MAY 2004August 2009 Volume I – Issue Six

y TOWER h p a r g o t o h P

e n i l e m i T OF CHANGE Volume News from the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Justice Center Project Solid as a Rock Meet Tanya Ross ach day the men and women work on the Juvenile Justice f it had not been for a special E Center Project (JJC) is one day closer to completion. In the I program initiated by then previous issue (July), Tower of Change discussed the work of Councilman Frank Jackson, securing a solid caisson base on which the foundation rests. Tanya Ross probably would In this issue, we move to the next step – pouring the grade have never found her “dream beam foundation and floors. This process further ensures the job.” building’s sturdiness and durability. Daily Duties: I work with dif- The discussion about carpenters and cement finishers continues. ferent types of forms to create Companies like Phoenix Cement bring new buildings out of the molds where the concrete is ground, which gets it ready for other trades to do their work. poured. What She Likes About Her While it is easy to grasp the JJC’s height, we cannot overlook Job: the importance of the foundation on which it stands. I love the fact that I can show people the results of my labor. When they see the

Cleveland Browns Stadium, n o s n Great Lakes Science Center, e Phoenix Focuses B

c i the Carl B. Stokes building, r E Quincy Place - I can always Tanya Ross on Concrete say, ‘I helped build that.’ earing the word “concrete,” most people only think of the Her Thoughts on the JJC Project: The structure is beautiful. Hfinal product – a hard, solid, grayish-looking building Most buildings in Cleveland are square. The Juvenile Justice material meant to hold its own under the toughest situa- Center is a much better architectural design than what tions and circumstances. I have ever worked on. Phoenix Cement specializes in concrete. Their expertise When She Is Not Working: I spend a lot of time shopping, includes foundation systems, structural concrete systems, cooking, and spending as much time as I can with my five slabs on grade and deck, exterior and decorative concrete. grandchildren. They bring me more joy than anyone ever could John Mayer Jr. of Phoenix Cement is the estimator and imagine. project manager for the Juvenile Justice Center Project. The Best Advice She Has Received: My mother took us down- Explaining the role of over 93 workers during the project’s town to Public Square to let us see that time waits on no one. Continued on page 2 She told us to decide to make something out of our lives before it passed us by. Your Best Advice: Sometimes you have to make the best out of where you are. If I had not lived in CMHA, I would not have been able to get the job I have. I knew that CMHA was not a permanent place for me. It was a stepping-stone to something better.

Quick Fact Phoenix Cement used 11,382 cubic yards of concrete. This is n o s

n equivalent to 35 miles of 5 ft wide sidewalks. Imagine that! e B

c i r

Kim Hartup, John Mayer, president and John Mayer Jr., estimator E and project manager If you lose your copy, you can always find it online at CuyahogaCounty.us

“Opportunity follows struggle. It follows effort. It follows hard work.” – Shelby Steele News from the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Justice Center Project TOWER OF CHANGE

Phoenix Focuses on Concrete continued from page 1 duration, he said, “We excavated, placed, and finished There is no straight line. Everything is on a radius. This is the grade beam foundation that holds up the building. different and unique. A design like this is very infrequent,” We also installed elevator pits for the elevators and placed he offers. and finished the slabs, which is what everybody walks on.” Mayer mentioned that working on this project was much Since beginning the job in April 2008, fifty percent of their more difficult than working on a standard building. “We work on the Juvenile Justice Center Project was placing and had to do a lot more engineering to make sure that all finishing the slabs on the second through ninth floors – called the items were in the proper place. There was more math elevated slabs. When finished, they had laid 448,000 square involved, geometry…to ensure the foundation, slabs and feet of slab. This work is very important, for without it, the grade beams were in the right place,” he said. “We also had rest of the work could not move forward. to do additional engineering, surveying, and calculations.” “It is a great project,” said Mayer. “It could not have been When asked if workers needed a different type of training any better. The project team, superintendent - everyone from or additional expertise to complete a project of that nature, top to bottom has been a joy to work with.” Mayer said that it was not necessary. “It took longer to do Mayer has worked with concrete for 24 years. “The shape because it was not easy project. There was more checking of the structure and the challenges of working on a building involved. Without a straight line,” he added, “it became of that size interested me. Typical buildings are square,” more difficult to make sure you were in the proper location. he added. “The Juvenile Justice Center is built on a curve. There were no straight lines on this project. Only curves.” The Many Faces of Concrete Work

n n o o s s n n e e B B

c c i i r r E E Tanya Ross, Kevin Krischer and Ted McDaniel place formwork Tanya Ross, Ted McDaniel and Kevin Krischer install shoring

n n o o s s n n e e B B

c c i i r r E E Pablo Benz places a finish on the concrete by hand Jared Hof uses a finishing cement machine to complete the front entrance

The Tower of Change is a monthly publication of Cuyahoga County. For comments, suggestions and story ideas, please contact Montrie Rucker Adams at 440-684-9920 or [email protected] "Can’t nothing make your life work if you are not the architect.” – Terry McMillan