Inside and outside, things are definitely buzzing at U-Haul Moving and Self-Storage of Detroit this week.
Sign of Things to Come
Soon, two new U-Haul modular signs will grace the top of this magnificent building. Each letter of the sign will measure 7 feet tall and 7 feet wide, with one foot of space between each letter. The overall length of each sign will be 39 feet!
Full Steam Ahead
The main steam line has been brought into the building and is running under the new showroom floor. The line is fastened with special hangers below the floor that are wrapped to retain the heat that the steam line will generate. The pipes weigh 20 lbs per foot and come in 21′ lengths, needless to say, they are heavy!
This part of the installation is the most time consuming. It takes a lot of skill to handle them in the tight quarters under the floor. The work is a coordinated effort involving steamfitters, HVAC techs, plumbers and pipe fitters. At times, the activity under the showroom floor resembled a busy intersection in need of a traffic cop.
Lights Out Is a Good Thing
We lost power last week, but that was a good thing. The electricians shut down the power last Saturday to complete the installation of six new electrical panels in the south side of the basement. This Monday and Tuesday it will be lights out again (intermittently) as they start work on the north side. The work is challenging because the electricians are working with high voltage in a very cold basement, all with battery-powered lights.
A Facelift and an Apron
Outside, the showroom entrance area is getting some cosmetic and functional attention. Brick masons are performing a minor face-lift, replacing the exterior bricks around the cargo entrance we widened to lower the Bobcat into the basement. It will take a couple of days for the mortar to set and then we will install the new door.
Water collecting around the foundation of a building is definitely not a good thing. It causes safety issues, particularly in winter. Water leaking into the building can cause potential long-term structural damage. To combat these issues, we’ve constructed a concrete apron and trench drains to carry water away from the entrance and into a catch basin.
A Towering Question Answered
Last week I asked if anyone knew why the four towers of the NBC-Nabisco building were constructed above the roof. They were so constructed because the pressure tanks for the automatic sprinkler system, as well as tanks for the house supply of water were placed inside them. As a result, the tanks were protected from the weather and could be easily inspected and maintained.
That’s it for this week! As a reminder, this blog was created to let the community know that U-Haul is in Detroit, and to share our plans with you and to get input from the community. We want to hear from you. Tell us what you like and don’t like about our posts, building plans or anything else you want to share about Detroit. We are excited to be part of the Detroit community and want to learn from you!
Stay tuned. Next update 11/19.
–Pref
