Hospital Construction To Include Sand Point Way Sidewalk Closure And Loss Of Some Parking For One Month

 

Children's Hospital sent out information to nearby residents notifying them of the start of the "Street Improvement portion" of the construction which started last week and will continue through August 20th and then again October 11th to November 8th. The work will mostly be across Sand Point Way in front of the Hartmann property. 

The impacts to cars and pedestrians will be the closure of the below sidewalks as well as loss of street parking in these areas:

• the east side of 40th Avenue NE between Sand Point Way NE and NE 45th Street (6/25-7/20)
• the sidewalk along the north side of Sand Point Way NE west of 40th Avenue NE (7/27-8/20)
• the sidewalk along south side of Sand Point Way NE east of 40th Avenue NE (10/11-11/8)

The street improvements scheduled in the public right of way, according to the mailing, include:

• repair and replace sidewalk
• install new curb and gutter
• inlets and piping
• storm drains
• catch basins
• asphalt pavement
• ramps
• street trees

 

The Hospital Construction Blog says: 

As crews finish grading the inpatient surface parking lot and helistop, they will begin grading the emergency department parking lot, the new shuttle drop-off and a connector road to Helen Lane. Work will also begin on a retaining wall of large concrete blocks surrounding the helistop.  

In addition, workers will begin pouring the footings for an elevator leading from the inpatient parking lot to the current Giraffe entrance. At about the same time, work will start on a green roof to the south, above the emergency department. You will also notice the manlift and Fraco lifts being removed. If you’re wondering how the contractor will complete the exterior work, they will be using swing-stages (think window washers).

Also here are this weeks construction related activities:

Building Exterior Cladding
Crews are nearly finished completing installation of the major components of the exterior of the building. This includes metal window frames and glass, ribbed metal panels, stone shingles, colored glass fins and frosted glass awnings. The mock-up has been removed from the northwest side of the construction site.

Building Interior Work
Crews are onsite installing the metal stud-framed walls and gypsum wallboard that make up most of the interior partitions. They are also running duct work for the air handling units which have been installed, and running conduit for all the power and lighting systems. Crews are also installing the fire sprinklers on all the floors. Besides these basic systems, we have a pneumatic tube system, medical gas systems, and many low voltage wiring systems for all the specialty equipment.

Roofing Activities
Crews are onsite completing installation of the roofing.

Vibratory Rolling
There will be some necessary compacting activities for site work that involves regrading and adding a retaining wall running north/south on the site, as well as a new elevator between the parking lot and the Sinegal entrance. This compacting will cause vibrations in the surrounding area. The work will be ongoing with the greatest impact occurring in the next two to three weeks. The site preparation will make way for the landscaping, parking lot, and circulation that will be installed on site over the coming months.

Seattle Public Utilities Work
SPU will complete their work on 40^th Avenue NE this week. Site construction fencing along 40^th will be removed to accommodate this work. Temporary fencing will be installed at this location during off work hours. In the coming months, we will replace the eastern sidewalk damaged sections of the street.

Installation of New Gas Line
PSE has completed the new gas line installation along 40^th Avenue NE. Crews have temporarily patched the removed concrete paving panels with asphalt and are re-installing the concrete panels.
This concrete paving activity will impact parking and traffic.

Holiday
The job site will be closed for the Fourth of July holiday.

For questions call Sellen Construction Company at 206-730-2677.

Laurelon Condo Trees Removed A Year Ago Now Re-Planted Near New Hospital Building

Scarlet Oak Loaded and ready to move

Seven trees removed from the former Laurelon Terrace Condominium site before it was demolished over a year ago, are now planted back again on the construction site where they once stood for many years.

Jeff  Hughes, Grounds Manager at Children's Hospital, told us that the trees moved were Scarlet Oaks (Quercus rubra),  Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) and Japanese maples.  The Oaks and Sweet gum were placed adjacent to what is the main entry of the new building.

As shown in the pictures, the trees, three of which were quite large and weighing about 130,000 pounds each, were moved onto a trailer by a crane from their storage site while waiting for exterior work to be done, that then took them to their new permanent location for re-planting.

Two hundred and sixty four trees (evergreen and deciduous) were salvaged from the previous Laurelon site during demolition to be replanted again in the future. Also salvaged were 190 roses, 210 ferns, 150 perennials and a variety of ground covers.

Scarlet Oak in place 

Another Scarlet Tree in transport

 Two more trees ready to move two new homes

"Tree #153" waiting for rigging

Tree "#153" being lowered into the ground

Construction crew lowering tree into place

"Tree #165" from the 6th floor 

Newly planted trees in front of the new wing of hospital

"Tree # 219", Liquidambar / Sweetgum" ready to be moved this week

(photos courtesy of Hospital)

Laurelon Trees, Plants And Shrubs Among Many Items For Sale At Children's Hospital Annual Garden Sale This Week-End

Children's Hospital 88th Annual Garden Sale, including  perennials, annuals, trees and shrubs, is this week-end at the Hospital administrative offices (6901 Sand Point Way N.E).

This year's sale is special, the website says in that "some of what’s being sold was salvaged from the grounds of Laurelon Terrace condos. More than 4,000 trees, shrubs and plants were carefully dug up and set aside last year – with most gradually being transplanted elsewhere on our campus but some available for purchase this weekend."

The hours are today 12-6pm, tomorrow 9-5pm and Sunday 10-2pm. Tomorrow morning from 9-noon will the fourth annual Stammcake Breakfast, benefitting the annual summer camp for medically fragile children. Pancakes, eggs, fruit and beverages will be served.

Proceeds from the Garden Sale go towards supporting the Seattle Children’s Grounds Department and "their wonderful work at creating special healing environments for patients and families" the information says.

Grounds Department staff will be at the sale to answer any gardening questions.

(photo courtesy of Hospital website)
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Lights Installed On Crane and Buiding Structure On Hospital Construction Site

Last week lights were installed on the tower crane on the Children's Hospital construction site. The lights will be on Monday through Friday from 7am-6pm.

Lights were also installed inside the building structure and will be on during the same hours as the crane.

The Construction Blog says that "lights help provide safe access for construction workers and improve safety for materials handling during the darker winter months."

(photo courtesy of Hospital)

Children's Hosptial Holding Transportation Workshop On Saturday, Free Bike Helmets Available

Children's Hospital will be holding another community transportation workshop on Saturday to learn more about transportation improvements in the area.

The workshop is from 10-2pm at the Center for Urban Horticulture (3501 NE 41st Street) in the NHS Hall.

At the meetint you can learn more about:

• The preferred concept for the 40th Ave NE and Sand Point Way NE traffic signal
• Progress on other Phase 1 Livable Streets transportation improvement projects

Representatives from the Seattle Department of Transportation will be at the workshop to answer questions  as well as thsoe involved with the construction at the Hospital.

At both meetings Children’s will provide free bike helmets and fittings for kids.

And the staff will also set up "a Skillz and Thrillz safety course" so kids and bikes are welcomed.

To stay up to date on the construction on the former Laurelon Terrace Condomimiums site, check out the Construction Blog, which also includes the Weekly Construction Bulletin, also posted on kiosks around the site.

For questions, call 206-987-6197, or the 24-Hour Emergency Hotline managed by Tim McKey, Project Superintendent with
Sellen Construction at 206-730-2677. 

Tall Poplar Trees At Children's Being Removed And Other Construction Updates

According to the Children's Hospital construction blog all the remaining poplar trees along the "Plaza walkway" will be coming down this week.

These very very tall trees  ran along the sidewalk bordering the Train and Giraffe buildings and the Laurelon Terrace site. 

In mid-December , some of the poplar trees were removed. Tree specialists climbed the trees and removed limbs to within 30 feet of the ground. The limbs were taken offsite to be chipped and then returned to be used as mulch on site. The lower 30 feet of the trees were taken intact to a mill where they were be converted into wall paneling and ceiling boards.  The same process will continue wtih the removal of the remaining poplar trees.

The removal of these poplar trees has been delayed until the electrical utility relocation was completed in the same area.

The blog says that the poplar trees are being sent to a company that will recycle the wood for a variety of purposes.

"Their removal should not impact traffic but there may be some noise related to this activity during the day. The crew will fall the trees away from the hospital’s Train building toward the job site. The construction team will then remove the wood with trucks during normal working hours," the blog says.

Also this week, as mentioned in the Weekly Construction Bulletin, excavation and utility vault installation will continue north of the Plaza walkway along NE 45th Street. Trucks will be parked along NE 45th Street from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

And actitivy continues on the Laurelon site with equipment that will be "grading the site to prepare for soldier pile installation. Drill benches will be created for drilling access and mass excavation of the building footprint will begin."

You can find more information here or call the information hotline at 206-987-6197.

(photo courtesy of construction blog)

Sixty One Ton Maple Tree Moved By Large Crane At Hospital Construction Site Moved To New Location

Tuesday was the big moving day for a gigantic Red Maple tree located at the former Laurelon Terrace Condominium site, now a construction site with numerous heavy equipment machines constantly at work.

The tree, located on the north east side of 41st Avenue NE, is 50 feet tall, weighs approximately 122,000 pounds which equals more than 61 tons, and is around 60 years old, according to the Hospital Construction Blog. It is one of the largest trees the hospital plans to conserve in the construction and building process.

The tree was moved by a crane and "replanted in the park-like greenbelt along the campus perimeter that serves as an amenity to the surrounding community.  In preparation of transferring such a large, heavy and yet delicate tree, the hospital grounds team worked with seasoned arborists and experts to ensure the move went smoothly," the blog says.

In a January 27th post, the Construction blog describes the preparation for the move Jeff Hughes, Children's Grounds and Sustainability Manger, writes:

This is no ordinary move. It is tricky to transfer such a large, heavy and yet delicate tree. That’s why the hospital grounds team is working with arborists and experts who have years of experience to ensure the move goes well.


Here’s how a team of experts will move the tree:

They will first dig around the tree’s root ball. The root ball will be anywhere from 9 to 20 feet across and 5 to 8 feet deep. They will wrap a galvanized basketing material (burlap or plastic sheeting layered on the inside and metal pipes) around the root ball to form a stable bottom. They will create a temporary and stable environment to house the tree. This holding area will be irrigated and the tree “healed in” and planted above ground by back filling between the tree with a special soil mix.


A crane will attach to the tree and root ball to move it into a holding area on the construction site where the tree will reside for nearly two years until it is transplanted in the new landscape. When possible, larger trees like this will be moved right into their final planting locations, to reduce the cost of a second move.


Saving trees like the giant maple is one way Children’s is being ‘green’ and creating a living legacy of trees and plants.

This move is part of a major effort orchestrated by Children’s transplant  thousands of plants from the construction site to areas throughout the existing campus—a majority of which will be replanted back on the site when construction is complete. Trees that cannot be salvaged will be locally milled and reused.

KING 5 news took some interesting footage of a huge crane moving the gigantic tree to its new location. And the Hospital also posted a video on Youtube.com. 

One bulding currently remains at Laurelon Terrace, the one closest to the maple tree. One of the workers said it takes about 10 minutes to take down one of the buildings and all the contents are immediately sorted into bins and hauled to various sites, including recycling and other designated areas.

Children’s plans to recycle over 95% of all materials removed during demolition, including the concrete foundations which will be crushed and re-used on-site for a haul road, material staging area and structural fill.

For an in-depth construction time-line and plant and tree salvage information go to our previous blog post.

Last remaining building 

Close-up of last remaining building

Large crane in the distance used to move Maple Tree. View from north entrance of Laurelon Terrace

Only A Few Buildings Remaining At Laurelon Terrace Condominiums

Just a few buildings remaining at Laurelon Terrace Condominiums as you can see from the pictures. The buildings along the perimeter of Sand Point Way and NE 45th Street have been demolished.  In the next few weeks the remaining buildings will be gone.

The hospital's live webcam provides a real-time view.

As we stated in a previous post last week, Seattle Children's Hospital is striving to recycle about 90% of the materials from the Laurelon Terrace condominiums, The blog says that about 1,440 tons of material have been removed from the site and 1,300 tons have been taken  to local recyclers, including 538 tons of concrete, 15 tons of wood and 8 tons of metal.

According to the construction blog , there will be ongoing periodic utility work until February 14th along Sand Point Way, 40th Avenue NE and NE 45^th Street to prepare the site for the beginning stages of construction.
 
 
These pictures are from the southernmost entrance where the new parking garage entrance will be:
 
 

 

 

 
 
These are from the north entrance:
 

 

Demolition of Laurelon Terrace Condominiums Well Underway

These pictures were taken from the north entrance of Laurelon Terrace Condominiums:

 Several buildings completely gone now - looking south from the north entrance

These pictures are taken from NE 45th Street  - south side of Laurelon Terrace Condominiums:

Dump trucks leaving from in between Laurelon Condominiums and Hospital sidewalk near the bus stop

Good By Laurelon Terrace Condominiums

Laurelon Terrace Condominiums are in the process of being dismantled and demolished.

The Seattle Fire Department has been conducting drills and training excersises on the site resulting in gaping holes in the rooves. The training, which is to continue through the holidays, consists of laying fire hoses, forced entries, and searching and ventilating the rooves. Smoke machines, with fake smoke, are being used to help simulate a smoky environment.


According to the Seattle Children's Hospital Construction Blog, the removal of hazardous materials from the site has been going on since late October and should be completed this week. Potentially hazardous materials that are being removed include asbestos, pipe insulation and fittings, flooring, window putty, boiler insulation and contaminated soils.   When the removal is complete the site will then be tested and cleared before additional work is started.

The blog also states that over 100 fixtures and appliances have been removed for re-use. Habitat for Humanity will visit the site to survey the buildings for any additional materials they can re-use, like wood flooring, casework and plumbing fixtures.

Also last week tree specialists began the process of relocating and recycling the trees on the property. "Large trees like the poplars along the plaza walkway will be removed and sent to a local sustainable furniture company to reclaim the wood for future use as wall covering, trim, flooring and furniture," the blog says.

Grounds Manager Jeff Hughes, writes in a blog entry, "We've been working for almost three years to plan for every plant on the property. Every tree, shrub, and plant has been evaluated and inventoried. We know precisely which ones we’ll be able to move, which will stay where they are, and those that will go to a holding spot for later population of the new landscape.

"Sadly, there are a few trees we can’t save. There’s no point attempting to move something that won’t make it, sometimes a tree is too fragile to withstand a move, so we know we shouldn’t try. Fungus, rot, insect damage, tree scarring or disease can limit a tree’s ability to be moved."

To learn more about trees that will stay or be moved on the property check here.  The remaining wood from trees will be chipped for landscaping use.

The two largest trees scheduled for transplant, a 15-inch diameter oak with a 26-foot crown and another 15-inch diameter oak with a 24-foot crown will be moved by a tree-moving specialist from Texas.

The first couple of weeks of the month, some of the poplar trees that ran along the sidewalk bordering the Train and Giraffe buildings and the Laurelon Terrace site were removed. Tree specialists climbed the trees and removed limbs to within 30 feet of the ground. The limbs were taken offsite to be chipped and then returned to be used as mulch on site. The lower 30 feet of the trees weretaken intact to a mill where they will be converted into wall paneling and ceiling boards.

The removal of the remainder of the poplar trees, the blog says, is delayed until all electrical utility relocation has been completed. The poplars will remain until at least the end of March when they can safely be removed and more space is available on the site.


Also going is " site preparation for the first phase of our growth," the blog says. This includes separting and placing into containers for recycling all metal studs, rebar, structural steel, ductwork, piping, sheet metal, wiring and conduit, concrete and masonry products, wood timbers, framing members, sheathing and decking. These materials will be taken to local recycling facilities for re-use.

"Children’s plans to recycle over 95% of all materials removed during demolition. This includes the concrete foundations which will be crushed and re-used on-site for a haul road, material staging area and structural fill," the blog says.

For questions or concerns there is a 24-hour message hotline at 206-987-7744 or you can e-mail construction@seattlechildrens.org.

Tree ready for removal and move (photo courtesy of SCH Construction Blog)

Large Poplar trees being removed (photo courtesy of SCH Construction Blog)

Firefighters practicing venting the roof (photo courtesy of SCH Construction Blog)

 
 

 
 

Children’s Emergency Response Team Training Saturday at Laurelon

On Saturday members of Children’s Emergency Response Team (CERT) will conduct drills from 7am to 2pm at the Laurelon Terrace site.


In a letter sent out by Martha Tansik from Children's Hospital and also posted on the Construction Blog says:
Part of our commitment to emergency preparedness at Seattle Children’s includes routine training exercises by our Children’s Emergency Response Team (CERT), a group of volunteer staff members who have emergency training experience, and can be deployed when an event occurs. They meet and practice disaster response trainings regularly so that appropriate response is second nature to them.


About 80 people are expected to participate as we practice our plans for search and rescue, medical treatment and triage, patient transport, fire suppression (demonstration only, no actual fire) and other important exercises. We do not expect these activities to be disruptive.

If you have questions, you can call 206-987-7744 or email Construction@SeattleChildrens.org.

Other helpful numbers:
Children’s Construction Hotline: 206-987-7744
Children’s Security Hotline: 206-987-2030

No One Left at Laurelon Terrace Condominiums

Laurelon Terrace Condominiums are completely empty now. Not a soul there. Cones are blocking the entrances.

That is what a reader told us who used to live there for many years and recently went by to take some final pictures.

He said visiting there was "eerie and emotional" with none of the busy activity that there one was in the once "vibrant community of close-knit neighbors with people coming and going, parties in the courtyards, people tending to their small gardens, children running around, neighbors visiting eachother and cars coming and going."

Posted are pictures he sent in to us.  Among the pictures you can see a picture of holes in the ground where owners pulled up some of their plants and another picture of the markings made for the upcoming fence.

Children's paid almost $62.5 million for the 136-unit Laurelon Terrace Condominiums, according to an article on September 1st  in the Daily Journal of Commerce.

The hospital has put up a blog called "Keeping Up with Construction at Seattle Children's" and a recent entry says "We will begin to prepare the site for our expansion starting in September."

We have heard that a fence is being put up around the property in the next few weeks and demolition of the buildings will take place once the Hospital obtains the Master Use Permit in the next few months. Then hazardous materials will be removed first.

And the hospital hopes to salvage between 80% and 90% of the building material. Some of the trees that are healthy enough will be relocated. And others will be retained, such as those plantings around the perimeter of the property.

You can follow the expansion on the hospital construction blog which also suggests other ways to get updated information.

90 day notice put up several months ago

Empty street

Private Property No Trespassing Signs posted on every door

Cones on 41st Ave NE

Holes in the gardens where plants were removed

Indication of fences going up