Walgreens well underway
Published Monday, October 6, 2008
Construction staff at the future Walgreens site are working to complete several components of the project before winter arrives.
The goal is to complete curb, gutter, sidewalk, asphalt and foundation work by Nov. 15, said Bob Skowronek, construction manager with Twin Cities-based Capital Real Estate. With the foundation out of the ground, workers will use a scaffold and clear poly cover to create a heated “bubble” for winter work.
Failure to complete this initial work before the ground freezes would delay the project’s estimated completion date of mid-April, Skowronek said, “so we’re going to take it as close as we possibly can.”
Demolition at the site wrapped up last week and now West Lincoln Avenue is home to a giant crusher.
“We’re crushing all the concrete from the building and we’re going to use it as fill,” Skowronek said.
That crushed concrete will fill the old basements of Family Dollar and the office building that housed businesses like Moore Engineering.
“It’s just a way to recycle and save a few thousand dollars,” Skowronek said.
Workers have also been installing the new building’s footings and foundation walls. Water and sanitation is on tap for this week, as well as backfilling the foundation and preparing for new sidewalks around the building.
Staff at the site includes anywhere from eight to 20 people daily. Skowronek said a goal has been to use as many local contractors as possible — Overland Mechanical Services and Fergus Electric Inc. are among them.