Engineered beam

[pinkertonpv]

I am replacing a load bearing wall with a laminated engineered beam. I must add a foundation footer and cement block column to support the post that will support the beam. I plan to dig the footer 2 ft sq 2 ft deep and place quickrete up to the ground level. Then build a 16 in sq column from cement block approx 16 in high to just below the level of the existing wood girder holding the floor joists. The wooden post(3 2x4's nailed together) for the Beam will come down thru the floor(hidden in an enclosed wall) and sit on top of the cement block column. I plan to place a wooden 2x cap over the top of the column and attach the post. The force transferring thru the beam down the post to the column is approximately 5000+ lbs. Is a 2x cap sufficient for this force or should I use plate steel also. My concern is that the point of the post will crush the wooden cap. Do the holes in the cement block need to be filled with quickrete? If I center the column and post, is this sufficient?

I live in north Alabama. The house is 2 story. The wall being replaced is an inside loadbearing wall between the kitchen and dining room.

One other option is to center the post in the wall over the existing wood girder supporting the floor joists. I will still have to build the footer and column under the girder. Will the 5000+ force crush the girder at the point where the post and girder meet? Should I use a 2x Cap at this point? Use plate steel?

[pushkins]

It's always better to sit a load post directly on a footer.
Your idea of a 2'x2'x2' deep concrete foundation is ideal. Once you have set your cinder blocks on this footer make sure you lay a solid cap on top of these blocks (mortared in) this cap is a load distribution point as well as termite stopper. On this solid cap you need to lay a 2x piece of treated lumber then your posts can come down to sit on this, your posts should have a piece of 2x4" laying horizontal under the three posts. There can be no direct contact between the 2x4 posts and the cinder blocks.
If you can do this all under the existing girder then that would be the ideal solution, but not paramount if you build a separate footer.