River House Condominiums

[Time]

I just drove by there on the Feeway, they have the concrete boom running again. perhaps they are pouring the walls and supports for the first floor?

[Grand Rapidian]

How did this fall onto the second page???

Really not updates?

[torgo]

It looks like they are setting up some of the platform things for the second floor on the western half of the building. This is going to be a hell of a thing when it starts getting tall, especially with it being so close to the road.

[GRDadof3]

Not a lot different at this point. Some interesting electrical conduit (?).

This thing won't really start taking shape for another 4 - 6 weeks.

[tamias6]

Are you talking about the gray tubing sticking out of the forms shown in the second and third pictures? It looks to me they will be embedded inside concrete. Oh. Congrats for joining Metro-M and a few others in the mysterious realm of Megalopolis.

Not a lot different at this point. Some interesting electrical conduit (?).

....

This thing won't really start taking shape for another 4 - 6 weeks.

[GRDadof3]

Are you talking about the gray tubing sticking out of the forms shown in the second and third pictures? It looks to me they will be embedded inside concrete. Oh. Congrats for joining Metro-M and a few others in the mysterious realm of Megalopolis.

Yes, it looks stationary in the picture, but it was waving in the breeze (flexible).

[sparky05]

A few more - going to lose this vantage point very soon:

[SprinkGuy]

Some interesting electrical conduit (?).

Those are for the Post tension Cables I believe.

[DwntwnGeo]

Not a lot different at this point. Some interesting electrical conduit (?).

Yes SprinkGuy you are right. When I asked about them a couple weeks ago, I was told they are for the tension cables that are used on each floor.

[GRDadof3]

Thanks SprinkGuy, and welcome aboard!

Can you or anyone explain how these post tension cables work?

[NorthEnder]

Thanks SprinkGuy, and welcome aboard!

Can you or anyone explain how these post tension cables work?

They're used on large expanses of horizontal concrete. Allow for a flatter, larger, surface, since concrete has the tendency to curl when curing, tension is added, and essentially straightens out the curing concrete. I think of it like braces for ones teeth, except for concrete. The new buildings on michigan hill all used post-tension. Essentially large cables through conduit, and then pulled tight to straighten the surface out.

Wiki's definition -

post-tensioned concrete is the descriptive term for a method of applying compression after pouring concrete and the curing process (in situ). The concrete is cast around a plastic, steel or aluminium curved duct, to follow the area where otherwise tension would occur in the concrete element. A set of tendons is fished through the duct and the concrete is poured. Once the concrete has hardened, the tendons are tensioned by hydraulic jacks that react against the concrete member itself. When the tendons have stretched sufficiently, according to the design specifications (see Hooke's law), they are wedged in position and maintain tension after the jacks are removed, transferring pressure to the concrete. The duct is then grouted to protect the tendons from corrosion. This method is commonly used to create monolithic slabs for house construction in locations where expansive soils (such as adobe clay) create problems for the typical perimeter foundation. All stresses from seasonal expansion and contraction of the underlying soil are taken into the entire tensioned slab, which supports the building without significant flexure

[designcritic]

They're used on large expanses of horizontal concrete. Allow for a flatter, larger, surface, since concrete has the tendency to curl when curing, tension is added, and essentially straightens out the curing concrete. I think of it like braces for ones teeth, except for concrete. The new buildings on michigan hill all used post-tension. Essentially large cables through conduit, and then pulled tight to straighten the surface out.

Wiki's definition -

post-tensioned concrete is the descriptive term for a method of applying compression after pouring concrete and the curing process (in situ). The concrete is cast around a plastic, steel or aluminium curved duct, to follow the area where otherwise tension would occur in the concrete element. A set of tendons is fished through the duct and the concrete is poured. Once the concrete has hardened, the tendons are tensioned by hydraulic jacks that react against the concrete member itself. When the tendons have stretched sufficiently, according to the design specifications (see Hooke's law), they are wedged in position and maintain tension after the jacks are removed, transferring pressure to the concrete. The duct is then grouted to protect the tendons from corrosion. This method is commonly used to create monolithic slabs for house construction in locations where expansive soils (such as adobe clay) create problems for the typical perimeter foundation. All stresses from seasonal expansion and contraction of the underlying soil are taken into the entire tensioned slab, which supports the building without significant flexure

You can also increase your loading or increase your column spacing by using a post tensioning system. The parking ramps on Michigan Street have the tensioning running horizontally in the slabs and beams. Riverhouse has the tensioning running vertically from the sixth floor down to the lowest level. Once tensioned the system will allow for greater forces. They may have done this to make the columns smaller or for some other reason.

[DwntwnGeo]

Can you or anyone explain how these post tension cables work?

Here is a picture of one. I will try and find some others when it is in concrete.

This flange is on the outer side of the concrete form.

At a certain point during the curing process the twisted cable pairs are pulled in order to keep the floor level and not to sag or fall onto the floor below.

If I remember right, there are around 275 of these tension cables on each floor of the building.

[Kayak1]

The concrete needs to reach a certain percentage of the final strength before they can be pulled, usually a day or two. Even after they are pulled the shoring will remain until the concrete meets is 28 day strength. The fun begins when a cable breaks when you are pulling on them.

[eagle]

All you concrete experts please check out my question regarding concrete construction in the coffee house!!

Thanks!

[Kib]

BTW Dad, after you move in, you'll probably have a document in your HOA package that will state something about not drilling any holes in your ceiling or floor greater than 3/4" unless you hire someone to x-ray the spot, so you don't cut through the aforementioned cables.

So that rules out some gymnasium equipment, Calder mobiles and stripper poles...

[GRDadof3]

BTW Dad, after you move in, you'll probably have a document in your HOA package that will state something about not drilling any holes in your ceiling or floor greater than 3/4" unless you hire someone to x-ray the spot, so you don't cut through the aforementioned cables.

So that rules out some gymnasium equipment, Calder mobiles and stripper poles...

Nice. Despite the awesomeness of this project, we decided not to go forward with our 19th floor investment in River House. Although I know I'm going to be kicking myself when this thing reaches the 19th floor (and beyond).

[Kib]

Nice. Despite the awesomeness of this project, we decided not to go forward with our 19th floor investment in River House. Although I know I'm going to be kicking myself when this thing reaches the 19th floor (and beyond).

I'm sorry to hear that...

I've got to say, if this thing was about 12 months further along I think we'd be in there in a New York minute...

[GRDadof3]

I'm sorry to hear that...

I've got to say, if this thing was about 12 months further along I think we'd be in there in a New York minute...

And Kib, you'll die to hear edit: might be breaking UP rules.

I don't know what prices are now, but I'm guessing they are substantially above that.

[Kib]

And Kib, you'll die to hear...

I don't know what prices are now, but I'm guessing they are substantially above that.

Double-poop !!!!

Well, don't beat yourself up too bad. I tend to adopt a Zen attitude toward these things... if it was meant to be... Still, I might have talked to the kids about the virtues of a Community College education and maybe relearned the wonders of Top Ramen as a basic food group to try and hang onto it, if for no other reason than a pretty good shot at a reasonable investment return.

Take care !

[dilbert2007]

The original plan was to make Tower Two (River House) another office building, a mirror of Bridgewater Place, but Grooters decided that there was not enough demand to fill 400,000 square feet with offices. So he looked at other possibilities, such as putting condos on top of the structure, offices below and a hotel in-between.

Lmichigan, I just read this article on www.mibiz.com/design+build.asp about the River House. It said it will be mixed use. I also didn't know it was going to be the tallest building in GR and second in the state. Check it out.

[Rizzo]

Unless Grooters pushed the height up to past 619' this will be far from the second tallest building in the state.

[GRDadof3]

Tallest building in GR and tallest residential building in the State. Some of the conversions to condos of the old hotels in Detroit might be getting close.

[DwntwnGeo]

Unless Grooters pushed the height up to past 619' this will be far from the second tallest building in the state.

Grooters might have looked at a lot of different combinations, but Riverhouse will be all 34 floors of Residentials.

For the height in question, it will be the tallest 100% residential building in the midwest outside of Chicago, Detroit and Minn. There are many mixed used or commerial buildings that are taller, but not many that are just used for Residential.

[Rizzo]

I realize that, but the MIBiz article is incorrect. That is if Emporis Data is accurate. It won't be the second tallest building in the state.