In the Works - Community Newsletter January 2017 | Page 13

Hour-by-hour weather reports , five-day forecasts , even the antiquated Farmers ’ Almanac can help them prepare for – and secure – their chief project : the $ 500 million Moscone Expansion Project , which continues to move forward despite the crew ’ s continuous cycle of bundling up in rain gear and fervently waterproofing , tarping , draining and mopping up after the multiple storms this month .
The irony of a project that began during a drought – and is now in the throes of the wettest winter in two decades , with wind so strong it ripped their tarps — isn ’ t lost on them , but they ’ re deadline driven . The current phase of the convention center expansion needs to be finished by September for the Salesforce conference .
“ We don ’ t have the option of making the job longer ; we have a drop-dead completion date ,” Pryor said . “ If we lose time , we have to make it up .”
When Pryor , who works the early shift , arrives at the job site in the morning , he surveys the area for wet sheetrock , wet insulation and any damage to the sprayon fireproofing . He also ensures that no water has trickled into the electrical and telecom rooms , then makes the rounds in the public areas of the convention center .
The multi-phase Moscone Expansion and Improvement Project is scheduled to be completed late next year and has generated thousands of new construction jobs and permanent local jobs . Throughout construction , the center remains open – earlier this month it hosted the jam-packed Winter Fancy Food Show – something that ’ s tough for the construction crews but critical to the City ’ s economy . The center generates more than one-fifth of the 16.9 million visitors who come to San Francisco each year .
In addition to adding more meeting space and ballrooms , the expansion will bring more than 8,000 square feet of new public open space . Moscone Center is on target to become one of the “ greenest ” convention centers in the country : It will use less space per visitor than any major convention center in North America , will save more than 5 million gallons of water annually and will generate clean energy with the its rooftop solar installation – the largest in San Francisco .
In the meantime , Mother Nature has her own agenda .
“ Water ’ s a builder ’ s worst enemy ,” states Pryor . “ Most builders don ’ t sleep well at night when they ’ ve got a project open .”
January 2017 - San Francisco Public Works Newsletter