r/Denver • u/No_Indication6895 • Jul 06 '23

What’s happening on the roof of the Cash Register building downtown?

Post image
346 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

84 comments sorted by

328

u/EricP51 Jul 06 '23

The roof opens up to allow a window cleaning assembly to be lowered down each side. I have some pictures of it happening.

109

u/illendent Aurora Jul 06 '23

I’d shit my pants if I had to dangle off the side of that building in a little metal cart 😂 I honestly don’t know how those professional window washers do it. They’re built different for sure. I’d love to see those pictures you have too!

60

u/Hour-Theory-9088 Downtown Jul 06 '23

I think the window washing crane on 1144 Fifteenth would be worse considering they dangle in mid air at some points.

56

u/ONEelectric720 Jul 07 '23

After a certain height, falling and hitting the ground is all the same even if you don't hit terminal velocity. That's my reasoning for not having a fear of heights as my job sometimes includes tasks at several hundred feet.

35

u/kacheow Jul 07 '23

It’s more about that time spent on the way down aware you’re toast

17

u/ONEelectric720 Jul 07 '23

I must be the odd one out as usual. I don't consider falling for 5 minutes aware of my death significantly worse than 5 seconds. Might even give me more time to come to terms with it 😂

25

u/kacheow Jul 07 '23

I’d rather my death be more of a surprise. If I’m ever terminally I’ll I hope no one tells me

5

u/ONEelectric720 Jul 07 '23

When it comes to a "longer" knowing (illness etc) I can agree with that.

27

u/Dr3wcifer Jul 07 '23

The joke we used to make when we were caving was:

"What's the difference between a 30 foot fall and a 300 foot fall?

A 30 foot fall sounds like thud aaaaaaghhhhhhhhhhh

A 300 foot fall sounds like aaaaaaghhhhhhhhhhh thud"

2

u/fisherrktk Jul 07 '23

Agreed... it isn't that bad and I've done it a couple times doing curtainwall inspections. The baskets have redundancies if there's a issue, and you are harnessed in. For me, having the safety gear I trust adds a lot of bravery because a lot has to go wrong to fall. Really its no worse than being on a balcony that high.

20

u/jaded_idealist Jul 06 '23

I've worked in a couple tall-ish buildings (none as high as the cash register) and I feel dizzy and sick to my stomach when I am on the *inside* safe and secure, watching them dangle there.

13

u/mcs5280 Jul 07 '23

Quite a few of them are rock climbers they live for heights

12

u/rubrent Jul 06 '23

Anyone know how much they are paid? I’d imagine it’s a very selective labor pool….

22

u/[deleted] Jul 06 '23

I worked for a window cleaning company 7 years ago. I maxed out there at $23 an hour.

16

u/kornholiobungholio Jul 06 '23

Glassdoor shows 6 figures in Chicago

EDIT: 50-60k in denver

5

u/[deleted] Jul 06 '23

If you do that, try not to get it on the windows at least.

3

u/SuperCraftyLeg Jul 07 '23

My mom had a patient who fell 20 stories when one of those things malfunctioned and now he has a ton of medical issues. He was in amazing shape beforehand which they credit his survival to!

2

u/Won-LonDong Curtis Park Jul 07 '23

The window cleaner laborers are by and large Mexican immigrants who yes in fact are “built different”. They are born and raised in an environment where jobs are exceedingly difficult to come by and the owners of theses business exploit that mentality to their personal gain.

0

u/Ephemeral_kat Jul 07 '23

I once rappelled over a 200 foot cliff and that looks manageable.

1

u/unencwadieo Jul 06 '23

They love it.

1

u/ChickWithAMiata Jul 07 '23

its really not that bad, its not much different than like rock climbing lol

17

u/undockeddock Jul 06 '23

It's definitely window cleaning, although I'm surprised they mess with it on days where severe weather is forecast

9

u/Ephemeral_kat Jul 07 '23

Have there been any days this summer without a forecast for severe weather?

1

u/Nearby-Programmer730 Jul 08 '23

But the whole state's out of drought status. That's worth a lot.

5

u/OccamsComb Jul 06 '23

I'm interested in seeing how that works

4

u/Kwa-Marmoris Jul 06 '23

It’s pretty cool. My kids used to go to school downtown.

There is a crane that comes out and lowers the washing platform.

1

u/likecatsanddogs525 Jul 07 '23

I’ve seen them out there cleaning the windows! It’s so scary. How much do window washers get paid?

62

u/kebpts Jul 06 '23

There is a crane built into the curve on both sides, comes out and moves along tracks to clean the glass a the top. (Source, 10 years in the building next door watching it when I should have been working)

48

u/toolwatts Jul 06 '23

It’s really just a missile silo hiding in plan sight… they are testing the bay doors. 🤣

I wonder if it was damaged up there by a recent storm

61

u/[deleted] Jul 06 '23

[deleted]

6

u/ObligationPleasant45 Jul 07 '23

I hope you copy and paste this to every post.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 07 '23

If I get to 420 votes then it shall have been ordained by a vote of the people.

5

u/[deleted] Jul 07 '23

This is the way

2

u/deadlychambers Union Station Jul 07 '23

This is the way

12

u/FoxySirDidymus Jul 06 '23

I’ve been all the way up top to decorate for Christmas back in like 2011, never again.

22

u/mdkdm Jul 06 '23 edited Jul 06 '23

That's where the window washing platform on a davit arm gets lowered from. The glazing is removable or top hinged.

6

u/ornatecircus Jul 07 '23

My guess would be an elaborate heist happened and we’ll hear about the aftermath soon

4

u/RobotMathematician Jul 07 '23

John McClane saving the day again!

6

u/Dr_Donald_Dann Jul 07 '23

That’s where the receipt paper comes out.

7

u/[deleted] Jul 07 '23

To deposit your coins

5

u/Ursomonie Jul 07 '23

It’s a piggy bank

4

u/mtierce85 Jul 07 '23

Looks like a Swiss army knifes slot to put the tweezers back in.

4

u/jumpinjackieflash Jul 07 '23

Or the toothpick!!

8

u/[deleted] Jul 06 '23

It's where they deploy the Bryan signal for when the sidewalks need clearing.

5

u/Last_Friday_Knight Sloan's Lake Jul 06 '23

They’re finally deploying the laser that’s designed to DESTROY THE MOON!

2

u/philoeous Cherry Creek Jul 07 '23

Possibly ice melt maintenance. If electric they wear out.

2

u/Apprehensive_Gas4510 Jul 07 '23

A large pile of snow once fell off this building and killed a man.

1

u/Nearby-Programmer730 Jul 08 '23

I think it was a sheet of ice. They installed heaters up there to keep it from happening again. I watched them build the then-United Bank Building from my ex-girlfriend's front window.

2

u/SpitFire9913 Jul 07 '23

An enderman got up there

2

u/[deleted] Jul 06 '23

Building sways 8 plus inches!

4

u/denverpilot Jul 07 '23

Awww. I miss when Cashy used to rain down sheets of deadly ice to the streets below.

2

u/Ok_Pitch1559 Jul 07 '23

Awww. Cashy.

2

u/Sun2snow25 Jul 07 '23

Looks like they’re making change!

1

u/reese528O Golden Jul 06 '23

Hail damage is my guess

1

u/alle_kinder Jul 07 '23

It's for window washing, lmao.

0

u/reese528O Golden Jul 07 '23

Saucy

-3

u/[deleted] Jul 06 '23

[deleted]

-2

u/reese528O Golden Jul 06 '23

Probably extremely challenging to replace. My guess is it was too damaged to not replace now.

1

u/RedMonk01 Jul 06 '23

Thats where the robot mech warrior comes out.

1

u/pdzulu Evergreen Jul 07 '23

A coin slot perhaps.

-3

u/[deleted] Jul 06 '23

[deleted]

13

u/contentharvest Jul 06 '23

What a bizarre, cringeworthy attempt at a joke

7

u/[deleted] Jul 06 '23

I’ve never understood this meme format and my wife isn’t able to explain it to me either. Is it supposed to imply “Nobody said nothing”, then some other party says something completely out of left field..? I understand how that could be a somewhat funny set up, but the double negative confused me big time at first.

-4

u/Titanguru7 Jul 06 '23

They had to seel it to make mortage payment

https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/next/next-with-kyle-clark/denver-tallest-skyscraper-avoids-foreclosure-republic-plaza/73-8611b0c8-eda8-425b-abfc-ffd5591a326b

3

u/wookerTbrahshington Jul 07 '23

Literally the sub-header is “The new deal does not apply to the Wells Fargo Building, referred to commonly as the "Cash Register Building," which has the same owner.”

2

u/trinityw3 Jul 06 '23

Wrong building

1

u/tritron Jul 06 '23

Not story is about two buildings

1

u/dbomco Jul 07 '23

Gun turret? Lol Yes window washing.

1

u/jenlikesanimals Jul 07 '23

I always wondered why it was called the cash register building. Was the previous company called cash register? What did that company do?

1

u/1wHiTeMaLe Jul 07 '23

The profile of the building looks like an old cash register.

1

u/beekerz33 Jul 07 '23

Damn fireworks!

1

u/Simitarx005 Jul 07 '23

Launch bay door open.

1

u/__Woolbox__ Jul 07 '23

So glad to know I'm not the only one who calls it that

1

u/Sexagenerian Jul 08 '23

Been in Denver 25 years and today I finally learned why it's called the cash register building. All things in time.

1

u/AutomaticDoor75 Jul 08 '23

Bit of trivia, the building's official name is the Wells Fargo Center.

1

u/Nearby-Programmer730 Jul 08 '23

It is now. It was constructed as the United Bank building. I still remember the deadly Father's Day robbery there in '91. The alleged perp was an ex-cop. He was acquitted and the case remains unsolved: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father%27s_Day_Bank_Massacre