Concrete Pouring Project Aims For World Record In Downtown LA

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — If you're planning on driving near downtown Los Angeles this weekend, you may have to contend with more than just "Jamzilla."

KNX 1070's Pete Demetriou reports crews are preparing to lay the foundation for the tallest building west of the Mississippi in just 16 hours.

Starting Saturday, eight concrete plants will be providing concrete for the Wilshire Grand Center project at 7th and Figueroa in what contractors are billing as the world's largest continuous foundation pour.

An estimated 2,100 trucks and 260 drivers will travel up the Harbor (110) Freeway to assist in the effort to pour concrete into a hole 106 feet deep and 440 feet long by 330 feet wide.

Micheal Marchesano, General Superintendent for Turner Construction Company, said making the 18-foot-thick foundation in one pour of concrete from 19 pumps is going to involve a lot of equipment to provide 21,200 cubic yards of concrete.

"We're gonna range from 1,200 to 1,500 yards an hour to feed the pumps," Marchesano said. "What we're trying to do is maintain a certain temperature, not exceed a certain temperature, and take the time-frame to go ahead and get this concrete to cure out."

Set to open to the public in 2017, the Wilshire Grand Center will replace the longstanding Wilshire Grand and feature 900 luxury hotel rooms, 400,000 square feet of office space, as well as businesses and nightlife offerings.

RELATED: Wilshire Grand Closing Its Doors After Nearly 60 Years

Developers say the project is projected to infuse $1 billion into the local economy, create critically needed jobs and sustain the city's booming travel and tourism industry into the future.

The pouring phase of the project is expected to begin Saturday evening and last through Sunday morning.