Orchestra pit takes shape at construction site

Date: September 28, 2007

Author: Kauffman Center

A recent construction update had a decidedly exciting ring to it: “The orchestra pit in the proscenium theater is 80-90% dug out.” The orchestra pit is taking shape!  Ah, yes.  We’re still a long way from having musicians instead of construction workers in that pit. But news like that sounds a bit more “musical” than past updates about foundation piers.

So, we’re excited to share news about the orchestra pit, our first elevated deck, and a few other points of progress in this construction update.

As you drive downtown, it’s hard not to notice that there are now three cranes up on the Kauffman Center’s construction site. Instead of a third tower crane, as originally planned, JE Dunn Construction opted to use a mobile one and erected it in early August.  “We felt that the mobile crane would provide us with more flexibility,” according to Kyle McQuiston, project executive with JE Dunn Construction.

Foundation work is moving swiftly

The deep pits needed for the center are completely dug now, and the floor above the mechanical rooms been built.  This means that our first elevated deck has gone in. 

Footings for the proscenium theater are progressing well.  As mentioned earlier, the orchestra pit is being dug and already has some walls and columns.  If you know where to look you might even be able to pick it out by its shape on the web cam.  (HINT:  The proscenium theater is the center’s westernmost structure). 

Foundations are in now in place for the fly tower—the tall backstage area where equipment like sets, scrims, lighting, riggings can be suspended and “flown” (i.e. raised when not needed).  The need for fly space accounts for some of the extra height of the proscenium theater (as compared to that of the concert hall).

Both the proscenium theater and the concert hall are served by a large mechanical tunnel that is now 90% complete.  Piping will begin to be installed in early October.   Another important activity at this time involves building what is referred to as “the south wall” which stands between the center itself and the parking garage to the south.  This wall, which is four-feet thick and 50-feet tall, must be put in place in order for an important next step to occur—creating the steel embeds to hold down the center’s structural cable system.  What’s an “embed?”  Read on.

An important part of the center’s design includes 27 cables that both hold up the concrete shells and hold down the glass of the lobbies.  These gigantic cables will be held in place by steel embeds that must be built into the center foundation.  Each cable is held in place by an embed that weighs about 3,000 pounds, is approximately four-foot square and is made of three-inch plate steel.

Follow construction progress on our web cam 

On the web cam you can see where excavation has begun for the mechanical yard and the center’s central plant. It’s basically the site of the old ballet building at the southeast corner of 16th and Broadway. Another indication of progress is that orders have been placed for mechanical equipment such as chillers, cooling towers and air handling units. Purchase of this type of equipment, to be housed in the mechanical yard, requires a long lead-time.  In addition, KCP&L gear required to serve the facility (such as transformers) has been released.

According to McQuiston, “Work is proceeding in close collaboration with the design team, as details are being worked through to complete the design.”