May 2018
Portland Building Update, May 2018
May was a busy month at the Portland Building. Construction crews completed the rebar installation around the core in the basement and began shooting the shotcrete to form the shear walls, part of the structural upgrade. A nozzleman sprays wet concrete mix at high velocity through a hose to encase the rebar. Crews smooth the wet concrete using trowels for an even finish. The process is quite messy, but installation can be completed quickly and economically.
Interior demolition is proceeding on schedule. Crews completed levels 6 through 9 this month and started work on levels 10, 11 and 12. Completion of this portion of the scope is expected to wrap up in June. The contractor is separating all waste material for recycling, a high priority on this project.
On the exterior, the terra cotta colored capitals above Portlandia on the west elevation have been demolished. Crews used a combination of the Hydrolift work platform and a swing stage suspended from the 15th floor to remove the pieces safely. The old curtain wall, with those dark tinted windows, has been removed from the north elevation. The amount of natural light streaming into building on that side is truly remarkable.
A performance mock-up of the new unitized curtain wall was subjected to rigorous testing this month. The mock-up, a 22 foot by 38 foot exterior wall assembly representing different conditions, was subjected to water and air penetration, thermal, and seismic performance tests. The mock-up passed all tests with flying colors and the official report from the testing facility is expected soon.