its definitely moving forward slowly but surely.

[peanut gallery]

^^^You were in my building, then. What floor are they on anyway? I haven't noticed a lot of workers going in and out, which seems odd (assuming they reconfigured the space from whatever was there before).

They are driving piles into all the holes they dug last week. They had one in the ground and another moving into position at around 7:30 this morning.

[CityKid]

Everyone at my office over on 2nd Street and Mission has commented on the new piling driving. The old timers are convinced that as soon as they finish one, they start building another.

[BTinSF]

The old timers are convinced that as soon as they finish one, they start building another.

We would hope so, but this "old timer" can assure you that there have been several long gaps, especially in the late 80's and early 90's when they built very little.

[JAC6]

So that's where the noise is coming from...

And it is a very small footprint, as many have noted.

[BTinSF]

They are driving piles into all the holes they dug last week. They had one in the ground and another moving into position at around 7:30 this morning.

Yes. They seem scattered about the site so I'm pretty sure they are test piles. But they won't be able to pull them out--I assume they'll have to jackhammer them away to excavate. Looking forward to some digging equipment showing up on the site.

[Reminiscence]

Good to hear about all the piledriving going on. I havent had the chance to swing by and check it out myself, but its good to see this one about to start getting serious.

On a side note, are we convinced this is only 49 m? I was never awesome at math, but I do know it should be more like 116 m.

[peanut gallery]

Here's the photo I took this morning. The first pile is in the ground while they work with the next one:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3176/2611957913_4f820e7142_b.jpg

By this evening all but a couple of the test piles were in place.

[peanut gallery]

Well, I guess the test piling is done, as they've hauled all the equipment away. I hope it went well and, as BT mentioned, we'll be seeing some earth-moving equipment onsite soon.

[peanut gallery]

They are wasting no time. There are various digging, moving and jack-hammering equipment doing their things onsite today. The have cleared everything that sticks up (landscaping, concrete benches, test piles light stands, etc) and even dug a good sized trench along Mission. I'll post a couple photos when I get home.

[peanut gallery]

As to the mass and it's relationship to 555, the rendering shows this building taller than the corner building and it looks to me like there will be a stairstep effect up to 555, then down again to 101 Second. I don't think it will be unpleasant.

I finally realized that at 380' this will be about the same height as 100 First St (the corner building). In fact, it will be slightly shorter. I sure hope 535 gets a little more height so there is indeed a step effect. I think it would need to be at least 400' to create that effect.

[BTinSF]

The Planning Dept. documents say "approximately 380 ft" and looking at the rendering again, it's got a crown that's at least 3 and maybe 4 stories tall. That's 40 or 50 ft. I'm betting it tops 400 ft. counting the crown.

[WonderlandPark]

Math check: 380 ft is 115.8m (it reads 49m in the thread title)

[pseudolus]

What do "test piles" test for?

[WildCowboy]

They drive test piles to see how deep they need to go to reach solid rock (or at least really really compacted material) stable enough to support and stabilize the building. With the information they gain from the test piles, they are then able to have the rest of the piles manufactured at very close to the proper length.

[peanut gallery]

Here's an overview of the site at lunchtime:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3014/2616639173_a6ffe5c394_b.jpg

Here's what used to be a landscaped area with large concrete-block benches. That hole next to the pile of dirt is deeper than it looks. It's as deep as, well, that pile of dirt:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3186/2616635567_8c1bf1e5f1_b.jpg

We've waited a long time to see this sight at this site:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3146/2616637481_1790f1399d_b.jpg

This is what's left of those benches and the tops of the piles:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3156/2617442194_535a7dc06e_b.jpg

[Reminiscence]

Math check: 380 ft is 115.8m (it reads 49m in the thread title)

Thanks for bringing that to attention. I had mentioned that a little up there, but I dont think they saw it.

[roadwarrior]

Why is this still listed as a "proposal"? I thought that piledriving and bulldozing constituted a construction activity. No?

[peanut gallery]

I think the guideline is something permanent, like piles or foundation work. In this case, I don't think the test piles are permanent and will be removed as they dig down.

[Downtown Dave]

They already have filled in that deep hole:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/535Mission/535Mission-4763.jpg

[peanut gallery]

Hmmm. I wonder what they were looking for down there? Some kind of soil test procedure?

[Reminiscence]

Hmmm. I wonder what they were looking for down there? Some kind of soil test procedure?

Another abandoned ship from the 1800s perhaps?

[WildCowboy]

Another abandoned ship from the 1800s perhaps?

Yerba Buena Cove extended as far as what is now First Street, so 535 should be just slightly inland in what was Happy Valley.

[JAC6]

From above:

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg30/jcrotty_bucket/skyscraper/53501-062808.jpg

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg30/jcrotty_bucket/skyscraper/53502-062808.jpg

[peanut gallery]

I love your view, JAC. Does your company have the whole floor? Can you access the northern sides of the building?

[JAC6]

I love your view, JAC. Does your company have the whole floor? Can you access the northern sides of the building?

Yep. But I only take photos from common areas such as conference rooms, so that limits things quite a bit.

[PBuchman]

JAC6 - From your vantage point you'll have a front row seat to the city's highest profile projects for years to come. We'll expect lots more photos.

Great pics. Thanks for posting.

[viewguysf]

JAC6 - From your vantage point you'll have a front row seat to the city's highest profile projects for years to come. We'll expect lots more photos.

Great pics. Thanks for posting.

I guess that does it...he can't change jobs! :haha:

[BTinSF]

They were digging up the parking lot pavement today with a jack hammer and a power shovel.

[peanut gallery]

^^^ Still doing so yesterday. They also dug and re-buried another large hole, this time along the western edge of the site.

[peanut gallery]

I guess that does it...he can't change jobs! :haha:

Yep! Sorry Jac. No matter how many better jobs may come along, you'll just have to stick it out at least until the Transbay terminal and tower are complete. That's only 4 or 5 years though. :)

[livin' in the city]

Is it normal in this type of large construction project for them not to have more substantial barriers around a project than the "rent a fence" cyclone they now have? Just wondering if that is a bad sign?

[BTinSF]

From what I've seen, it's not unusual at the beginning. The excavation contractor is not the plywood barrier builder so a more substantial barrier must await carpenters coming on the scene.

[peanut gallery]

I'm not even sure this is full-on excavation at this point. They seem to be moving extra deliberately and continually dig trenches and rebury them. I'm starting to think Rem was onto something when he brought up finding an old boat. As pointed out, this is too far inland for that. But maybe they have reason to believe there might be something historical under there. I've noticed lots of brick getting dug and piled up, yet the parking lot certainly didn't have any brick elements.

[peanut gallery]

This was taken yesterday (the rest are from today):
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3120/2657791434_90c83501ed_b.jpg

The latest of what I think might be checking for potential artifacts:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3259/2656991457_66bddc41f2_b.jpg

Very orderly piles of rubble, including a small bit of that brick I mentioned above:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3107/2657823886_b8ac90a919_b.jpg

And like every constuction site, the pile of used syringes:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3070/2657821424_aaa60a17d3_b.jpg

[rocketman_95046]

Much of the remains of the 1906 quake was used as landfill and base rock. Perhaps some of the brick is that:shrug: ?

as for the syringes :yuck:

[BTinSF]

Digging up the sidewalks today which I doubt they'd do unless they intended to press full ahead with the excavation and construction. Pedestrians are now routed into the street as at other full-scale construction sites.

[peanut gallery]

^^^ Yeah, between this and 555 it's a regular bob-and-weave along that block of Mission now. Did you notice that they're still pulling large amounts of brick out of the ground?

[Reminiscence]

All those bricks being pulled out make me think they were part of some building from the turn of the century. I'm in no way familiar with buildings that old, so its my guess. Could they be looking for a time capsule of some sort?

[peanut gallery]

I don't think so. They seem to be working around the perimeter. I think they knew there was material from an old building (like you said) down there that I assume filled the lot, so that's where the remnants of the walls would be. Right next to the parking garage/patio building, they seemed to be hammering and digging out concrete (old foundation, maybe?). I'm guessing that they're moving relatively carefully to recycle the material. But, who knows?

[BTinSF]

So I was down there today and found a City inspector willing to chat. Under the old sidewalk on the eastern side of the site they have unearthed an old storage tank which is quite easy to see from the area where you now walk past the site in the street. The gentleman from the City told me that before they can remove the tank, they must first analyze the contents and the adjacent soil for toxics and just to see what it is. Then, if it's safe, they can remove any contents. He guessed what had been in there was oil (for the boilers of the building formerly on the site). If it is something flammable and with potentially explosive vapors, they may use dry ice to drive off any remaining such vapors (i.e. with CO2). Then they can use cutting torches to cut up the tank and remove it and any soil that also needs to go.

In general terms, what they seem to be doing is probing the foundations of the former building on this site looking for stuff like the tank they found this week.

The good news is he said that the excavation and construction was definitely underway. What is happening now is not some preliminary event but the beginning of the full-scale excavation. And the signs reserving street space also indicate that--they go until December.

[peanut gallery]

Good info, BT. I also noticed that tank today and a tank removal company working on it. It looked to me like they had already cut several holes in the top of it, so maybe they have already determined it's empty? I also noticed additional concrete, which looked like the basement of the old building. Seeing this reminded me of an older photo I've seen of this lot before it was used for parking that showed these same remnants covered in graffiti. Now, that old material and graffiti is visible again. The just buried whatever was there with dirt and paved a lot over it. I'll post some photos when I get home.

All this explains the methodical process they are going through. One other note: It looks to me like they have now removed all the asphalt.

[peanut gallery]

Here's a look at what I was talking about:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3022/2678136071_b2d8163ce6_b.jpg

The graffiti is in the upper left hand corner and the concrete is seen angling across the bottom right. The truck is from Golden Gate Tank Removal.

In this blurry shot (sorry, I was in a hurry) you can see one of the men working on the tank in the hole:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3273/2678137901_6f1a2ab96d_b.jpg

[peanut gallery]

Could they be done removing the tank already? That area is covered with dirt again. Otherwise, it looks like they trucked away a good chunk of material in the past 24 hours (asphalt, concrete scraps, etc).

Hey fflint - any chance of us seeing that new rendering anytime soon? I'm guessing they'll post one onsite before too long. I'd sure like to see what it's going to look like.

[peanut gallery]

This is about to get a whole lot more interesting. There is equipment and material onsite today for shoring up the perimeter. It looks like they've removed all the brick from the previous building and are going to start real excavation.

One thing that strikes me as odd (but that I'm sure is done for a logical reason) is the way they dug down to get to the brick, tank and other material, then go to the trouble of covering all those areas back up again. Just so they can turnaround and dig it all back out. Maybe it has something to do with different companies handling different parts of the project. All the equipment that was being used by Ryan Engineering is gone and Malcom, who I assume is doing the excavation work, has moved their equipment in.

[BTinSF]

One thing that strikes me as odd (but that I'm sure is done for a logical reason) is the way they dug down to get to the brick, tank and other material, then go to the trouble of covering all those areas back up again. Just so they can turnaround and dig it all back out. Maybe it has something to do with different companies handling different parts of the project.

It could be as simple as that they haven't scheduled any trucks to show up this week to haul the dirt away. A project like this has to be carefully choreographed. I don't think you just decide to haul the bricks away today and dump trucks magically appear.

[peanut gallery]

Here's a look from today. I was wrong. There is still one Ryan digger in the background:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3123/2702831436_935df84454_b.jpg

[peanut gallery]

It could be as simple as that they haven't scheduled any trucks to show up this week to haul the dirt away. A project like this has to be carefully choreographed. I don't think you just decide to haul the bricks away today and dump trucks magically appear.

It's not that they should have hauled it away, but why they spread it back out again. It was already in a couple of large piles in the middle of the site. Now it's been spread back out to a more-or-less level condition. I'm thinking it had to do with leaving the site in a certain state for Malcolm.

BTW: between this and One Hawthorne, Malcolm is removing a lot of dirt from this part of downtown.

[Downtown Dave]

The excavator, and plenty of steel.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/535Mission/535Mission-5645.jpg

Hopefully this new construction will remove dirt from the area both literally and figuratively. :)

[peanut gallery]

Here, in all its out-of-focus splendor, is the western edge of the hole (blue/orange striped boards) and thus I assume the building:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/2715710150_8f88f9cefd_b.jpg

I only post to show how once you set aside room to replace the sidewalk on Shaw, the available space for the building is made even more thin.

[Downtown Dave]

Didn't the earlier renderings show a smaller atrium with a broader building above rising on columns? This what we see here would not be the full width of the upper stories.

[peanut gallery]

It does, but those columns run right along the edge of the sidewalk. So this is the full width.

[WonderlandPark]

As close as you can be to being in the U/C category without being there.

[Downtown Dave]

And perhaps this augers the start of those columns?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/535Mission/535Mission.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/535Mission/535Mission-1.jpg

[peanut gallery]

Nice! Jokes like that are the foundation of SSP's appeal.

How do you like the nice green tarp they added to the fencing? I'm guessing it's just a matter of time until it covers the backside as well. Thankfully, we'll still have a great view from above.

[Downtown Dave]

Yeah, no need to sneak onto elevators on this project. :)

[BTinSF]

How do you like the nice green tarp they added to the fencing?

I've never understood the apparent need that construction companies feel to hide their work. What's with that?

Up the street at 555 Mission, they cut "view holes" in the tarp and they put holes in the plywood at Trinity Plaza but that seems uncommon.

[Reminiscence]

Oh no, I've lost my potential views of this one from the street. My guess as to why they hide they're work is so people dont stand around and cause pedestrian traffic or bump into others as they walk and look elsewhere. As for Trinity, I havent been there in a while, but at least I know I can climb the side wall above the plywood and get a clear view of the western and southern sides.

[peanut gallery]

Malcolm seems particularly protective judging by their two projects in this area. Makes it harder for us, but not impossible. Maybe we'll get some peep holes when Swinerton and Webcor take over those sites.

I haven't been down to Trinity lately either. I should do that one of these days.

[Downtown Dave]

Not sure what exactly they are doing with this giant auger. They seem to have been pumping something down into the ground, maybe to stabilize the soil?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/535Mission/535Mission-5778.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/535Mission/535Mission-5772.jpg

[BTinSF]

If this building is not going to have below ground parking or a basement, they could be doing what's called "soil densification". Essentially, they drill holes and fill them with gravel--or at least that's what they did on Treasure Island when I watched them build a new building there. TI, of course, was fill prone to liquifaction in an earthquake. I wouldn't think the soil problems on Mission St this far from the Bay would be so bad, but maybe . . . .

Alternatively, when they do excavate they drill laterally, insert a rod or 2 of rebar and pump in concrete to hold the retaining wall but I doubt they'd be doing anything like that because they haven't excavated anything yet. That steel laying around the site looks like the stuff they use for retaining walls, though.

[peanut gallery]

I believe they are installing auger cast piles:

Auger Cast Piles are installed by rotating a continuously flighted hollow shaft auger into the soil to a specified depth. High strength cement grout is pumped under pressure through the hollow shaft as the auger is slowly withdrawn. The resulting grout column hardens and forms an auger cast pile. Reinforcing, when required, can be installed while the cement grout is still fluid, or in the case of full length single reinforcing bars, through the hollow shaft of the auger prior to the withdrawal and grouting process.

source: augercastpiles.com (http://www.augercastpiles.com/)

The steel beams are being used for the reinforcement mentioned above. They've been installing those as they move around the perimeter, and they are encased in the concrete mixture that you can see in the photos above. Looking at the length of the auger and beams, I asume there will be at least a couple of levels underground, which I assume is for parking.

[Downtown Dave]

They are good at making a mess, anyway. The small excavator seems again to be digging out a rectangular foundation.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/535Mission/535Mission-5804.jpg

Attaching the pile to the driver:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/535Mission/535Mission-5809.jpg

Most of the noise on the site seems to come from this thing, which is probably a pump of some sort:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/535Mission/535Mission-5814.jpg

[peanut gallery]

And what a noise it is. You can hear that thing for blocks. It looked to me like they've finished the Minna side and most of the Shaw side and are moving to the Mission front. I don't think they've started on shoring next to the parking garage/elevated plaza.

[BTinSF]

I believe they are installing auger cast piles:



source: augercastpiles.com (http://www.augercastpiles.com/)

The steel beams are being used for the reinforcement mentioned above. They've been installing those as they move around the perimeter, and they are encased in the concrete mixture that you can see in the photos above. Looking at the length of the auger and beams, I asume there will be at least a couple of levels underground, which I assume is for parking.

I don't think so. The steel beams are going to be the retaining wall of the perimeter of the foundation. They will place them apart the length of timbers they will later insert as they dig down--as we've seen them do elsewhere such as at One Hawthorne.

It would be unusual to be doing auger cast piles at this stage. Generally they do those later--they drill laterally but angled a bit downward--to further reinforce the retaining wall or, sometimes, to brace the building next door such as that old warehouse next to One Hawthorne. I watched them do that at Symphony Towers which has three stories of garage under it so it went quite deep. I didn't know what they were called, but auger cast piles were what I was describing when I said "Alternatively, when they do excavate they drill laterally, insert a rod or 2 of rebar and pump in concrete to hold the retaining wall" above.

If they were going to use that method for the main piles under this building, they wouldn't have needed to do the test piles they did because, with auger casting, you don't need to know the length of the piles ahead of time.

[peanut gallery]

I don't really know anything about the subject. Just did a little research online. Malcolm's website lists it as one of their techniques and the description sounded like what I've been watching them do. I was assuming they could use this technique to create the retaining wall, but have no idea if that's possible. It is very similar to what I saw them doing at One Hawthorne, although it's a lot harder to see at that jobsite.

[BTinSF]

IMalcolm's website lists it as one of their techniques

I'm pretty sure they will be doing that--but a bit further along in the process. From what I've seen, when they do auger casting, the auger they use is smaller in diameter--maybe 6"--than the huge ones they are using at 535 Mission now. I'm as stumped as you are about why they are using those, but they don't seem to be going very deep with them, do they?

[peanut gallery]

They're going as deep as the beam you can see in Dave's last photos above. Those are all only sticking out of the ground by about 6 inches or so. Whatever it is they're doing, it looks like there will only be a level or two underground (for parking?). Those beams are shorter than the ones they used on One Hawthorne, which will have 3 levels of underground parking.

[peanut gallery]

Malcolm appears to be done with their part of the project. Their rigs are all lowered and they're hauling off all that generator-looking equipment. Could it be their role is strictly shoring and someone else will do the excavation? Incidentally, I never saw them do any shoring along the wall of the parking garage, but the rest of the perimeter has beams and the concrete mixture installed.

[peanut gallery]

Now Ryan is back onsite, re-excavating the area near the garage:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3170/2746090102_8ec636938c_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3117/2746091710_2b2a3928a5_b.jpg

And once again making large piles of material:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3036/2746088438_fbd25ee3ea_b.jpg

So they basically covered these areas to give Malcolm room to work. Now they're finishing up the process of removing old building material next to the neighboring building. Also, it looks like Malcolm will be back.

[BTinSF]

The excavation seems fully underway now (two shovels, parade of dump trucks) and they have uncovered an interesting old brick structure from the previous building on the site (the photo, as usual, is from my 2 MP cell phone camera so please excuse the lack of sharpness):

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x128/BSTJr/IMG_0170.jpg?t=1218495783

[peanut gallery]

I'm not sure what's in it, but they were filling-up the upright tank with some kind of powdery/granular substance. The process is exceptionally loud. You can see the large black hose running from the truck (which is just off-camera) on the far left:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3045/2767269178_6a16338528_b.jpg

As you can see from this series of overhead shots they are making quick work of the excavation process:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3064/2766426757_4b3e9a73d5_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3140/2767277150_046822b805_b.jpg

There's the truck in the background:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3201/2766428567_c096b564ea_b.jpg

BT, I shot this one for you after our discussion in the One Hawthorne thread. They've installed the wood barrier like you said they would. But it's only on the very top, and look at how smooth the sides of the hole are below that. How do they dig out the material and leave such a smooth wall?
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3136/2766424805_9f6e3c2d7f_b.jpg

[BTinSF]

BT, I shot this one for you after our discussion in the One Hawthorne thread. They've installed the wood barrier like you said they would. But it's only on the very top, and look at how smooth the sides of the hole are below that. How do they dig out the material and leave such a smooth wall?
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3136/2766424805_9f6e3c2d7f_b.jpg

I don't know. It looks to me like there may be an old perimeter foundation wall there. But I'm going to stop talking and wait to see.

[peanut gallery]

That's some good advice!

[peanut gallery]

Say, last I recall this is only going to have one level of underground parking. If that's still the case, pile driving should start on this rather quickly. In fact, this and One Hawthorne may start around the same time.

[BTinSF]

So I walked by just after "quitting time" today to snap a couple of shots of the progress:

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x128/BSTJr/IMG_0176.jpg?t=1219187082

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x128/BSTJr/IMG_0178.jpg?t=1219187107

and my photography attracted the attention of a gentleman who appeared to be a supervisor from Swinerton who came over to inquire why I was taking pictures. I mentioned SSP and he seemed familiar with it (and if he logs on to see my pictures, we can hope he'll post). Then I took the opportunity to get a little intelligence. To whit, he confirmed that there will be only one floor of parking but that will require excavating to about 18 ft before driving the piles and pouring the pile caps. I asked how long that might take and he said about another 2 1/2 months. So those of you who may hear the THUMP, THUMP get ready in early November. For the rest of us, I expect to see some serious construction underway when I return next spring.

[peanut gallery]

And you didn't ask about auger-cast piles??? :)

Great info, BT. I didn't think it would take that long, but there you have it. Maybe those of us between this and One Hawthorne won't be hearing pile driving in stereo. Thanks!

[POLA]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3063/2781505475_1012c4ed9d_o.jpg

[CityKid]

Forgive me if someone else has already pointed this out, but it looks like this tower will be the same height as 101 First Street across the way.

[peanut gallery]

Yeah, actually we did discuss that a few pages ago. The hope is that the crown will take this up over 400' to give a step effect up from 100 First to 555 Mission and back down to 101 Second. I'm hoping we'll get more details soon (like the new rendering that fflint mentioned awhile ago) to confirm that, or not.

[BTinSF]

Forgive me if someone else has already pointed this out, but it looks like this tower will be the same height as 101 First Street across the way.


This, the only rendering of the new design we've got, certainly seems to me to make it look taller:

http://www.greenbuild.com/projects/images/535mission_rev.jpg
http://www.greenbuild.com/projects/images/535mission_rev.jpg

It also make the crown look equivalent to at least 3 stories of additional height (roughly 40 ft.).

[Downtown Dave]

View from today. The new plywood barrier is futile!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/NelsonAndBronte/SanFrancisco/535Mission/535Mission-6130.jpg