Blog: Safety Complex Updates

Week 51: Preserving the 1929 Building, Constructing a Wall and Removing Debris

Heading into mid-February, a lot of different tasks are underway at the Public Safety Complex reconstruction site in North Knoxville - some additions (a new foundation wall), and some subtractions (goodbye, debris piles and underground fuel storage tanks!).

The magnificent 1929 Building continues to be the recipient of some TLC from Renascent contractor crews.

Last week, Renascent crews continued peeling off laminated finishes and used saws to cut structural elements on the 91-year-old anchor building.

This week, crews continued surgically separating the 1929 Building from the remnants of the non-descript add-on wings. Those obsolete buildings, demolished last year, had for decades hidden the 1929 Building from public view.

Messer Construction crews are installing temporary barriers on the 1929 Building, and Renascent is processing debris to be removed from the area close to the 1929 Building.

Here are a few photos showing the work underway:

Saw-cutting structural elements

Gaps in walls, where add-on buildings had once connected, are being temporarily infilled.

That's just one corner of the former St. Mary's Hospital campus.

Pictured below is the durable construction debris (DCD) pile, which soon will be gone. Renascent crews are completing the sorting and processing of the debris this week.

Renascent is completing the processing of the durable construction debris (DCD) pile.

Renascent is completing the processing of the durable construction debris (DCD) pile.

Meanwhile, nearby, demolition of old foundation walls continues (photo below):

Demolition of foundation wall

Over near the Central Wing Annex, crews with Al Blankenship Enterprises are completing the last component of footing on the west side.

Below-grade levels of the wing have been demolished, which left a temporary opening. Blankenship installed reinforcing steel and poured concrete footings.

Now, Blankenship will be forming a 100-foot section of a new foundation wall to be poured.

Here's a photo from the Central Wing Annex:

Al Blankenship

Finally, Renascent has removed an underground fuel storage tank from an area near the Women's Pavilion. Earlier, a storage tank on the northern end of the campus was removed.

Underground fuel tanks are being removed from near the Women's Pavilion and the northern end of the campus.

Underground fuel tanks are being removed from near the Women's Pavilion and the northern end of the campus.

Posted by evreeland On 11 February, 2021 at 5:13 PM