Progress reports on Mint Museum Uptown’s new neighbor: A 43-story luxury apartment tower

With an anticipated completion date of Fall 2016, we at The Mint Museum are growing excited to welcome as many as 700 new residents to a new 43-story luxury apartment tower taking shape on our roof.

As construction proceeds, we may be subject to temporary disruptions such as noise or changes in traffic flow. We are doing our best to keep updated information posted here and on our Facebook and Twitter feeds as it becomes available. We thank our visitors for their patience as we occasionally experience factors outside our control. If any visitors have questions, please contact the Mint at 704.337.2000 or info@mintmuseum.org ; media inquiries may be directed to leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org

The apartment tower is being built by Childress Klein , and the tower (originally condos) was part of the original vision for Levine Center for the Arts since its inception.  Childress Klein owns the air rights above the Mint, and Batsoon Cook Contractors is the General Contractor for this project. The infrastructure for the tower was put in place inside Mint Museum Uptown as it was constructed in 2009-2010.

LATEST UPDATES

Updated July 30

Pump up the jam! That’s right – concrete pumping is underway. The entire first floor has already been completed and the second is on its way. The hours started out primarily in the evenings from 4:30-9:30 p.m. but the General Contractor has discussed moving them to different times of day and will seek to avoid disrupting Mint special events.

Remember how we told you a few weeks ago to expect some screening to cloak the side of our building and be visible from our windows? Batson-Cook has figured out another solution to keep concrete from spilling on the building from the roof level, so no views from galleries or classrooms will be obscured by screening.

Headsup: Traffic on Church Street near Mint Museum Uptown will be disrupted by construction from 9 a.m. tomorrow (Friday) thorugh Sunday at 7 p.m., but this one’s not our project – they are closing the street to assemble a construction crane for the nearby 300 South Tryon Street development. Please plan to avoid Church on your way to visit us!

Check out new views from the roof below and on Facebook !

 

UPDATED July 16

View from the top.

Visibility alert:

Another highly visible aspect of the tower construction is about to start. General Contractor Batson Cook will install a protective screen on the side of the Mint Museum Uptown building facing Levine Avenue of the Arts, from the roof down to the newly constructed platform. It will not be visible through the Mint’s atrium windows, but visitors will be able to see it from the classrooms and the gallery windows on that side of the building. As concrete pumping begins, the purpose of the screening is to protect the side of the building from any spillage.

Next milestone:

Concrete pumping is still anticipated to begin July 22. Vibration monitors will be ready!

Safety tip:

Your favorite route to cross Church Street behind the Mint’s building may now be obstructed by the construction. BUT PLEASE DON’T JAYWALK! Please continue to use sidewalks and crosswalks for your own safety, because Church Street drivers have lots of potential distractions in the area!

Did you know? The new platform across Levine Avenue for the Arts is equipped with its own dry sprinkler system and lighting under the platform. Lights will remain on at night to help keep pedestrians safe.

New images:

Please visit the Mint’s Facebook page  for a new set of “views from the top.”

 

UPDATED July 10

Crane Installation:

We are pleased to announce that the initial crane erection is complete! The crane will be jumped twice during the remaining construction of the project as the height of the building continues to increase.

Platform Installation:

The Platform on Levine Avenue of the Arts is near completion. This platform will provide protection for the sidewalks around the project including direct access to the entry of Levant and Starbucks.

Concrete Pours:

The first concrete pour for the columns on level twelve and shear walls is complete. The first slab pour will begin on Wednesday, July 22nd. The company plans to pour approximately one floor of concrete per week.

NOISE:

What’s that noise you’re hearing? At this time, the drilling and other noise is mostly coming from the removal of blocks for access, installing temporary supports for the power lines, and setting plates for the staircase installation. As time goes on, this noise will minimize but then be replaced by the sound of concrete pumping. Pumping is anticipated to concentrate from approximately 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for four days each week.

As time goes on, the “activity noise” will get further away as the tower rises – but the concrete pumping itself will be occurring on the Levine Avenue platform.

ANY VIBRATIONS?

Vibration monitoring is ongoing throughout the museum to ensure the safety of visitors and works of art, and not once has the vibration reached the minimal monitoring threshold.

New images:

Please visit the Mint’s  Facebook page  for a new set of “views from the top.”