45 replies to this topic

[renamerusk]

Wow...More Hospital...where is there room?

 

FWBP - http://www.fortworth...d7a4d53648.html

[JBB]

That's amazing.  No indication from any article other than "on campus".  The surface lot at Henderson and Terrell seems a likely spot or maybe even the open lot at what looks to be the main entrance at Henderson and Pennsylvania (that lot is pretty small).  There's a couple of other lots south of Terrell that could be the location.

[John T Roberts]

This thread has been split off from the Emergency Facility topic.  Since this is such a large expansion, I thought it deserved its own area for discussion.

 

I do not know where this new tower is going to be constructed.  Maybe someone with more information will be able to shed light on the location.

[Austin55]

I wonder to think the large block between Terrell, Rosedale, 5th and Henderson is the site. If nothing else, maybe a garage there. Might be able to cram something in along Terrell between the Klabzula tower and it's parking garage.

[Austin55]

The Klabzula Tower garage will be expanded, but I'm not sure the scope, whether it will be to north or south (or both)

[Austin55]

The new tower will stand at the NW corner of Terrell and Henderson, currently a short parking garage. The interesting thing is the long term plans seems to indicate that the Ben Hogan and Klabzula Buildings will be torn down, replaced by 2 additional towers and the functions of those buildings moved to a new building along Henderson stretching to Rosedale. The Klabzula Tower is only 23 years old.

 

 

Here is a rendering of the first phase new tower. Initially it would be 10, but would be capable of expanding 4 floors to 14.

 

[johnfwd]

I understand the future expansion concept from an architectural engineering perspective, though I'm not an architect or engineer.  What I don't understand is why not build to 14 floors now rather than later when construction costs may be higher?  We're only talking about a few additional floors in this case.

[JBB]

John can probably explain this better, but I would assume that they've determined that the savings achieved by building now does not offset the cost of maintaining empty or unfinished space. It probably also has something to do with whatever funding they have available now.

[John T Roberts]

Quite a bit of it has to do with actual budget for the project.  They may only have a certain amount of money now that can build the structure within the building for future expansion, but they can't pay for the actual expansion, even though it's just a shell.  Also, there's the possibility they won't need the space (very unlikely), and then if they didn't, those additional floors would be money that was wasted.  However, they could probably use that shell space and convert it into another use.  Yes, there is a cost to maintaining empty shell space. One other thing you might look at here is the thread within the forum that deals with buildings designed to be expanded vertically.  Quite a few of them never had the floors added, and another percentage were demolished after never adding the space.  If you look at the list, you will see that most of the hospital buildings that were designed to have more floors added, eventually expanded the building to the full height as designed.

[elpingüino]

Meanwhile, Texas Health, the parent company of Harris Hospital, is laying off 720 employees. https://www.star-tel...e225053350.html

[Austin55]

The Klabzula Tower garage will be expanded, but I'm not sure the scope, whether it will be to north or south (or both)

 

A large mobile crane is up on the South side of the garage, presumably for this expansion.

[renamerusk]

FWBP.....Larger and taller?

 

http://www.fortworth...7251fd1fb5.html

[Urbndwlr]

Glad to see they are planning to go more vertical.  The medical institutions already consume so much land.   I think it is smart use of land for the major Fort Worth hospitals to get more density within their existing footprints. 

 

One exception to this that I expect John is on top of are the parts of Cook and Harris/THR that are directly adjacent to Thistle Hill.  I would like to see that adjacency honored in a respectful way. 

Another thing is (there was no mention of this in the article about the buildings' designs), the hospitals seem to be one of the only building type on the Near Southside that totally ignore pedestrian connections to the city around them.  They really need to design better for people coming/going on foot and bicycle so the buildings better integrate with their surroundings and so they make it more attractive for more staff to commute by walking/cycling as more residential density is built around them. 

[John T Roberts]

Urbndwlr, I agree with you 100% with your last post.  However, there are no preservation laws in the city that give any kind of relief when building adjacent to a historic structure.  This is unfortunate, but there is nothing that a historic property owner can do to force a neighbor to be "respectful" of the historic property, other than no encroaching into that property.

[Austin55]

Permits are in both for the construction of the new tower (to be called Justin Tower) and the demolition of the exiting garage. I'd expect work to begin shortly.

[John T Roberts]

Construction is scheduled to start on June 1st. 

 

Austin, when you can get a building height and crane height for us, please be sure to post.

[Austin55]

The garage is roped off and empty.

[Austin55]

The garage is roped off and empty.

 

It's now pretty much all gone

 

https://twitter.com/...058621830324226

[Austin55]

There's a big tent and stage being set up across from the pit, I wonder if they're having a big groundbreaking ceremony.

[renamerusk]

Fort Worth Business Press -http://www.fortworth...a146d28cbd.html

[Austin55]

Tower crane base in place

[Austin55]

This project is a hulk. Huge columns and concrete everywhere. Looks sturdy. 

[Austin55]

Almost fully built out. This building is pretty huge and makes appearances from all over the Near Southside. My photo is a couple weeks old so it's farther along now. 

 

[John T Roberts]

I have been noticing it coming home from work on I-30.

[johnfwd]

I believe there was a question earlier on about how many floors before topping out.  Do we know now?

[JBB]

10 with the ability to add 4 more later.  Just looking at it this morning while going from 35 south to 30 west, I would say it's being topped out now.  

 

Even at 10 floors, this is the tallest building in the Harris complex, correct?

[John T Roberts]

JBB, it appears that you are correct in your assumption of the height.  I wish that I had an actual number of how tall it is in feet.

 

Austin, I didn't realize it until I looked at your drone photograph again that you have included one of my projects in your picture of the construction.  That is the Trimble Tech High School Athletic Fields.  I designed the baseball field, football field, track, tennis courts, and the softball field.  The site was actually too small for everything to fit, so we reduced the outfields of the baseball and softball fields. 

[John T Roberts]

Nitixope, is Finish Floor at grade designated as 100'-0", or 0'-0"?

[John T Roberts]

Nitixope, thank you for the information.  It is standard practice to call the finish floor on the "at grade" level as 100'-0".  However, I have seen instances where it was called out as either the actual elevation above sea level or 0'-0".  Now, I know the height of the building to the main roof level.  I will now add the building to the Fort Worth's Tallest Building List.   It appears this height will tie it for the 55th Tallest in the City.

[JBB]

It's pretty incredible how much that campus has grown.  And that doesn't even include the ER and garage south of Terrell.

[Austin55]

Here's an article from the contractor about the recent topping out

[John T Roberts]

Austin, there isn't a link to the article.

[Austin55]

Crane is down.

[Urbndwlr]

JBB, it appears that you are correct in your assumption of the height.  I wish that I had an actual number of how tall it is in feet.

 

Austin, I didn't realize it until I looked at your drone photograph again that you have included one of my projects in your picture of the construction.  That is the Trimble Tech High School Athletic Fields.  I designed the baseball field, football field, track, tennis courts, and the softball field.  The site was actually too small for everything to fit, so we reduced the outfields of the baseball and softball fields. 

ah, so YOU're responsible for the record-setting home run stats at the school!

[rriojas71]

 

JBB, it appears that you are correct in your assumption of the height.  I wish that I had an actual number of how tall it is in feet.

 

Austin, I didn't realize it until I looked at your drone photograph again that you have included one of my projects in your picture of the construction.  That is the Trimble Tech High School Athletic Fields.  I designed the baseball field, football field, track, tennis courts, and the softball field.  The site was actually too small for everything to fit, so we reduced the outfields of the baseball and softball fields. 

ah, so YOU're responsible for the record-setting home run stats at the school!

 

Well thank you for doing that JTR, they look great on the limited amount of space you had to work with.  I should know the challenges you faced because that is my alma mater.  Go Bulldogs!!

[John T Roberts]

I appreciate the comments.  I also did the remodeling of a former medical clinic into their field house, also on the site.

[John T Roberts]

More of the facade of the Jane and John Justin Tower has been completed.  This includes the sign on the south side of the building.

 

justintower by jtrobert, on Flickr

[technicolorfrog]

Snapped this this morning, apologies for the low quality pic. It appears that other than finishing touches theyre nearly done here. Im really a fan of the lighting on the facade.

[John T Roberts]

Here's a little closer nighttime photo of the building as they are working toward completion.

 

justintower-night by jtrobert, on Flickr

[Austin55]

Opening April 2.

https://www.prnewswi...-301506912.html

[Stadtplan]

A couple of shots I took from the roof of Justin Tower this morning.  I'll post some other shots later when if I have a few minutes to process the raw files.

 

 

[John T Roberts]

That's a nice view.

[JBB]

That is a nice view.  Can't wait to see some other shots.

[johnfwd]

Are those light clouds in the distant background?  Surely not haze.  I breathe easier knowing our downtown has cleaner air than some others.

[gdvanc]

Nice shots, and you weren't kidding about the patient loading - that's really well done.

[Austin55]

Great photos, what a nice addition to the medical community. Thanks for sharing!