The Launch Box: May 2008

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Sunday, May 11, 2008

May 11, 2008 w/updates

Work Continues...
near the NE corner of 94th street.

In some ways it's hard to imagine that ground was broken for the 2nd Avenue Subway Launch Box site over a year ago.
(on April 24, 2007 to be exact)

Believe me, a lot of work has been done -- but yes, after a year of work, they're still relocating the utilities lines (i.e. electric, sewer, gas, water, telephone, etc.) and from the looks of it they still have quite a bit of work to do.

I've read that the plan is for the work to move back to the west side of 2nd Avenue over the July 4th weekend. I can't say whether they'll make this deadline, but if they don't it won't be because they aren't trying hard.

The pictures that follow were taken on a quiet Sunday afternoon. I did happen to notice one construction worker on the site - but he was just checking the pumps that have been removing the extra water from some of the trenches.

Ben

An update - May 28, 2008
The SAS construction office (today) provided me with some additional information for this posting. Their information has been used to improve some of the wording in this posting, and in some cases a footnote (or correction) has been provided.

btw. 91st and 92nd - looking NW
The precast concrete ducts (on the right) are used build to protective conduits for cables - in particular high voltage ConEd electric cables. The protective conduits are built by laying the precast ducts end-to-end.

near the SE corner of 92nd - looking W
If I'm not mistaken, the brick foundation that has been uncovered here is another remnant from the old 2nd Avenue Elevated Railroad. (a.k.a. the 2nd Avenue El)

Update May 28, 2008
The SAS construction office has confirmed that the brick foundation, shown above and below, was in fact part of the old 2nd Avenue El. They also believe that the cobblestones were part of the old road surface.

and here's a close-up.
Look closely and you can see what appears to be the old cobblestone roadbed of 2nd Avenue - just above the brick foundation.

92nd Street, looking south
(this is the same hole from above - just a different angle.)
Here you see a very large sewer main (see correction below) that must be relocated to the East side of the avenue to make room for the Launch Box pit that's going to be excavated in the middle of the avenue.

Correction - May 28, 2008
This is actually a gas line, not a sewer line as noted above. The diameter of the pipe is 30" and it is, as of this date, still in service.

near the SE corner of 92nd
These verticale steel beams we inserted into the ground last week.

Update - May 28, 2008
The beams are part of the "secant piles" that were installed to form a section of the launch box wall. At this particular location, the piles are between 59 feet to 65 feet deep.

92nd, NE corner - looking N
Here you see a new water main and a new gas main under construction. Note the in-service fire hydrant right in the middle, and the access bridge to the deli, on the left.

This junction (for a gas main) was built last Friday. I assume that it meant to go in the ground near the NE corner of 92nd street.

92nd, NE corner - about 20' north
Here you can see just how close they're working to the buildings. The brick foundations for the building (with the deli) on the corner have been exposed here.

93rd, near the NE corner - looking W
Everywhere you look on the site at the moment you see sections of new pipe. Gas pipe, sewer pipe, and water pipe -- all for the relocation of the utilities that are, at the moment, in the middle of what will be the Launch Box.

More pipe waiting to be installed.

A pile of extra pieces of pipe.

And another extra piece of pipe, with a note left by a worker.

This piece pipe (looks to be about 40" round) was built in a trench right in the middle of 2nd Avenue.

Update - May 28, 2008
There are actually two pipes. The inside pipe will be the new 30” gas main and the outside pipe is 42” in diameter and is a protective “carrier pipe” for protection of the gas main.

near 94th street
And here are the new water and gas mains again -- the same lines that were shown in the earlier set of images near the corner of 92nd.

The line on the right just sort of snakes from 92nd all the way up to 95th.

The 180 degree image below, which is actually 4 individual images that have been "stitched" together, was taken while standing near Eve's Nail & Spa Shop just south of the SE corner of 93rd street.

S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N

Note: Left-click on the image for the "full view."

- - -

Recent additions to right-hand column, of the The Launch Box:

A link to the "Air and Noise Code" on the New York City Department of Environmental Protections (DEP) -- by request.

A link to Steve Duncan's "Undercity: Stories & Histories" web site - a neat site to visit if you're interested in underground infrastructure and environments.