PHILADELPHIA | Comcast Technology Center | 1,121 FT | 60 FLOORS

[Tlphila]

It's almost a sin how badass this building is going to be!!!

[Licious]

Heard a mostly confirmed rumor that the core is 3" out of plumb and the West crane is shut down.

[gw04]

Originally Posted by Licious

Heard a mostly confirmed rumor that the core is 3" out of plumb and the West crane is shut down.

Interesting that a 0.037 percent error would shut down that crane

[boxbot]

Originally Posted by Licious

Heard a mostly confirmed rumor that the core is 3" out of plumb and the West crane is shut down.

"Alright, boys. Let's tear it down and start over. Mr. Comcast is going to be sore about this one."

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by gw04

Interesting that a 0.037 percent error would shut down that crane

Hope no one gets fire over this. Hardly can call it the leaning tower of CITC, LOL!

[iheartphilly]

Does anyone know the height of the core right now? The latest I heard was the crane cab was sitting at 750ft if that helps as a point of reference. I still can't believe there's only one core jump left as someone previously stated from the crane operator as the source.

[gw04]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

Does anyone know the height of the core right now? The latest I heard was the crane cab was sitting at 750ft if that helps as a point of reference. I still can't believe there's only one core jump left as someone previously stated from the crane operator as the source.

Probably around 690' or so based on the CDR drawing

[PhillyPhlyr]

Sorry for possibly silly questions...

How and when are they going to install the diagonal attachments to the outside of the glass? and why wouldn't they do it while putting in the glass panes?

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by PhillyPhlyr

Sorry for possibly silly questions...

How and when are they going to install the diagonal attachments to the outside of the glass? and why wouldn't they do it while putting in the glass panes?

Not silly at all. Your very question crossed my mind yesterday. There was much consternation about this, but the mockup across the street (which had the diagonal "flashing") consoled some of us. I'll admit that I'm having a bit of doubt, since they're up to the second tier of glass without adding the "flashing." Hopefully this is not a case of "value engineering."

[FlyersFan]

Originally Posted by Licious

Heard a mostly confirmed rumor that the core is 3" out of plumb...

I heard this too. I heard that it is being pulled by the weight of the eastern crane hanging off the building, but I imagine this is only near the top though. Lower down by the steel I can't see this having too much of an impact.

[Jawnadelphia]

Value engineering and Comcast..? Doesn't seem like a match. Just read they are in talks to buy Dreamworks for $3 bil. They have so much money they don't know what to do with it! Comcast won't cheapen this building, this is Lord Norman Foster design.

[PhillyPhlyr]

Originally Posted by Knight Hospitaller

Not silly at all. Your very question crossed my mind yesterday. There was much consternation about this, but the mockup across the street (which had the diagonal "flashing") consoled some of us. I'll admit that I'm having a bit of doubt, since they're up to the second tier of glass without adding the "flashing." Hopefully this is not a case of "value engineering."

Thanks for answering. I remember the conversation yas had about them possibly cutting it out of the plans. I can't imagine they would leave that off, considering it looks like crap and its Comcast! I'm sure they wouldn't cut corners and leave it looking unfinished. Would they?! I'm just really curious to how they're going to install the diagonal pieces on the outside of the building. I wonder why it wasn't pre-installed like the horizontal pieces.

[allovertown]

Originally Posted by PhillyPhlyr

Thanks for answering. I remember the conversation yas had about them possibly cutting it out of the plans. I can't imagine they would leave that off, considering it looks like crap and its Comcast! I'm sure they wouldn't cut corners and leave it looking unfinished. Would they?! I'm just really curious to how they're going to install the diagonal pieces on the outside of the building. I wonder why it wasn't pre-installed like the horizontal pieces.

The reason why it was not pre-installed would seem to be because each of the diagonal pieces cut across 10 panes of glass. Some of the panes the diagonal braces cross only cover a tiny corner of the glass. If the diagonal brace was pre-installed it would be comprised of all these fractured pieces some seemingly smaller than a few square feet. The horizontal bracing is much easier to break up because each piece of glass has the same amount of bracing and it is divided into very simple straight segments. The diagonal bracing on the other hand would be easier to simply affix in one piece.

Gotta say I really don't get the hand wringing here. Value engineering occurs all the time, but why would they change the diagonal bracing but not horizontal? They are supposed to look the same anyway so if it's cheaper to use a different material for the diagonals, using that for the horizontals as well would be even cheaper and look better.

Bulger's pics also clearly show the glass is indented for the diagonal bracing, it seems clear some thing is going there.

[Cro Burnham]

Originally Posted by allovertown

Gotta say I really don't get the hand wringing here. . . . .

Agreed.

My god, people, they are not going to value engineer Norman Foster's signature design motif. He uses diagonal bracing mullions on all his trophy commissions. They are not going to eliminate them here. Please stop. I'm sure Foster would resign his commission if they did that here.

Look, they did the same thing with the Hearst Tower in NYC:

BEFORE:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------COMPARE TO:
------------------
http://jameswagner.com/mt_archives/Fosterfull.jpg -----------------------------------https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...b4&oe=57B58A42

AFTER:

http://inhabitat.com/nyc/wp-content/...ter-Street.jpg

How many pointless posts did New York forumers make whinging on about the mullions being cost engineered out? Probably none, because they have enough other stuff to keep themselves occupied. But we get lulls, and then the absurdity starts. It's like when there's nothing else to talk about, people start inventing pseudo-topics like this.

To the extent that the core is out of plumb seems like a much more serious thing to be concerned about to me.

Maybe Caruso1975 can shed some light on what's going on with that.

[mmikeyphilly]

Great Find^^

Okay, now here comes the absurdity, silly questions, etc.etc.

Are they using the leftover pieces that weren't used on the Hearst Tower?

That would fall under value engineering, wouldn't it?

Okay, I'll be quiet now...

[Cro Burnham]

Originally Posted by mmikeyphilly

Are they using the leftover pieces that weren't used on the Heast Tower?

That would fall under value engineering, wouldn't it?

Okay, I'll be quiet now...

[Philly Fan]

Originally Posted by mmikeyphilly

Okay, I'll be quiet now...

[Read: I'm going back to my skyscraper porn and won't be available for several hours.]

[ekt8750]

Hate to be the layman here but can someone explain how the core being 3" off would effect the project as a whole? What would be involved in correcting the situation if at all and what would cause it to begin with?.

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by allovertown

The reason why it was not pre-installed would seem to be because each of the diagonal pieces cut across 10 panes of glass. Some of the panes the diagonal braces cross only cover a tiny corner of the glass. If the diagonal brace was pre-installed it would be comprised of all these fractured pieces some seemingly smaller than a few square feet. The horizontal bracing is much easier to break up because each piece of glass has the same amount of bracing and it is divided into very simple straight segments. The diagonal bracing on the other hand would be easier to simply affix in one piece.

Gotta say I really don't get the hand wringing here. Value engineering occurs all the time, but why would they change the diagonal bracing but not horizontal? They are supposed to look the same anyway so if it's cheaper to use a different material for the diagonals, using that for the horizontals as well would be even cheaper and look better.

Bulger's pics also clearly show the glass is indented for the diagonal bracing, it seems clear some thing is going there.

I drove by today. From a distance, the indentation looks like it could be an intended visual effect, but up close it looks like crap and is clearly going to be covered up.

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by Cro Burnham

Agreed.

My god, people, they are not going to value engineer Norman Foster's signature design motif. He uses diagonal bracing mullions on all his trophy commissions. They are not going to eliminate them here. Please stop. I'm sure Foster would resign his commission if they did that here.

Look, they did the same thing with the Hearst Tower in NYC:

[...]

How many pointless posts did New York forumers make whinging on about the mullions being cost engineered out? Probably none, because they have enough other stuff to keep themselves occupied. But we get lulls, and then the absurdity starts. It's like when there's nothing else to talk about, people start inventing pseudo-topics like this.

To the extent that the core is out of plumb seems like a much more serious thing to be concerned about to me.

Maybe Caruso1975 can shed some light on what's going on with that.

At least the topic concerns the bleeping building, eh? I'll hereby declare that the 3" off core is nothing to worry about since I said so. The leaning tower of Pisa is working just fine. I actually appreciate the illustration of the NYC building. I learned something. No need to wield it as a hammer.