ALUMINUM, RUBBER, SILICA, AND A TOUCH OF PAINT

Currently the major effort at the QVC is getting the glass into all the walls of the building. Once enclosed and secured the plywood sarcophagus and aluminum scaffolding can be taken down.


Work is starting on the north wall, will progress down the east and west sides, and the south wall windows will be the last installed. Before starting this, all structural beams were painted. The minimum temperature for painting is 50^oF on the beam surface. While that can be reached in sunlight on most walls, the north wall does not get direct sun. So, just as with the curing of the cement south wall during the winter cold snap, the north wall beams were enclosed in blankets and propane heaters used to keep the temperature up during painting.

All the supplies for the window project are stored in the QVC parking lot and lifted by crane up to behind the north wall. There pieces are cut to size.

Individual panes of glass are about 3 feet by 3 feet, smaller than the large spaces between the structural beams. So the first step is to install vertical window frames between the structural beams.

Next, the horizontal window frames are put in.

Then the rubber baskets for each window frame is set into the aluminum frames.

 Once this is completed for the entire north wall, then the new glass, which is more energy efficient thanthe old plexiglass, will be lifted to the north side and installed. Work will then proceed to the other walls. Given the vast expanse of glass in the QVC walls, it will take about a month to get all the windows in.

While the ceiling inside the QVC will be white, the eaves outside the building are being painted a light sandstone brown and the vertical structural beams will retain their original chocolate brown.

 Given the height of the building, the eaves and the beams are painted from the crane basket.

Photos: NPS