Toronto The United BLDG | 184.85m | 54s | Davpart | B+H

Taken today

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We've run a couple front page stories on this recently, one on the trusses going in to hold the buildings aloft as three more storeys are excavated from underneath them for a garage, and one on the stonework that's being saved and restored... but there are lots of images that weren't used yet. Let's start with a sequence from a truss delivery…

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Each truss going into the building has to be carefully lowered onto a specially built dolly that angles it enough that it can be pulled through the gutted ground floor. More on its inside journey shortly.

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…and here we are with them getting it inside, the first two shot from the basement:

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…and in fancy-schmancy moving-picture style, it's even a talkie with the ambience of sound:


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That looks complicated and dangerous.
They move those dollies very slowly, you wouldn't want them gaining much momentum! I'm sorry we weren't able to wait to watched the entire process of its arrival in the right bay, and then an install… but we did see how early ones were set up:

Here you can see where the new trusses (rust coloured) are being attached to the building's original steel columns. Since they're going to be digging out four more underground levels than what's there now (like at Union Station but twice as deep), they've got to transfer the loads from the columns to the outside of the building where a new concrete grade beam has been placed. (More on it further down.)

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So here are the trusses in the middle of the building…

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…and where they reach the exterior…

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…and another angle on where they touch down…

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…onto the grade beam. First thing that went in at the site was a concrete beam with columns below it into the earth to take the load from the interior. Gradually, the existing building is will rest on it.

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When I get time to go through more pics, we'll go downstairs next.

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They move those dollies very slowly, you wouldn't want them gaining much momentum! I'm sorry we weren't able to wait to watched the entire process of its arrival in the right bay, and then an install… but we did see how early ones were set up:

Here you can see where the new trusses (rust coloured) are being attached to the building's original steel columns. Since they're going to be digging out four more underground levels than what's there now (like at Union Station but twice as deep), they've got to transfer the loads from the columns to the outside of the building where a new concrete grade beam has been placed. (More on it further down.)

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So here are the trusses in the middle of the building…

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…and where they reach the exterior…

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…and another angle on where they touch down…

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…onto the grade beam. First thing that went in at the site was a concrete beam with columns below it into the earth to take the load from the interior. Gradually, the existing building is will rest on it.

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When I get time to go through more pics, we'll go downstairs next.

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Thanks for doing this! This is amazing to see.

How would you say they are progressing on the build?
 
Okay, let's head to the basement…

This guy is jackhammering away excess concrete from the base of one of the support columns.

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I suppose when he's done this stage, it will look like the base of this column. I believe the idea is that after the hand-work is done here, they can bring in larger equipment to start busting up the slab between the columns.

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So, those two were in the base of 481 University, as is this one, but at the end there lies the basement of 210 Dundas West.

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…arriving in the busted-open and partially dug-out courtyard between the two…

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…looking up!

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Although an older building (1928 vs 1961), 210 Dundas has what appears to be a more modern concrete structure holding it aloft. The diggers are ready when needed. All of the slab down here is going to go as they begin a dig that will go ~ 13 metres further down to get four more levels. The ground floor slab will go too as they need new ones for the widened sidewalk below the colonnade, and new floor heights for the various components of this multi-use project.

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Back up at ground level and peering into the busted-open courtyard.

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When I next get time, we'll head up to the second floor where the purple-painted pillars are.

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That reminds me, I never did post the last pack of pics from the February 11 tour. Let's head up to the second floor…

First in 481 University…

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…then in the Dundas St building where they were storing the limestone before it was taken offsite for restoration. You'll see most of it is boxed up already, but not all…

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…and then a view of the site from the parking lot across Centre Street:

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And thus endeth the tour!

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