My Downtown Mall

Day 37 - Visitors to the Mall

Construction Weather:  Fair, 38^oF - 65^oF

On Tuesday, February 10^th, students from kindergarten classes at The Covanent School toured the Mall.  After a brief introduction to the Project by Joe Schinstock, Project Manager for MMM Design Group, the classes got their hard hats from Barton Malow and proceeded to the site.

Jay Taggart, Project Manager for Parham Construction Company, showed the students the existing Mall construction and explained how the deteriorated mortar made it necessary to remove the existing pavers and replace them with the new sand set pavers.

 

Harold Tanks, Project Superintendant for Parham Construction Company, showed the students the equipment used to remove the existing pavers.

 

The students get an up close and personal look at the pavers.

Moving the Fence!!

 
This weekend (February 7-8) Construction crews will move the fence within the 400 Block East.  Pedestrians will stroll down the center of the mall and work crews will work along the buildings.  Access to all business, merchants and any other building will remain open.

Before the Before - Part 2

Another look at how the Mall came to be and some of the controversy surrounding it.

Before the "Before" - Part 1

An interesting look at how the Downtown Mall came to be in the first place.

Day 30 - Here Comes the Granite!!

Construction Weather: Clear, 21^oF - 39^oF

Last night the skies opened up and dropped a few inches of snow on Downtown Charlottesville.  However, work goes on as usual.  Here is a few things to keep your eyes out for:

 The granite for the accent banding and other accent elements is being delivered.  There will be two types of granite: a "white" granite (Mount Airy White), and a "black" granite (Virginia Jet Mist).  The "black" granite is from a quarry outside of Culpeper.

Unlike the masonry pavers, which are sand set, the granite is set in a mortar bed.  This insures that the installation is secure and does not shift, which would likely occur if these large pieces of stone where set in sand.

200 Block East - The granite banding is being installed. The granite banding is an element of the original Lawrence Halprin design which was not installed due to cost.

400 Block East - More pavers.  With the block halfway done, these new pavers going down should bring the central corridor of the block nearly to completion.

500 Block East - The old kiosk in front of Blue Ridge Country Store and Baggby's comes down to make way for a new drinking fountain.

Day 29

Construction Weather: Clear, 29^oF - 61^oF

 After a weekend of working the progress of construction on the Mall is really starting to become apparent.  The 400 block East is about half finished with new pavers along the central corridor. The 200 block East is also about half done, as are Central Place and 5th St. N.E. 

 

A visible 3 to 1 Herringbone Pattern in the making.  Notice the 1/16 inch lugs on the pavers.

 
The line of progress on 4th St.

Masons along the 400 Block spend a few moments to straighten out the gaps between the pavers.

 
No, the masons did not mess up on the 200 East block.  These gaps in the pavers are where the granite banding will be cut in.  Be looking for that this week.

Pavers coming down Water St. to the site.