ZGF Tower | x feet | 22 floors | Complete [Archive] - Page 2

WestCoast

Dec 1, 2007, 10:48 PM

First concrete pour was this saturday morning.

3 pumpers, and I couldn't count how many cement trucks lined up all over 12th and side streets. People and pumps and equipment everywhere.

Castillonis

Dec 6, 2007, 12:47 AM

I took these photos on December 05, 2007, 2:28:54 PM. They poured about 3300 yards of concrete for the mat. The outer perimeter will recieve a second pour later.
http://aycu07.webshots.com/image/37926/2003807170233390992_rs.jpg

http://aycu36.webshots.com/image/35355/2003820914753373380_rs.jpg

Dougall5505

Dec 9, 2007, 4:34 AM

zgf crane on flickr http://flickr.com/photos/nymphobrainiac/
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2289/2095932225_3a61a5df7d_o.jpg

Castillonis

Jan 2, 2008, 3:36 AM

I took this photo at about 17:30 on Tue 01Jan08 from SW 13th ave and SW Washington st.
http://aycu31.webshots.com/image/38030/2004765660553346470_rs.jpg

WonderlandPark

Jan 2, 2008, 3:50 AM

Portland seems to like to dig deeeeep for their towers. The Fox was a huge dig, so is the park next door. Even some of the Pearl digs are very deep for what the height of the project. This is even deeper than towers 3X as tall in other cities, look at some of the other forums like Chicago or NYC, you don't see them going down so far - Outside of the supertalls. Always found it interesting, must be cheap to dig with river soils to justify going down so far.

mudshark

Jan 2, 2008, 3:53 AM

Wow, what a photo you pulled off of flickr Dougall. That one's a keeper and maybe one to airbrush the crane out, put the ZGF and the PAW in. All that reflection could me tough to draw, but with Hood sticking out like that, it's breathtaking.

WestCoast

Jan 2, 2008, 4:31 AM

sweeet great to see it finally climbing out.

PacificNW

Jan 2, 2008, 5:20 AM

⇧ I know I am biased but the setting for Portland/Mt. Hood is breathtaking.... ranks right up there with Seattle/Mt.Rainier..

Castillonis

Jan 11, 2008, 9:48 PM

I took this photo at 12:28 on Fri 11Jan08 of the ZGF Tower construction site.
1200x900
http://aycu37.webshots.com/image/38196/2001785511717246035_rs.jpg

PacificNW

Jan 11, 2008, 10:05 PM

It appears that the largest part of the tower mass faces north and south. Cool. I like the fact that the narrower parts faces the East and West. I appreciate your photo updates, btw....

MarkDaMan

Jan 11, 2008, 10:34 PM

I wonder what specimens are in the testing box?

sopdx

Jan 12, 2008, 8:30 AM

very funny :) and a little frightening...

RED_PDXer

Jan 13, 2008, 2:36 PM

it's a good thing that brick is keeping an eye on those test specimens!

mudshark

Jan 14, 2008, 11:32 AM

i think i know what the specimens are in the white box. if you saw or read harry potter, in the second book while in herbology class the students had to pull the mandrake plants out of their pots to be re-potted. when a mandrake screams it is so intense and piercing that it can kill someone. they scream when their environment changes, such as being re-potted.

so, it's only logical that what is in the white box are the little nimbydrake plants which have to be pulled out from their safe white box every so often to get an idea on how well a downtown construction project is going. Recorded decibel levels show how well the project is progressing. if construction is going according to plan and ahead of schedule, etc., the recorded levels of the specimens reach very high levels. the more development the nimbydrakes see the louder their scream. if the crew is working slow the foreman will know just by looking at the daily charts. from the developer on down high levels are always the goal.

my .02 worth of white box analysis.

MarkDaMan

Jan 14, 2008, 3:55 PM

:jester:

Castillonis

Jan 30, 2008, 1:48 AM

Did you notice the 'Carlson Testing Inc' on the other side of the box?
http://www.carlsontesting.com/Services.htm

I thought that they may be testing the strength of the concrete, but I have not asked anybody what the that box is for. I did not even notice the box when I was posting the photo as I was in a hurry.

philopdx

Feb 11, 2008, 2:03 AM

ZGF Construction Update. It may be a while before this one breaks ground level.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2018/2256018335_c104d6d9bf_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2369/2256017527_0e6c64f568_b.jpg

MarkDaMan

Feb 11, 2008, 6:22 AM

^at this point, it actually starts going up pretty damned fast (about a floor a week to every two weeks). Should be out of the ground in the next couple weeks.

pdxman

Feb 11, 2008, 7:09 AM

Is there a reason why they decided or needed to go so deep? The building itself isn't very tall so is it that they just wanted a lot of parking or...?

downtownpdx

Feb 11, 2008, 7:54 PM

CouvScott

Feb 11, 2008, 9:58 PM

Curious -- what decides the height of the construction cranes? The Ladd building is going to be about as tall as ZGF, but its crane is only a few stories off the ground while ZGF is at its full height I believe.

As far as I know (and I'm just a subcontractor), it has to do with sight lines for the cab as well as the surrounding building heights it may have to lift loads over. And I believe they put a "grow" section in the ZGF crane, so it too may bump up a few sections towards the end.

MarkDaMan

Feb 12, 2008, 2:02 AM

My thought was Opus was trying to avoid controversy by sticking a 250' crane above the park blocks until the building was weeeel under way. That is the conspiratorial side of me though.

philopdx

Feb 12, 2008, 4:17 AM

Yeah, the construction guys said that they will extend the height of the crane twice before it's all said and done.

BrG

Feb 13, 2008, 10:18 PM

In my experience its often a total of 50' above the building top, that is needed. IIRC, it's 20' below the boom and cab, and 30' above for cable stays to hold the boom in tension.

I may have those numbers transposed, but...you get the idea.

Most high rise cranes can have one or more movable sections included to raise the crane with the building construction progress, as needed.

BrG

Feb 13, 2008, 10:23 PM

My thought was Opus was trying to avoid controversy by sticking a 250' crane above the park blocks until the building was weeeel under way. That is the conspiratorial side of me though.

No conspiracy there.

It's just easier to be closer to where you are working. You can see better and there's less of an effect from the wind on the stuff hanging from, and being picked up (and moved accurately) with the boom, by the operator.

It actually can be a pretty dangerous process. Crane operators are paid well, because of it. Life and death responsibility, often.

The funny thing is that the subs are not affected by the looming boom, loaded with multi-ton loads, but if the crane operator has to carry the porta potty over thier heads... It's LOOKOUT ABOVE!!

MarkDaMan

Feb 14, 2008, 2:26 AM

^I know, I know...but it IS Opus...creeps!

philopdx

Feb 24, 2008, 3:56 AM

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3017/2287540096_1aaeea1962_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2258/2286755487_f8904442ee_b.jpg

PacificNW

Feb 24, 2008, 4:00 AM

Is that a picture of the proposed project for the former PDX Eagle on that billboard across the street?

tworivers

Feb 24, 2008, 8:28 PM

^^^ No, that is a pre-Skylab rendering for the original renovation they had planned for the existing building.

PacificNW

Feb 24, 2008, 9:06 PM

⇑Thanks....

Dougall5505

Feb 24, 2008, 9:10 PM

steel is at street level! :tup:

philopdx

Mar 9, 2008, 9:48 AM

Update 3-08-08

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2064/2319727255_96eafa31d8_b.jpg

philopdx

Mar 17, 2008, 7:26 AM

Update 3-16-08:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2333/2340188098_f48c23dbc0_b.jpg

philopdx

Mar 23, 2008, 8:29 AM

Update 3-22-08:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2032/2354253854_89ca8b879e_o.jpg

MarkDaMan

Mar 23, 2008, 10:11 AM

I CAN'T WAIT to see this one rise...possibly the most "under the radar" tower in Portland.

Is it apartments now?

Castillonis

Apr 6, 2008, 1:08 AM

http://aycu36.webshots.com/image/52035/2000083505555351631_rs.jpg

NOTE: I took the photos that comprise this image on Sat 05Apr08

PacificNW

Apr 6, 2008, 1:38 AM

Now this project starts to get interesting, imo.

joeplayer1989

Apr 6, 2008, 5:58 AM

woo hoo, I can NOT wait for this one to pop up!

MarkDaMan

Apr 6, 2008, 7:36 AM

wish it was still 30 something floors...but yeah, excited to see it go up here too!

WonderlandPark

Apr 6, 2008, 2:55 PM

This is the only tower I am not a fan of. The design is great, but the location is terrible. It totally overpowers Stark and the nearby areas. It would not surprise me that this tower sparks a sort of outrage, like the rose friend tower on the park blocks. Nimbys will make hay with these towers and try to get limits. I know an architect and planner who also think this is a terrible location for something this tall.

MarkDaMan

Apr 6, 2008, 4:26 PM

I don't think so. There are a lot of open parking lots and not a lot of housing in the area. With the new tower on the Eagle site, a redeveloped Silverado block, and some of those parking lots developed, this area will go high quick. I just don't know who the NIMBYs would be. It's really a no mans land.

WestCoast

Apr 6, 2008, 5:12 PM

I see what you are saying wonderland, but I think I side with Mark with the redevelopment catalyst idea.

This area, just like the Montgomery Blocks, really need something big to go on, to get people's attention.

It's certainly 'off the radar' now, but with a nice tower rising up, hopefully we can see that area pick itself up.

PacificNW

Apr 6, 2008, 6:31 PM

Refresh me....what/where are the Montgomery Blocks?

bvpcvm

Apr 6, 2008, 6:32 PM

yeah, really, who would these nimbys be? if you mean people living in the brewery blocks, then they're being pretty hypocritical. i would be surprised to see much opposition develop.

zilfondel

Apr 6, 2008, 7:29 PM

As long as we get to keep the Ringler's Annex coffee shop, the Crystal, and the Fez. Those are some of the major backbones to the 'hood.

Although I really wish the old Django's space would get leased. It's been sitting vacant for what, 4 years or so? That's ridiculous for such a popular area...

WestCoast

Apr 6, 2008, 10:55 PM

Montgomery Blocks roughly bound market street and harrison street between 2nd and 5th

Basically by the harrison, the new cyan building, and just east of PSU

PacificNW

Apr 7, 2008, 12:06 AM

Thanks....

urbanlife

Apr 7, 2008, 7:44 AM

cant wait to watch this one rise in the city.

WonderlandPark

Apr 7, 2008, 5:00 PM

sopdx

Apr 7, 2008, 7:43 PM

Doesn't sound like a backlash to me but just good old NIMBYism at work. We will have increased density regardless, especially with a projected 1 million more by 2020 and an intact Urban Growth boundary. Most people I know love the Civic and welcome the increased urbanization in the core.

I hardly consider Hawthorne or Belmont dense. There have been some condos built but you can count the number on one hand. If people don't like density, they shouldn't live in a city.

zilfondel

Apr 7, 2008, 7:59 PM

there are state laws that require cities to take on growth. Although the city's plan is just starting to go through its revamp...

southeast is just full of stuck up hippies, tho. Almost everyone I know of who lives in the neighborhood hates the Pearl and thinks it is full of super richie-rich people who are destroying Oregon.

Typical Oregon provincialism, "don't move here" attitude. Can't wait to see it go away.

MarkDaMan

Apr 8, 2008, 2:55 AM

I can see people complaining about downtown getting taller and bigger, though I personally haven't heard anything like that. However, NIMBYism only kicks in when it is in their back yard.

So maybe some of the people living in NW don't like the tall towers downtown, but when they aren't building it a few blocks away from them, they aren't motivated enough to organize and oppose dense development downtown. That would apply in the eastside too.

I mean, the only person that appealed PAW was a man whom lives in affordable housing a few blocks up...consequently someone told me that building the guy lives in is owned by Moyer, but I don't know that for certain.

bvpcvm

Apr 8, 2008, 4:21 AM

There is going to be a backlash in general about density. ALL of my pdx friends and their friends and at parties, ect, people are complaining. They think the Pearl is fine, but taller buildings downtown, downtown creeping out in general (like the tower on Burnside at the stadium). Particular ire is felt in Southeast, the densification on Belmont and Hawthorne has people up in arms. A vote or backlash limiting development in the next few years would not surprise me at all.

i would think, though, that people on belmont or hawthorn at least tend to buy in to the whole idea of limiting sprawl, so, given the choice of towers on belmont or more scholls ferry roads, i would hope, anyway, they'd choose the towers. on the other hand, for people living on belmont it's probably fairly easy to ignore the suburbs and just pretend they don't exist. i could definitely, however, see backlash from people in less hipster neighborhoods.

rsbear

Apr 8, 2008, 4:32 AM

hymalaia

Apr 8, 2008, 5:32 AM

i would think, though, that people on belmont or hawthorn at least tend to buy in to the whole idea of limiting sprawl, so, given the choice of towers on belmont or more scholls ferry roads, i would hope, anyway, they'd choose the towers.

I wonder if the backlash against "density" is really a backlash against gentrification. Cause realistically, most of these high rise residential buildings are not going to be affordable housing. They are not cheap to build and need to be paid for.

The only other explanation is that Portland is losing it's small town charm. Which I suppose is sad to some degree but growth is going to occur no matter what and we need to manage it the best possible way. And as others point out, Portland is and always has been, for all intensive purposes, a big city. Even if it sometimes feels otherwise.

sopdx

Apr 8, 2008, 5:42 AM

Towers on Belmont? What? There are none and for all points of discussion there is no more backlash now than before.

Anyway, I haven't heard anybody reacting to this structure. What I recently read was that they may erect 40 ft. wind turbines on top of what is now referred to as 12W.

zilfondel

Apr 8, 2008, 7:10 PM

not a tower but the 5-6 story building (?) on Belmont is certainly quite large for the neighborhood.

WonderlandPark

Apr 8, 2008, 7:17 PM

Its 5 stories, I am pretty sure, and friends nearby call it a "tower" and just hate, hate hate it. Even though there was nothing really there before of any value. They claim it shades the cemetery (it doesn't) and so on, anything to justify stopping density. It reminds me of the anti growth wave that hit in SF in the 80's. I don't know when or even if there is enough of a backlash at this point, but people in general don't like what they see.

PacificNW

Apr 8, 2008, 7:37 PM

San Francisco? I was just there for a few days...the density/diversity is amazing! The sidewalks and shops were very active and packed.

zaphod

Apr 8, 2008, 10:00 PM

As I understand it the 1980's NIMBY movement in San Franscisco had many very negative consequences that become apparent for those who live in the city, namely the extreme cost of living.

Supply could not keep up with demand and many people got priced out faster than gentrification could have ever done.

PacificNW

Apr 8, 2008, 10:08 PM

I was staying with friends who live close to the University of California-San Francisco Medical School and Hospitals. They live on 12th and Irving. It took them weeks to find an apartment while relocating from Seattle. They found this apartment just as the owner was placing a "For Rent" sign in the window. I did not see any "Apartments for Rent" signs and only 1 single occupied home across the street from the medical center for sale. Yes, rents and the costs of owning are high but "the city" is vibrant and desirable....at least that is what I saw and heard from a number of "working, middle class" people. One additional note: The Rincon Tower (condo) downtown is awesome. It definitely reaches and touches the sky. It appears to be taller than many of the tallest downtown office towers.

Castillonis

Apr 10, 2008, 5:30 PM

A coworker/friend and his wife paid 3.5k/mos for a basic 2 bedroom in a tower in SF in 2001. I shared a two bedroom hovel with a database consultant for 2k/ mos during the week which was more than my mortgage on my 3 bedroom home in the Kerns neighborhood in Pdx in 2000. I later was lucky and rented a nice room for 1.2k/mos although I had to deal with a guy that started day trading at around 5am in the morning and turned up CNBC. I also wasn't able to use the kitchen because he was a neurotic clean freak :)

Although my income from consulting in the Bay was significantly higher than the Portland area and kept my schedule full. It made Portland seem like a pretty sweet deal.

OK I am way off topic, sorry

philopdx

Apr 14, 2008, 2:22 AM

Update 4-13-08:

Very exiting news, I bet the organic beer folks are about to get pissed off that their advertisement is soon to be worthless...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3117/2412174128_3c884ce119_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3118/2411348503_85f4e6c633_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2334/2411402667_655cf2af2e_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2063/2411407585_dce06ef174_b.jpg

MarkDaMan

Apr 14, 2008, 7:51 AM

I'm sure they knew it was coming. It is awesome to think in 150 years, or so, that mural might still be there if the 12w tower ever comes down.

Dougall5505

Apr 14, 2008, 10:41 PM

why is this one crooked?
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3118/2411348503_85f4e6c633_b.jpg

philopdx

Apr 15, 2008, 5:49 AM

Not sure, but I'm sure they'll straighten it out before the pour. I saw the same thing at the Ladd tower a couple of times.

BrG

Apr 16, 2008, 6:12 PM

why is this one crooked?

No biggie. The crane just lifted it into place, but it hasn't been tied into the structure yet. (It'll be straight before they wrap the formwork around it and it's encased on concrete) :)

philopdx

Apr 20, 2008, 9:01 AM

Update 4-19-08:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3249/2426733283_5f956bd804_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2282/2426733591_499b249d4e_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2389/2426733701_d4d8ec108c_b.jpg

dkealoha

Apr 20, 2008, 10:43 PM

Seems like that happened pretty quickly... I hope this one goes up fast. It is going to make a big difference by extending the brewery blocks a bit south.

PacificNW

Apr 21, 2008, 10:03 PM

I am looking forward to the completion of this tower....

mudshark

Apr 22, 2008, 8:32 AM

I'm giddy over some height in this area. It's going to fill a nice gap. And then PAW! I haven't dropped in this forum in quite some time. Been very busy. Glad to see things are still lively.

Sure wish we'd get some warmer weather with consistency though! ; ) Ah, gotta love the Pacific Northwest.

philopdx

Apr 28, 2008, 3:06 AM

Update 4-26-08:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3041/2448041530_be351d4786_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2178/2448036424_b1fbbb0486_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3275/2448037214_12e564947b_b.jpg

philopdx

May 5, 2008, 7:16 AM

Update 5-04-08:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3109/2466465667_fb1aea6e8d_o.jpg

urbanlife

May 6, 2008, 5:25 PM

it is going to be fun to see this rise.

philopdx

May 11, 2008, 6:19 AM

Update 5-10-08:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3165/2482584600_cc20ed33f4_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2315/2481643549_418fac78c6_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2312/2482455620_022aacccc0_b.jpg

philopdx

May 20, 2008, 5:39 AM

Update 5-19-08:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2318/2507221583_d170c3cfcd_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3250/2508000814_de11f7fe84_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2037/2508001454_e72326656e_b.jpg

philopdx

May 25, 2008, 5:12 AM

Update 5-24-08:

All traces of the organic beer ad are LONG GONE!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3140/2519668919_65f58d35bf_o.jpg

scottyboi

May 30, 2008, 10:58 PM

Just walked by today and they were pouring concrete, so snapped some picshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/2537529144/sizes/l/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24516237@N00/2537525340/sizes/l/

ericb4prez

Jun 5, 2008, 5:16 PM

it's great to see some of the pearl/brewery blocks development spill across burnside. if the skylab tower and a W could find their way into the area it would do wonders for the area.

philopdx

Jun 7, 2008, 5:49 PM

Update 6-1-08:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3116/2559076160_ec0880f42f_o.jpg

urbanlife

Jun 7, 2008, 10:49 PM

now it should start to rise rather quickly

Sioux612

Jun 8, 2008, 2:29 AM

If this tower uses dark windows I think it'll look like a carbon copy of the Atwater.

pdxcrow

Jun 16, 2008, 3:08 AM

This is from a month ago or so.... better late than never.

OOPS!!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3076/2582149117_49c1e611ba.jpg

They took down the pillar and re-installed it a week later.

philopdx

Jun 21, 2008, 8:30 PM

Update 6-14-08:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/2598781144_8494b966cb_o.jpg

NewUrbanist

Jul 2, 2008, 3:34 AM

tworivers

Jul 2, 2008, 4:10 AM

Yeah, it is going to block (pretty soon, actually) that nice view of the church as you go south on 13th through the Pearl.

Worth it though.

rsbear

Jul 2, 2008, 4:12 AM

I rode my bike past this site over the weekend... this building will drawf everything east, west, and south... Its will be overwhelming large in comparison.

Say goodbye to outside happy hour dining at Jake's Crawfish.

Why is that? Jake's outside seating is on the north side of their building, on the south side of Stark Street, whereas 12W is on the south side of the block on north side of Washington Street. I doubt you could even see the top of 12W from the south side of Stark next to Jake's.

PacificNW

Jul 2, 2008, 4:16 AM

I think part of the tower extends onto Stark between Jake's and another establishment...unless their plans have changed.

rsbear

Jul 2, 2008, 4:20 AM

PacificNW

Jul 2, 2008, 6:36 AM

⇡⇡ You got me...I don't know.

zilfondel

Jul 2, 2008, 6:23 PM

I didn't realize how massive this building is going to be...

bvpcvm

Jul 3, 2008, 12:06 AM

didn't someone say that the crane is not yet at its full height and will be raised later?

philopdx

Jul 7, 2008, 1:48 AM

Update 7-5-2008: Yeah, this thing is going to be massive and have a tremendous impact on the "happy" triangle area. I think they are going to raise the crane once during construction.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3141/2643586615_29077aa791_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3011/2644398042_af56f2c28d_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3178/2644399010_3dc25f1510_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3189/2643585601_811e68da3d_b.jpg

Castillonis

Jul 9, 2008, 12:32 AM

PhiloPDX those are very nice photos :)

Here is a photo I took during the bright and hot part of the day 07Jul08 at about 1600. Solar noon was at about 13:16 I will get a shot during the later morning hours when the lighting is more favorable and illuminates the eastern side of the building.
1024x683
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_5099_1024x683.jpg

pdxtraveler

Jul 9, 2008, 2:19 PM

:previous: I think the extension to Stark was for the hotel entrance and was planned for only three or so floors. Now that the hotel portion of the project has been dropped, I'm not sure the plans for the Stark entrance, other than that it is not anywhere near the height of the tower. Maybe they moved the housing entrance to Stark with the removal of the hotel portion of the project?

Yes, I think the housing is still opening to Stark. I could be wrong, but I know I still say design review amendments on the portlandonline site for the entrance to Stark after the hotel was dropped.