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

[JWOLFE]

Take this info for what its worth but I was talking to one of the fire proofing workers for the new Comcast Tower and he stated that there was already a 3rd Comcast tower planned across the street on the lot. He said it without hesitation, I didn't bother to dig for more info but its definitely something to consider when all of us have already assumed/heard rumors of a 3rd tower in the future.

[Human Scale]

Originally Posted by JWOLFE

Take this info for what its worth but I was talking to one of the fire proofing workers for the new Comcast Tower and he stated that there was already a 3rd Comcast tower planned across the street on the lot. He said it without hesitation, I didn't bother to dig for more info but its definitely something to consider when all of us have already assumed/heard rumors of a 3rd tower in the future.

Yea he prolly got that scoop from us.

[slow-v6]

Is the core gonna go all the way up to the spire or will it stop at the roof?? If it stops at the roof, then there will be around 200 more feet to go up. How will that effect the tower crane as wont the crane be topped out then at the roof?? Is there enough range for the crane to complete the project if it's unable to get any taller??

[Elevator1]

Originally Posted by 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?.

Since the a good bit of the core includes the elevator hoistways, the out of plumb condition changes the clear size available for the equipment. There is some tolerance but the less the better. Especially since they are not the full way up yet. They have to see how much the crane weight is causing the pull. It is not the end of the world from that point of view but other things might be affected as well. Hopefully they have some nice smart engineers on staff to figure out the cause and solution.

[PhillyPhlyr]

.

I'm just curious to know how they install them after all the glass is up.

[allovertown]

Originally Posted by PhillyPhlyr

.

I'm just curious to know how they install them after all the glass is up.

Suction cups. Really big suction cups.

[Chubbs Peterson]

I heard the Phanatic is going to shoot them out of a hot dog cannon.

[bulgar]

Originally Posted by Licious

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

I would be extremely shocked if the core is truly 3" out of vertical alignment. Construction Documents (including the drawings themselves and corresponding Specifications) outline construction requirements, acceptable tolerances, methods of execution, etc. Think of project Specifications (or Specs) as a manual for construction. Typically, concrete can be off by +/- 1/8" to 1/2" maximum. Engineers will survey each floor using laser/prismatic telemetry for accuracy. For a high-rise, this would translate into huge problems with hoist-way dimensions, elevator rails not aligning (these high a very high tolerance for accuracy), shaft and super-structure conflicts.

[skyscraper]

Originally Posted by JWOLFE

Take this info for what its worth but I was talking to one of the fire proofing workers for the new Comcast Tower and he stated that there was already a 3rd Comcast tower planned across the street on the lot. He said it without hesitation, I didn't bother to dig for more info but its definitely something to consider when all of us have already assumed/heard rumors of a 3rd tower in the future.

Not that a fireproofing sub is necessarily a 100% reliable source, but it would have been worth a follow up question or two. To say that a building is "planned" could mean a lot of things: they obviously intend to do something with all the property they are buying across the street, but that does not necessarily mean that there are architects doing drawings or anything yet. But it might. We'd all be interested in what he meant by a planned tower, even if it is just one more data point and not necessarily anything to bet the house on.
And I'll stop saying "necessarily" now.

[City Wide]

Originally Posted by bulgar

I would be extremely shocked if the core is truly 3" out of vertical alignment. Construction Documents (including the drawings themselves and corresponding Specifications) outline construction requirements, acceptable tolerances, methods of execution, etc. Think of project Specifications (or Specs) as a manual for construction. Typically, concrete can be off by +/- 1/8" to 1/2" maximum. Engineers will survey each floor using laser/prismatic telemetry for accuracy. For a high-rise, this would translate into huge problems with hoist-way dimensions, elevator rails not aligning (these high a very high tolerance for accuracy), shaft and super-structure conflicts.

Agreed. If its 3" out of plum and that's a surprise I'm sure some lawyers are already peeing in their pants and thinking "I can get a new BMW out of this one".
Thanks to GPS and lasers and world of taking measurements is a pure science these days; no art about at all.
I wonder if this 3" rumor was started by someone who does fire proofing------------

[jsbrook]

Thanks, Cro, for stopping the insanity. Helpful to post the Hearst tower to present something concrete (and inject some sanity).

[bulgar]

Originally Posted by City Wide

Agreed. If its 3" out of plum and that's a surprise I'm sure some lawyers are already peeing in their pants and thinking "I can get a new BMW out of this one".
Thanks to GPS and lasers and world of taking measurements is a pure science these days; no art about at all.
I wonder if this 3" rumor was started by someone who does fire proofing------------

Construction law is a huge money pot. With an error like this, you could easily upgrade to a Rolls Royce. As far as the origin of the 'rumor', it could have come from any one sub-contractor on site. Unless the original statement came from Prime contractor, very few others would really know. Otherwise, it's like playing whisper down the lane. And that's how rumor get started...

[PhillyPhlyr]

Originally Posted by jsbrook

Thanks, Cro, for stopping the insanity. Helpful to post the Hearst tower to present something concrete (and inject some sanity).

You guys are touchy in here, christ. There was no insanity, I asked how it was installed and someone wondered about it going up and then nothing but a bunch of hissy fits.

And I still didn't get an answer except for snarky replies.

I won't waste my time posting anymore. Thanks.

[Cro Burnham]

Originally Posted by PhillyPhlyr

You guys are touchy in here, christ. There was no insanity, I asked how it was installed and someone wondered about it going up and then nothing but a bunch of hissy fits.

And I still didn't get an answer except for snarky replies.

I won't waste my time posting anymore. Thanks.

Sorry for sounding like a dick before. It wasn't directed at you or anyone in particular, just that this issue of the mullions has been periodically resuscitated like Frankenstein. But it really seems like nothing to be concerned about.

At least the Hearst Tower photos seemed to have clarified the matter a bit.

[Now watch them VE out the mullions, and I'll really feel like a dick, but I guess that's just par for the course for the big time SSP movers and shakers like 'ol Cro B [being goofy here, obviously].]

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by Cro Burnham

Sorry for sounding like a dick before. It wasn't directed at you or anyone in particular, just that this issue of the mullions has been periodically resuscitated like Frankenstein. But it really seems like nothing to be concerned about.

At least the Hearst Tower photos seemed to have clarified the matter a bit.

[Now watch them VE out the mullions, and I'll really feel like a dick, but I guess that's just par for the course for the big time SSP movers and shakers like 'ol Cro B [being goofy here, obviously].]

I'm sorry too, PhillyPhlyr. Wasn't directed at you specifically. There's just been a lot of angst and repeated conversation on this issue. Factually speaking, it seems very unlikely. But, yes, of course now watch me and Cro be wrong.

[summersm343]

http://philly.curbed.com/2016/4/27/1...rainbow-photos

[City Wide]

Originally Posted by bulgar

Construction law is a huge money pot. With an error like this, you could easily upgrade to a Rolls Royce. As far as the origin of the 'rumor', it could have come from any one sub-contractor on site. Unless the original statement came from Prime contractor, very few others would really know. Otherwise, it's like playing whisper down the lane. And that's how rumor get started...

You need to read post 11277 in the highrise development thread to get my attempt at humor re. a rumor started by a fire proofing contractor.

Rolls Royce, BMW, since I'm driving a beat up 10 year work van either one would be a major upgrade. Great image, a Rolls banging around with some hardwood lumber hanging out the back end.

[Licious]

Originally Posted by City Wide

Agreed. If its 3" out of plum and that's a surprise I'm sure some lawyers are already peeing in their pants and thinking "I can get a new BMW out of this one".
Thanks to GPS and lasers and world of taking measurements is a pure science these days; no art about at all.
I wonder if this 3" rumor was started by someone who does fire proofing------------

I heard this from a few major developers in the city and then separately from a high ranking person working at one of the largest steel erection companies in the country, who heard it from some Philly iron workers. So take what you want from it. Obviously some whisper down the lane, but seemed like it may be likely coming from two completely unrelated parties. It also seemed likely because progress on the steel has been slow and I noticed the West crane was out of commission for a bit.

Whether the 3" is just due to sloppy form work or an actual horizontal displacement of the core I can't say. Although 3" wouldn't be catastrophic to the project, it is significant and the fix would be costly. For the people on here claiming it wouldn't be a big deal, they have clearly never been involved in any type of building or engineering. Hundreds of pieces would have to be cut for several floors until the core was back in alignment.

[boxbot]

Originally Posted by PhillyPhlyr

You guys are touchy in here, christ.

You should see what happens if you complain about the height of 1919 Market.

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by boxbot

You should see what happens if you complain about the height of 1919 Market.

Trigger warning.