Craneless Foresters

The defining sign of the Foresters Development by Jarvis in Harpenden has been removed, and the void from which it rose to tower over the skyline of Harpenden, has been sealed up. Much of the scaffolding that laced the facades of the buildings, has now been removed, and now glimpses of how this development will look in its completed state are visible. White render is being sprayed and smoothed across parts of its surfaces.

Many of the internal rooms are being plastered and tiled and even fitted out with sanitary ware in the form of showers and baths, where floor tiling has been completed these read are now covered in large rubber mats for their continuing protection, wooden staircases are going in, as are internal doors, and outside at the far end tarmac has now gone down. Though there are still several months till completion, at least from outside the impression of how this enclave will look is becoming apparent, but the basement does give some idea due to what it is storing, just how much has still to be built in to achieve completion.

The work to be done is now far more detailed and time consuming, so progress will seem to slow down, even though this is far from the reality. Out at the back are changes that no casual passers-by will see at all, but it is taking shape.

9th September Visit to Jarvis Foresters Site

Parking in Harpenden is limited to one hour, sometimes this is rarely sufficient to gather images of progress at the development, and today the free space that appeared was being overlooked by a burly Traffic Warden; that meant I was under pressure to return precisely on time! It was very muggy, and this always makes it tough because my glasses steam up when in the basement.

I set the alarm on my phone, and putting on my Hi Viz Jacket, hard hat and steel-toecapped boots headed for the building site with alacrity. I tried to get the overall picture, before disappearing into the basement to see how all the pipework was getting on, then took the ladders to cover the tiling on the apartments, and some of the internal work such as the plaster boarding, and even plastering.

The electric cabling and high-pressure water piping is much in evidence, and many of the rooms now have their underfloor heating fully sealed, and the whole site seems very full as much of the material is now stored on site; it is often difficult to show what is taking place, because every area is becoming smaller as the rooms are partitioned, and the external structure is encased in a steel cage of scaffolding.

My alarm sounded, and sent me scurrying off the site to see the warden near to my car, I asked if it were possible to have a few more minutes grace, and he nodded, so I dashed back in for the last couple of shots, and by now the sweat was pouring off me, but he was as good as his word, and I dashed back in less time than I had asked for, declobbered and drove back to Caddington. Job done.

End of August Visit to Foresters Harpenden

Despite all the scaffolding that surrounds the buildings on the site, the overall shape of the Foresters Development by Jarvis just off the Kinsbourne Green end of Harpenden High Street, is very apparent with all the roof work that has been done of late. Many areas have both the Tyvek membrane and tiles laid, and many windows and Velux skylights have been installed. On one of the several false chimneys even the television aerials are up!

At the end of the month, the most noticeable sign of this development will be dismantled, the tall Cerex crane will be taken down, and Harpenden’s skyline will once more return to show just rooves, the church tower and tall trees. That does not mark the end of the work however, but certainly it does mean that completion is another stage closer.

Jarvis’ Foresters – Brickie Time

Maundy Thursday, and the last day before the Easter break, the site is awash with scaffolding much of it to take the brickwork to the first floor level. Milky sunshine as I arrive, but soon burnt off. The cottages at the far corner of the site are now taking shape, and sadly, the Site Manager is off sick with a suspected appendicitis. We all wish him a speedy recovery.

I watched as a hopper was filled with gravel by the digger, then lifted by crane to the far right end of the site where it was being directed beyond the outer wall, and after I had captured some tough work being carried out I learned that the pair were father and son. It is always interesting to pick up snippets and learn more each visit, this time it was also to be shown how the cement silos have to be routinely cleaned to avoid buildup within the delivery mechanism. This whole procedure was intricately described by Steve as I took a sequence of shots of the process.

Jarvis’ Foresters Site Bathed in Warm Sunshine

Visiting the Harpenden site in warm sunshine for a change was welcome. Toureen Mangan are finishing the the drainage works, and soon will leave the site for a while and return to do finishing work such as paving during the closing stages. Most of what is happening is related to brickwork and as this rises, scaffolding is being constructed to allow the men to work at the next level.

In the far corner of the site work is now starting on the three cottages, and in the front right corner the brickwork needs to meet the level of the blockwork to allow for the next floor level to be put in place.

Foresters Development by Jarvis & Toureen Mangan

Once again, the sun shone, and large fair weather clouds scudded over the Jarvis Foresters Development in Harpenden with fewer Toureen Mangan ground workers than a fortnight ago.
The site is now mainly in the hands of the bricklayers as much of the blockwork at the base has been completed, but because it is spread throughout the site, it does not show a vast jump in height. The other activity I have covered is the preparation of more scaffolding to allow the bricklayers to work higher.

Another aspect is that the drainage needs that require deep digging is being done now to avoid this dirty work being done much later in the build, when more tradesmen are on site, and would then be more disruptive.

The large cluster of plastic mouldings stored in the basement are a new form of construction for installation in the large deep holes being created currently. They are constructed  to ensure the ground does not collapse from the weight of soil above. Once they go in, they will be encased in a membrane, so they can act as a sump.

The crane has been used in many different roles over the time I have been visiting this site; today it was being used to lift palettes from close to the site entrance to different areas across the site.

St. Patrick's Day at Foresters

Milky sunshine greeted me as I arrived, and the site was noticeably quieter. Work was progressing in different corners of the site today. To the right of the entrance drainage piping was going in. Around the far right, a digger was hard at work, with one man on a power hammer attacking some concrete alongside. Along the back, bricks were being laid by a team, and above scaffolding was being put in place.

Out at front the forklift truck was collecting palettes of bricks from the store beneath ground in the basement. Staircases that had been at the ironwork stage last visit were now in use in place of ladders. Today’s visit was over quite quickly which was convenient, as I wanted to be ready to visit the Art Exhibition Preview up at Luton Hoo in the evening.