Topping Out Ceremony. The Miron construction team topped out the new tower in August, hoisting a roof panel to the 10th floor with a small, ceremonial tree attached. Topping out means that the basic structure of the new tower is complete. Much work remains to make the outer envelope watertight and to finish the interior. A more extensive, in-person topping-out ceremony had been planned, but those plans did not survive the COVID pandemic. You can watch the virtual topping out by accessing this video: https://uwmadison.box.com/s/myn03xfdyygvggwdq57houdch24xwi6h.
New Tower. Work continues on the exterior of the new tower. On the southeast and southwest sides, the exterior is almost completely enclosed. Glass encloses most of the offices and conference rooms with southern exposure. Exit stars are complete up to the eighth-floor level, and the new exhaust ductwork on the Daniels roof is complete on the east side and being constructed on the west side. An interesting feature of the south facades is that although there will be windows on the eighth floor of the tower eventually, the eighth floor currently has air intakes instead. Until the new air handlers in the mechanical penthouse of the tower come online, these louvered openings are feeding outside air to the existing ventilation system in Daniels.
Work continues on the ninth- and tenth-floor mechanical penthouse, with decorative exterior panels installed at a dizzying height. Inside this decorative exterior are air handlers and fans that will provide ventilation for the tower and improve ventilation in our existing facilities.
On the University-Avenue side of the tower, some terra cotta has been installed at the northwest corner (Charter-Street side near “The Crossing”). Eventually, the western two thirds of this façade will have terra cotta decoration. There is also progress on the main entrance to the new tower at Mills Street and University Avenue, with a ceiling being installed above the portico.
Fire Protection. Sprinkler pipe installation is currently underway on the third floor of Mathews. Work is expected to extend through Tuesday, October 6. Work will begin on the second floor of Mathews on October 5.
Construction in the Mathews and Daniels stairwells will resume Tuesday, September 29. A construction crew will core holes in stairwell landings and install electrical components of the fire sprinkler system. The north Daniels stairwell will be first, with work starting on the ninth floor and working down to the sub-basement. Workers will proceed to the west Mathews stairwell and the east Mathews (floors SB-7) and south Daniels (floors 6-9) stairwells next.
The construction crew will work inside each stairwell, although it may be necessary for them to be in the corridor immediately outside the stairwell from time to time. Noise and vibration will necessarily accompany coring through the floor. Please do not use a stairwell if the crew has posted notices / cones / hazard tape.
The east Daniels stairwell (floors B, 1, 2) will not be affected, nor will stairwells in Shain tower.
Construction will disrupt the pattern of ‘up’ and ‘down’ stairwells imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. You may need to use an alternate route or use the elevators. If you must use a stairwell in the direction opposite the preferred direction, try to ensure that someone isn’t coming in the opposite direction during the time that you are in the stairwell, or step out of the stairwell, into the corridor, to allow someone to pass.
This information is up to date as of Monday morning. Email bulletins will be provided as needed.
We thank Jim Maynard, Gerald David, and Miron Construction for photos and the video used in this newsletter issue.
John Moore and Bob McMahon