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Safety Lunch

Details: Last Updated on Thursday, 20 September 2012 10:30

Last Friday, the Mortenson Construction crew took a break at mid-day to celebrate 60 days on the job site without a recordable injury.

As of September 17, the crew has worked 68 days—a total of more than 24,000 person-hours—without a recordable injury.

One strategy for reducing injuries is requiring workers to take stretching breaks each morning and at mid-day. "Safety is our number one priority, sending each worker home the same way he or she came to work so they can spend time with their families," says Rich Bistodeau, Senior Superintendant at Mortenson.

Foundation work

Details: Last Updated on Tuesday, 11 September 2012 11:38

Foundation work at Orchestra Hall on September 7, 2012

Foundation work is underway for the new Target Atrium expansion on the west side of Orchestra Hall. Deep foundation construction begins next week.

Orchestra Hall Stage on September 7, 2012

Inside the auditorium, Mortenson Construction crew members are busy with removal of the wood stage floor.

Tower Crane

Details: Last Updated on Wednesday, 22 August 2012 15:05

The tower crane went up over the weekend!

Orchestra Hall on August 20, 2012

"This carpet is hard-core."

Details: Last Updated on Monday, 13 August 2012 10:18

Orchestra Hall on August 10, 2012

It normally doesn't require the strength of four men to pull up carpet, but the carpet on Tier 3 at Orchestra Hall is special. Underneath it is something the Mortenson team has been calling "the green death"—sticky and very difficult to scrape off.

Revealing the structure

Details: Last Updated on Thursday, 02 August 2012 13:00

Orchestra Hall on August 1, 2012

The Orchestra Hall lobby area is being stripped down to the steel structure of columns and beams that will be incorporated into the expanded lobby.

Orchestra Hall on August 1, 2012

Scaffolding provides construction workers access to all areas of the lobby.

Orchestra Hall on August 1, 2012

A look through the northwest corner of the lobby. The steel tubes provide a form for caissons, which are the vertical concrete columns below ground that will provide stability for the newly-expanded areas of the building.

Orchestra Hall on August 1, 2012

A large area has been excavated for the installation of a new steam line vault. The steam line provides energy-efficient heat to the building.

And... not so subtle changes

Details: Last Updated on Thursday, 19 July 2012 09:53

The seats were removed from Orchestra Hall's auditorium this week. The scene inside just got dramatically different!

Orchestra Hall on July 18, 2012

The lobby surrounding the concert hall is already down to bare structure:

Subtle changes

Details: Last Updated on Thursday, 12 July 2012 10:19

While the outside of Orchestra Hall is changing rapidly and dramatically, the changes inside the auditorium are more subtle. Today, Jim from Mortenson Construction removed the return air diffusers from beneath the seats. You may have rested your feet on one of these:

return air diffuser

Deconstruction

Details: Last Updated on Monday, 09 July 2012 15:14

Orchestra Hall's construction project is really more of a de-construction project right now—rather than having a big "wrecking ball" moment, Mortenson Construction is taking the old lobby apart piece by piece.

Orchestra Hall on July 9, 2012

One reason for this careful disassembly is to recycle metals and glass from the old lobby.

Back to it

Details: Last Updated on Thursday, 05 July 2012 12:17

Despite the heat, the crews were hard at work again this morning after the July 4th holiday.

Orchestra Hall on July 5, 2012

One crew removed yellow panels from the east side of the lobby.

Skyway closed

Details: Last Updated on Tuesday, 03 July 2012 17:03

The skyway between the 11th & Marquette ramp and Orchestra Hall is officially closed as crews have removed the west end in the continued dismantling of the box office area.

Orchestra Hall as of July 3, 2012