Adequate Bird
snippets, thoughts and photography
Evacuation underway at 330 Esplanade
Dec 17th
This post contains the chronology of events since the evacuation of 330 Esplanade, Pacifica due to sea-cliff erosion began at about 7:30 AM December 17, 2009. Police were on the scene and a high surf advisory coincided with high tide, adding to concerns.I update this post with new items at the top, and create and link to new posts as needed.
Scroll down to read the chronology, and click the MORE link for the full story and links to additional detail and photos. You can see all of my Esplanade-related posts on one page here: Esplanade. See all of my pictures on Flickr Evacuations at 330 Esplanade, Pacifica CA.
Related stories:
- Saturday July 24, 2010
- Tuesday Jul 20, 2010
- From Julia Scott and the San Mateo County Times:
Owner misses deadline for plan to save Pacifica cliff apartments – San Jose Mercury News. - Pacifica City official Doug Rider is watching the situation closely but as long as the owner continues to make progress towards a solution will not take action. “The next step would be to condemn the property and then to tear it down,” Rider said. “That’s a horrible thing, OK? So all this is bad unless they fix it.”
- Lede paragraph sums up the main news (but see the article for important details):
- From Julia Scott and the San Mateo County Times:
Cliffside apartment building owner Millard Tong failed to meet a deadline to submit a timeline for repairs to the cliff behind his evacuated building Monday, but building officials said they don’t plan to enforce it.
Read on for the history going back to the original dirt fall and evacuation on December 17…
Chewbacca fights Nazis while riding mutant squirrel
Jul 29th
Chewbacca fights Nazis while riding mutant squirrel – Boing Boing.
Perhaps originally from: chewy comission fur on fur.
Minor Earthquake and Current Photos
Jul 24th
A minor earthquake did no apparent damage, but was a good reminder of what’s at stake in making the buildings along Esplanade Ave. safe. It also gave a great excuse to tour the beach below the properties, look for new dirt falls, and check out the current works along the bluff.
View M3.2 – OFFSHORE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – 2010 July 23 21:29:10 UTC in a larger map
USGS: Magnitude 3.2 – OFFSHORE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, 2010 July 23 21:29:10 UTC
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310 and 320 Esplanade Ave as seen from the Beach As seen from the base of the bluff below the “dog park” by Lands End on Esplanade Ave, this is 310 Esplanade on the center left, and 320 Esplanade on the right. |
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South end of 320 Esplanade This view of the south end of 320 Esplanade shows the undercut cement of the apartment patios. On the right is 330 Esplande. It is missing between 40 and 45 of patios, as well as all of its decks and railings. The shredded material below 330 is the remnants of the sprayed cement “shotcrete” wal and soil nails intended to halt the bluff erosion and protect the property. |
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South end of 320 Esplanade – Detail The majority of 320 Esplanade continues to rest on solid bluff, but the right corner of the building’s foundation is unsupported. This smaller part of the building was its laundry room. The dangling sandbags and black plastic is all that’s left of a large tarp placed to stop rain and water erosion. |
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330 Esplanade Bluff and Dirt The surface of the bluff below 330 Esplanade was sealed with sprayed shotcrete cement. The project to anchor all of the cement with steel rods after only the top three or four courses of rods. The contractor stated that the wall failed because it was incomplete, and recently it has sued the property owner for lack of payment for the work. |
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Completed Textured Cement Wall Below 360 Esplanade This is apparently what a finished shot crete and soil nail wall would like. The cement is colored and textured to make it blend with the neighboring sandy bluff. |
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330 Esplanade Bluff and Wall The ends of clusters of long metal rods called soil nails are bolted together in rows at the top of the bluff. The sprayed cement sealed the sandy bluff surface to protect it from rain and spray, but was not meant to be the final, permanent outer surface. The project stopped befiore it was done, apparently because the owner did not pay the bills. |
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For a complete chronology and links to many more photos see Evacuation underway at 330 Esplanade:
http://adequatebird.com/2009/12/17/evacuation-underway-at-330-esplanade/
See all of my pictures of the Esplanade crisis:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisd2006/collections/72157622920945823/
South end of 320 Esplanade
This view of the south end of 320 Esplanade shows the undercut cement of the apartment patios. On the right is 330 Esplande. It is missing between 40 and 45 of patios, as well as all of its decks and railings. The shredded material below 330 is the remnants of the sprayed cement “shotcrete” wal and soil nails intended to halt the bluff erosion and protect the property.
Tribute to Escher
Jul 21st
Interactive computer graphics (CG) 3D panorama – awesome!
Be sure to:
- go fullscreen (button top left)
- right-click on the image to change the projection. Try “little planet” for ultra trippiness.
Statement by Nico Roig, the artist:
This is … a full CG generated panorama – don’t expect to find it anywhere!
I made it to give special recognition to M.C.Escher’s work, a very talented artist widely known. This impossible world was inspired by Escher’s lithograph “Relativity”. Be careful not to get sick wandering around!
Visit the artist’s web page for more info on this project and access to the rest of his photos and panoramas: http://www.360cities.net/image/tribute-to-escher#58.88,-0.03,16.2
Owner misses deadline for plan to save Pacifica cliff apartments – San Jose Mercury News
Jul 20th
Cliffside apartment building owner Millard Tong failed to meet a deadline to submit a timeline for repairs to the cliff behind his evacuated building Monday, but building officials said they don’t plan to enforce it.
From Julia Scott and the San Mateo County Times:
For a complete chronology and links to many more photos see Evacuation underway at 330 Esplanade:
http://adequatebird.com/2009/12/17/evacuation-underway-at-330-esplanade/
See all of my pictures of the Esplanade crisis:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisd2006/collections/72157622920945823/
Pacifica Sidewalk Fireworks – 2010 (Photo metadata)
Jul 13th
This post accompanies: Pacifica Sidewalk Fireworks – 2010 (Photos)
Image Data without thumbnails
| N | fileName |
rating
|
title | shutter | iso | focalLength | Time |
| 1 | _MG_5278.CR2 |
5
|
Sidewalk Fountain in Pacifica | 1/4 | ISO 100 | 235 mm | 9:02:17 PM |
| 2 | _MG_5282.CR2 |
4
|
Patriotic Display | 1/6 | ISO 100 | 400 mm | 9:02:27 PM |
| 3 | _MG_5283.CR2 |
5
|
Black and White Blazing Rebel Fountain | 1/2 | ISO 100 | 400 mm | 9:02:31 PM |
| 4 | _MG_5284.CR2 |
4
|
Coast-side Wind | 1/2 | ISO 100 | 400 mm | 9:02:33 PM |
| 5 | _MG_5290.CR2 |
5
|
Streamers and Spiders | 1/6 | ISO 100 | 400 mm | 9:03:49 PM |
| 6 | _MG_5296.CR2 |
4
|
Tumbling Stars | 1/2 | ISO 100 | 400 mm | 9:04:02 PM |
| 7 | _MG_5304.CR2 |
5
|
Slice of Cake | 1/10 | ISO 100 | 115 mm | 9:05:38 PM |
| 8 | _MG_5308.CR2 |
5
|
Bangs and Flashes | 1/13 | ISO 100 | 235 mm | 9:05:58 PM |
| 9 | _MG_5309.CR2 |
5
|
Spray in Black and White | 1/10 | ISO 100 | 235 mm | 9:05:59 PM |
| 10 | _MG_5322.CR2 |
5
|
Nike Guy Having Fun | 1/8 | ISO 100 | 100 mm | 9:07:01 PM |
| 11 | _MG_5333.CR2 |
5
|
Noisy Swoop | 1/5 | ISO 100 | 105 mm | 9:08:51 PM |
| 12 | _MG_5334.CR2 |
5
|
Question Marked | 1/5 | ISO 100 | 300 mm | 9:08:57 PM |
| 13 | _MG_5345.CR2 |
4
|
Green Lightning | 1/2 | ISO 100 | 120 mm | 9:09:51 PM |
| 14 | _MG_5357.CR2 |
5
|
Fire Tree | 1/5 | ISO 100 | 115 mm | 9:11:25 PM |
| 15 | _MG_5396.CR2 |
5
|
Center Light, Dim | 1/40 | ISO 100 | 235 mm | 9:13:34 PM |
| 16 | _MG_5442.CR2 |
5
|
Tiger, new and spent | 1/20 | ISO 100 | 330 mm | 9:15:59 PM |
| 17 | _MG_5443.CR2 |
5
|
Jet Burst | 1/20 | ISO 100 | 330 mm | 9:16:01 PM |
| 18 | _MG_5447.CR2 |
4
|
Fire, Clouds, Wind, Fog = Fireworks at the Coast | 1/20 | ISO 100 | 160 mm | 9:16:08 PM |
| 19 | _MG_5448.CR2 |
5
|
Tender | 1/8 | ISO 100 | 160 mm | 9:16:11 PM |
| 20 | _MG_5472.CR2 |
4
|
Wind Tossed | 1/13 | ISO 100 | 400 mm | 9:17:47 PM |
| 21 | _MG_5494.CR2 |
5
|
Violet, Green, Red, Orange | 1/10 | ISO 100 | 210 mm | 9:19:24 PM |
| 22 | _MG_5528.CR2 |
5
|
A Little Past 2 | 1/3 | ISO 100 | 100 mm | 9:21:55 PM |
| 23 | _MG_5530.CR2 |
4
|
Fire Dance | 1/3 | ISO 100 | 100 mm | 9:22:39 PM |
| 24 | _MG_5535.CR2 |
3
|
Downwind | 1/6 | ISO 100 | 100 mm | 9:22:51 PM |
| 25 | _MG_5557.CR2 |
5
|
Preparations | 1.6″ | ISO 3200 | 100 mm | 9:26:05 PM |
| 26 | _MG_5569.CR2 |
5
|
Fire, Fog and Light | 1/2 | ISO 400 | 190 mm | 9:29:22 PM |
| 27 | _MG_5570.CR2 |
5
|
Lights and Lit | 1/2 | ISO 400 | 190 mm | 9:29:24 PM |
| 28 | _MG_5597.CR2 |
5
|
Corkscrews | 1/2 | ISO 100 | 130 mm | 9:32:11 PM |
| 29 | _MG_5599.CR2 |
4
|
Golden Hay | 1/2 | ISO 100 | 160 mm | 9:32:15 PM |
| 30 | _MG_5604.CR2 |
5
|
Abstract – Dashes | 1/25 | ISO 100 | 160 mm | 9:32:23 PM |
| 31 | _MG_5605.CR2 |
5
|
Abstract – Wind | 1/25 | ISO 100 | 340 mm | 9:32:24 PM |
| 32 | _MG_5608.CR2 |
5
|
Explosive Gold | 1/25 | ISO 100 | 340 mm | 9:32:29 PM |
| 33 | _MG_5641.CR2 |
5
|
Lens Flare Ghost | 1/4 | ISO 100 | 100 mm | 9:36:46 PM |
| 34 | _MG_5781.CR2 |
5
|
Fire Flower | 1/2 | ISO 100 | 220 mm | 9:51:33 PM |
| 35 | _MG_5792.CR2 |
4
|
Feather Duster | 1/4 | ISO 100 | 210 mm | 9:52:46 PM |
| 36 | _MG_5811.CR2 |
4
|
Fire Stack | 1/5 | ISO 100 | 100 mm | 9:54:16 PM |
| 37 | _MG_5817.CR2 |
4
|
Abstract – Fire and Flash | 1/80 | ISO 100 | 220 mm | 9:54:56 PM |
| 38 | _MG_5825.CR2 |
5
|
Fountain Pops 1 | 1/6 | ISO 100 | 220 mm | 9:55:05 PM |
| 39 | _MG_5830.CR2 |
5
|
Fountain Pops 2 | 1/13 | ISO 100 | 340 mm | 9:55:25 PM |
| 40 | _MG_5857.CR2 |
5
|
Abstract – Fire | 1/50 | ISO 100 | 340 mm | 9:56:13 PM |
| 41 | _MG_5864.CR2 |
5
|
Looking UP | 1/50 | ISO 100 | 340 mm | 9:57:08 PM |
| 42 | _MG_5866.CR2 |
5
|
Zot – BANG | 1/15 | ISO 100 | 340 mm | 9:57:13 PM |
| 43 | _MG_5921.CR2 |
4
|
Camera Play | 1/6 | ISO 100 | 100 mm | 10:06:30 PM |
Image thumbnails and data
| Image |
Title |
Focal Length | Shutter | Aperture | ISO | Time | Distance |
 |
Sidewalk Fountain _MG_5278.jpg |
235.0 mm | 1/4 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:02:17 PM | 18.1 m |
 |
Patriotic Display _MG_5282.jpg |
400.0 mm | 1/6 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:02:27 PM | 22.8 m |
 |
Black and White Blazing _MG_5283.jpg |
400.0 mm | 0.4 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:02:31 PM | 22.8 m |
 |
Coast-side Wind _MG_5284.jpg |
400.0 mm | 0.5 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:02:33 PM | 22.8 m |
 |
Streamers and Spiders _MG_5290.jpg |
400.0 mm | 1/6 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:03:49 PM | 22.8 m |
 |
Tumbling Stars _MG_5296.jpg |
400.0 mm | 0.6 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:04:02 PM | 22.8 m |
 |
Slice of Cake _MG_5304.jpg |
115.0 mm | 1/10 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:05:38 PM | 7.42 m |
 |
Bangs and Flashes _MG_5308.jpg |
235.0 mm | 1/13 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:05:58 PM | 7.42 m |
 |
Spray in Black and White _MG_5309.jpg |
235.0 mm | 1/10 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:05:59 PM | 8.36 m |
 |
Nike Guy Having Fun _MG_5322.jpg |
100.0 mm | 1/8 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:07:01 PM | 9.44 m |
 |
Noisy Swoop _MG_5333.jpg |
105.0 mm | 1/5 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:08:51 PM | 12.6 m |
 |
Question Marked _MG_5334.jpg |
300.0 mm | 1/5 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:08:57 PM | 12.6 m |
 |
Green Lightning _MG_5345.jpg |
120.0 mm | 0.5 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:09:51 PM | 10.8 m |
 |
Fire Tree _MG_5357.jpg |
115.0 mm | 1/5 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:11:25 PM | 12.6 m |
 |
Center Light, Dim _MG_5396.jpg |
235.0 mm | 1/40 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:13:34 PM | 10.8 m |
 |
Tiger, new and spent _MG_5442.jpg |
330.0 mm | 1/20 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:15:59 PM | 10.8 m |
 |
Jet Burst _MG_5443.jpg |
330.0 mm | 1/20 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:16:01 PM | 12.6 m |
 |
Fire, Clouds, Wind, Fog = _MG_5447.jpg |
160.0 mm | 1/20 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:16:08 PM | 10.8 m |
 |
Tender _MG_5448.jpg |
160.0 mm | 1/8 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:16:11 PM | 10.8 m |
 |
Wind Tossed _MG_5472.jpg |
400.0 mm | 1/13 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:17:47 PM | 14.9 m |
 |
Violet, Green, _MG_5494.jpg |
210.0 mm | 1/10 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:19:24 PM | 14.9 m |
 |
A Little Past 2 _MG_5528.jpg |
100.0 mm | 0.3 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:21:55 PM | 12.6 m |
 |
Fire Dance _MG_5530.jpg |
100.0 mm | 0.3 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:22:39 PM | 14.9 m |
 |
Downwind _MG_5535.jpg |
100.0 mm | 1/6 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:22:51 PM | 12.6 m |
 |
Preparations _MG_5557.jpg |
100.0 mm | 1.6 | 5.6 | 3200 | 9:26:05 PM | 18.1 m |
 |
Fire, Fog and Light _MG_5569.jpg |
190.0 mm | 0.4 | 5.6 | 400 | 9:29:22 PM | 18.1 m |
 |
Lights and Lit _MG_5570.jpg |
190.0 mm | 0.4 | 5.6 | 400 | 9:29:24 PM | 18.1 m |
 |
Corkscrews _MG_5597.jpg |
130.0 mm | 0.5 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:32:11 PM | 14.9 m |
 |
Golden Hay _MG_5599.jpg |
160.0 mm | 0.5 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:32:15 PM | 14.9 m |
 |
Abstract – Dashes _MG_5604.jpg |
160.0 mm | 1/25 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:32:23 PM | 18.1 m |
 |
Abstract – Wind _MG_5605.jpg |
340.0 mm | 1/25 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:32:24 PM | 18.1 m |
 |
Explosive Gold _MG_5608.jpg |
340.0 mm | 1/25 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:32:29 PM | 18.1 m |
 |
Lens Flare Ghost _MG_5641.jpg |
100.0 mm | 1/4 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:36:46 PM | 14.9 m |
 |
Fire Flower _MG_5781.jpg |
220.0 mm | 0.5 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:51:33 PM | 14.9 m |
 |
Feather Duster _MG_5792.jpg |
210.0 mm | 1/4 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:52:46 PM | 18.1 m |
 |
Fire Stack _MG_5811.jpg |
100.0 mm | 1/5 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:54:16 PM | 14.9 m |
 |
Abstract – Fire and Flash _MG_5817.jpg |
220.0 mm | 1/80 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:54:56 PM | 18.1 m |
 |
Fountain Pops 1 _MG_5825.jpg |
220.0 mm | 1/6 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:55:05 PM | 18.1 m |
 |
Fountain Pops 2 _MG_5830.jpg |
340.0 mm | 1/13 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:55:25 PM | 22.8 m |
 |
Abstract – Fire _MG_5857.jpg |
340.0 mm | 1/50 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:56:13 PM | 22.8 m |
 |
Looking UP _MG_5864.jpg |
340.0 mm | 1/50 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:57:08 PM | 18.1 m |
 |
Zot – BANG _MG_5866.jpg |
340.0 mm | 1/15 | 5.6 | 100 | 9:57:13 PM | 18.1 m |
 |
Camera Play _MG_5921.jpg |
100.0 mm | 1/6 | 5.6 | 100 | 10:06:30 PM | 12.6 m |
This post accompanies: Pacifica Sidewalk Fireworks – 2010 (Photos)
November 2009 Bid for work behind 310 and 320 Esplanade
Jul 12th
The Current Complaint
On July 2 a lawsuit for breach of contract was filed in San Mateo Superior Court by the subcontractor that did the aerial drilling behind / beneath 330 Esplanade Avenue in Pacifica CA., Drill Tech Drilling & Shoring, Inc., against the the prime contractor. Engineering Soil Resources Inc. Also named in the suit was the owner of 330 Esplanade, Farshid Samsami. The suit alleges that Drill Tech Drilling & Shoring began work as contracted but was never paid. Work behind 330 Esplanade halted in February (Monday or Tuesday 2/15 or 2/16) before it was completed, and subsequently in April failed (for pictures and details see my post Further bluff collapse beneath 320 Esplanade).
You can see the case documents on the San Mateo Superior Court “Open Access” website, Unlimited Civil case, 496610, “Case CIV496610 – DRILL TECH DRILLING VS ENGINEERED SOIL REPAIRS“.
We observed the work with interest since it involved a big red crane hoisting workers in a basket over the coast side apartment building, and it seemed pretty obvious at the time that the work ended abruptly, unfinished. Now it seems we know why the work stopped, but of course do not know why invoices for the work have gone unpaid. Like much else of the story behind the actions on Esplanade, we wait for the details to come out in court.
Buried in the July 2 complaint, however, was a document that appears to reference an altogether different property.
Something Odd: November 2009 Bid
The first attachment in the complaint, presumably intended to represent the contract between the parties (exhibit “A”) does not reference 330 Esplanade at all. Instead it appears to be a bid that Drill Tech submitted to ESR dated November 12, 2009 for a similar soil-nail project to be done for 310 and 320 Esplanade.
November 2009 was weeks before the bluff erosion and collapse that ultimately closed 330, and eventually also shuttered 320 Esplanade.
Here are scans of the pages from the complaint:
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For a complete chronology and links to many more photos see Evacuation underway at 330 Esplanade:
http://adequatebird.com/2009/12/17/evacuation-underway-at-330-esplanade/
See all of my pictures of the Esplanade crisis:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisd2006/collections/72157622920945823/
