Those photos from across the river are the perfect complement to the photos I above showing the crane BOOM lifting the rebar.
I would walk by on the sidewalk; but could not see where the rebar went, or what was going on up on the top floors. It is great to see the marvel of the construction from so many different vantage points.
Thanks to JC Heights - and many others - for the great ‘under construction’ photos.
I like they are going wtih “punched” windows; not the floor-to-ceiling glass that is done so often on these new condo towers. I have also noticed that the construction method used here is a fairly common detail: Metal stud framing between the concrete slabs, with sheetrock panels applied to the metal studs. I guess the final layer will be the finsihed facade material - whatever that material will eventually be still remains to be seen. Hoping to see some high quality, fine finsh material on this facade: all looking good so far.
This is going to be a nice looking, modest, architectural design from what we can see so far.
A Punched window is an individual window unit set into a distinct opening in a building’s exterior wall, appearing as if “punched” through the facade. Unlike continuous ribbon windows, these are separated by wall materials, providing better privacy, structural support, and energy efficiency, often used in masonry, residential, and office buildings. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Key Usage Examples
Commercial/Office Buildings: Used to create private offices while allowing natural light, often incorporating vision control treatments.
Residential Structures: Commonly used in apartment blocks to create a distinct, separated look for each window.
I am not sure if that flag up there now is preparation for Memorial day or an indication of ‘topping out’ - either way it looks cool. God Bless America!
That seems right: they put the flag on the facade, so it can be seen. If at the top, it would be completely out of sight…
Also, one correction on my previous post. The facade construction of the window wall so far is: steel studs attached to the concrete, a layer of plywood on the steel studs, and then an added layer of Sheetrock board on top of the plywood.
BTW - I forgot to mention the plywood on the previous post; my bad.
When displayed either horizontally or vertically against a wall, the union should be uppermost and to the flag’s own right, that is, to the observer’s left. When displayed in a window, the flag should be displayed in the same way, with the union or blue field to the left of the observer in the street.
I know this color is only the sheetrock panels attached to the metal studs for the windows: but they do look cool in that color.
I need to make a correction on a former correction in this thread: the purple sheetrock is not attached to a layer of plywood as I originally thought; the purple sheetrock is attached directly to the metal studs.
It is odd that at first most of the metal studs on the windows were cladded in a layer of plywood (see photo) below; so I naturally thought they added yet another layer on top - which is the purple sheetrock. I am either confused, or not seeing this clearly. It seems that all the original plywood had now been removed and replaced with the purple sheetrock; not sure.
This may have been a mistake; and the wood had to be removed because it was the wrong material; this was a minor change as all seems to being going quite well the completion of the facade.
Whatthewhy has a very good eye!
Nice photo set including the upper most sections that I have not been able to photograph. I look forward to seeing those bright purple sheetrock panels rise up to the sky.
Those newly installed sheetrock panels over the metal studs not only ‘work’ better than the previous plywood boards: the purple sheetrock LOOKS stunning too.
This is a fantastic project to follow for those (like myself) are fascinate with the construction process of these new towers.
AI Grok question: Why the bright purple colored panels on the facade of new building under construction?
AI EXCERPT - When you see bright purple panels on the facade of a building under construction, you are looking at exterior gypsum sheathing —specifically a product line called Gold Bond eXP Extended Exposure Sheathing , manufactured by National Gypsum.
It serves a completely different purpose than standard interior drywall. It is installed on the building’s exterior frame for several reasons:
### 1. Weather and Moisture Resistance
Unlike interior drywall, which uses paper facing that can mold or rot if exposed to water, these exterior purple panels are faced with a coated fiberglass mat . This fiberglass layer, combined with a specially treated water-resistant gypsum core, allows the panels to withstand rain, wind, and high humidity during the construction process before the final siding or facade is applied.
### 2. Mold and Mildew Protection
The exterior of a building is highly susceptible to moisture buildup. The fiberglass facing and treated core offer maximum protection against mold and mildew growth, ensuring that moisture doesn’t compromise the building’s structural integrity or indoor air quality later on.
