Construction Continues on Merrill Gardens

The large crane can't be missed as you drive anywhere in the vicinity of Winchester Boulevard. It looms overhead, aiding the construction workers below in the construction of the future Merill Gardens in Campbell.

As of this week, the crew is nearly done with the work on the project's underground parking lot, said Site Superintendent Dan Schaeffer for SRM Construction.

"It's been pretty smooth so far," Schaeffer said of the construction. "We haven't had any real hitches."

The framing for the project will begin to go up in about four weeks, Schaeffer said

The project began with the demolition of the existing buildings on 2041 through 2127 Winchester Blvd. in September 2011 Excavation of the site happened three months later in December 2011.

The end product once complete (tentatively March 2013) will consist of 126 senior rental apartment units, a 21-unit dementia (convalescent facility) unit and 17,936 square feet of commercial space located at 2041 through 2127 Winchester Boulevard.

Merrill Gardens has locations in nine states, including 20 in California. Besides the future Campbell location, the San Jose and Gilroy locations are the only other ones in the Silicon Valley.

"People don't realize how big this site really is," Schaeffer said. "It's a 3-acre site."

Speaking of big, the number one thing that he said many people have contacted him about is concerns of the large crane hovering over their homes.

"The crane has 550,000 pounds of concrete at the base, holding it up," he said. "It's OSHA certified and tested and completely safe."

After hours, the crane is weathervaned, allowing it to move with the wind.

"That's why sometimes you'll see it over Winchester, sometimes over the site," Schaeffer said.

The reason for this is that if the crane was kept firm, the force of the wind would damage it, he said.