Construction Equipment Guide
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Sat February 10, 2001 - West Edition
The foundation of Salt Lake City’s new public library will contain the stuff dreams are made of. Dreams about what the new library means to its employees and the community were written on rocks and dumped into a hole with a backhoe driven by Salt Lake City Mayor Ross “Rocky” Anderson. The rocks and backhoe were part of the groundbreaking ceremony for the approximately $80-million library held last October. Later, these same rocks will be placed in a construction backhoe and then tumbled into the ground at the foundation of the project.
Crews from Mackay Kim Inc. are now in phase two demolition of the site known as “Block 37.” Block 37 is the site of the current main library. Total demolition can begin as soon as buildings are completely vacated and undergo hazardous waste abatement. The jail building, the Metropolitan Hall of Justice and the public safety building will all be coming down.
“We’re just beginning demolition and have been doing prep work, electrical cutoffs and fencing,” said Kelly Kim, president of Mackay Kim Inc.
One of the structures that will be demolished is a tower building near the existing library. The current library is the one existing building that will remain on the Block 37 site. “The tower is more difficult than an average demolition job because of the size and proximity of structures that are remaining,” added Kim.
The phase one demolition contract was awarded to Ontario Specialty Contracting and included the removal of a circuit court building, district court building, aboveground parking structure and underground parking. Several companies also assisted in the project to move nearly 90 trees to various sites throughout Salt Lake County. Three to four trees per day were moved and replanted at the Jordan River Parkway trail, Steiner Aquatic Center and Salt Lake City golf courses. These mature trees are between 10 and 30 years old and range from 10 to 18 in. (25.4 to 45.72 cm) in diameter. The remaining trees at the site will be protected.
“The owner and the city felt adamant that these trees must be saved. We’re very happy about that and it was the right thing to do,” said Ken Ament, project manager, Construction Control Corporation. “We spent a fair amount of money doing it, but the environment will benefit from it.”
No implosion will be used in phase two demolitions. All structures will come down using normal mechanical means and excavators. Crews feel a little pressure to give it their best effort, due to the site’s neighbors.
“It’s a fairly visible project, right downtown, across the street from City Hall. We feel it’s important to do a good job,” said Kim.
Salt Lake City-based Big-D Construction Corporation was named as the contractor for the new Main Library Building. They have been hired to complete all three phases of the project and have begun work on phase one, which includes the excavation and concrete. Future phases involve all other subcontracts in the building, landscaping and site finishes.
“We’re in the process of doing excavation and shoring. We’ve got to move 120,000 cu. yds. (9,120 cu m) of dirt out for two levels of underground parking. The concrete work has been bid and that will be our next portion,” said Ament.
There were some delays in getting all of the building’s services and employees relocated, so demolition has to work concurrently with some of the site work. “It’s gone smoothly, but it’s a very complex project,” added Ament.
It’s also a project that is sorely needed. The current Salt Lake City Main Library is a 34-year-old building that the Library Board of Directors deems deficient in a number of areas. Collections have outgrown available space. Dedicated parking is nonexistent and nearby parking is limited. The mechanical, electrical, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems need upgrading or replacing. And because the building was opened before the advent of the electric typewriter, the building was not designed for the extensive wiring necessary for current and future technologies.
Funding for the project came in November 1998 when Salt Lake City voters approved an $84-million general obligation bond which will build a new 240,000 sq. ft. (21,600 sq m) main library, civic plaza and parking structure for 600 cars, with half of the spaces dedicated for library use. The bond also covers the demolition of all the buildings on the library block, with the exception of the current main library; replacement of the boiler that provides heating for the entire block; and the expansion of two city branch libraries.
Once funding was secured, no time was wasted in requesting architectural bids. Twenty-two architectural teams from throughout the country responded to the request. In early April 1999, an architectural selection advisory committee and the Library board of directors selected the architectural team of Moshe Safdie and Associates Inc., headquartered in Boston. The firm partnered with Salt Lake City-based Valentiner Crane Brunjes Onyon Architects to design the project.
“It’s essentially a concrete and glass building. Moshe Safdie has done some very well-received libraries. His design was the most functional that we saw and certainly one of the best aesthetically. He’s known as being a good man to work with and very good for the client,” said Ament.
The main library project team also includes the Construction Control Corporation (construction and project management and consulting services), Colvin Engineering Associates Inc. (mechanical engineering), and Ove Arup & Partners (engineering).
“It’s a very exciting project. I think the people of Salt Lake will be very impressed with what they’re getting. It’s very unique and we haven’t seen anything like it in Salt Lake before,” said Ament.
If everything remains on schedule, the new main Salt Lake City public library will be completed in Fall 2002. Once the move to the new library is completed, the management of the old library building will turn over to Salt Lake City and house a new occupant.