Waking up on the right side of the bed!

In the restaurant business, you rarely see the sunrise and when you do, it's usually because you haven't been to bed yet. Meanwhile, the contractor and subs get started before it everyday.

With some actually sleep under my belt today, I went up to the roof to see what they do every morning. I tried to contain myself and not appear to be such an amateur.

I suspect there might be a time I see it before bed, but the picture probably won't be so clear...and I won't blog about it!.

*note the time is off on my camera so taken at 7:22

Crystal Vessels on the roof!

A monument in many ways

Today and last Friday they began construction of the monument staircase.

D Coop calls it that because it's a significant design feature of the building. When it's finished, it will be an outdoor covered staircase that has an eco mesh screen in between the flights allowing creeping fig to grow up to the roof.

BSRG calls it monumental because it allows us to have "domain control" over our passage ways and use the same license on the first floor as the roof to serve the same great cocktails, wine and beer upstairs and down.

DW Meyers calls it monumental because it's the last significant steel construction on the building signaling the light being brighter at the end of the tunnel.

We've started counting down the opening in weeks instead of months now. So much work still to be done, but getting closer and more excited every day.

Full hood

Time to start cooking

1/2 the hood came in today!

Roofing system coming along

Freshly poured roof...again.

Slurry and Styrofoam on the roof.

The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire!

We don't need no water let the...

Actually we do need water. It'll come from the fire hydrant across the street next to Regions Bank.

This morning they started unloading the light weight concrete mix

That will get mixed with what's in this truck

And pumped up to the roof by this contraption

On top of this styrofoam that will be placed carefully on the roof to create the the proper drainage pitch

All under the watchful eye of Olivia

Should look very different by tomorrow morning

Interior Design meeting at the D Coop

Mock wall set up

Busy week and the anatomy of a wall

This week there will be a lot going on at the site. Thursday and Friday will have the light weight concrete (they make a "light" version) pour on the roof in preparation of the paver system that will bring the finished floor up 15". That said - there will be a lot of activity on property and a water hose crossing Margaret Street at the end of the week to help mix the concrete.

More significant to us is what will be happening on the Northeast corner of the building involving the skin of the building - the Arriscraft Stone. Originally, the building was designed to have architectural precast panels on the outside. Smooth, clean, modern and quick - these panels would be put up as huge moduals by enormous cranes - all in the same week. After some local and regional research, all the groups involved with the project couldn't find precast panels that made everyone happy. During those discussions a year ago, the building redesign dictated by the Overlay was in process and a win-win solution was found - the Arriscraft Stone.

Installed like brick, the 1 foot by 2 foot stone will take about 2 months to finish as the weight limits it to 2-3 courses per day maximum. The finished product will be better long term for the building at the same time fit the neighborhood a bit better. Each one weighs about 60 pounds.

Below is the beginning of the wall with the Prosoco R-Guard waterproofing system that includes several layers of liquid, fiberglass and copper membranes finished with a stainless steel edge.

Bill K and Bill B rooftop hard hat tour!

Core Boring for Beer

All floors in the building have long since been poured, but adjustments to the slabs continue. Carlos

has been core boring holes in the slabs all over the place to accommodate the conduit that will carry electricity, gas, water, waste, rain water and all sorts of things.

However, I would argue the MOST important core bore just happened:

Very soon, this hole will have 6" conduit that carries beer from the walk in cooler on the first floor to the rooftop patio! My Intuition tells me it will be good beer.

I'd trade this

for a Honey Badger any day!