by KYW's Lynne Adkins

A huge pile of sand has been dumped in Franklin Square, in the Old City section of Philadelphia. And in a little over a week it will be transformed into a Philadelphia-themed sculpture.

Men and women in shorts and bare feet used large machines to pound the sand into a dense block. Greg Glenn, co-owner of Sandscapes, says it all starts with 150 tons of sand, and 11 days from now it becomes an 18-foot-tall masterpiece:

"The centerpiece, the top piece, is going to be Independence Hall. We work our way down from there. There's going to be a piece for the Natural History Museum (and) the Franklin Institute. The Phillies are going to be represented. If you want to know what else, you're just gonna have to make the trip."

Glenn says he's learned not to get too attached to his creations because, even with a protective coating, it's only sand and won't last forever.

You'll be able to see it through the end of September in Franklin Square, 6th and Race Streets, adjacent to the approach for the Ben Franklin Bridge.

(Photo by KYW's Ed Fischer)