Update 05.26.10

Sorry for the late update. I'm having trouble finding time to sit down and write with all of the activity going on...and I'm told that June is going to be worse (but exciting!). Lots going on inside of the building. We're still waiting on the additional building permit to get started on the extended lobby so the contractor decided to go ahead and put up some temporary walls so that they can get the drywall finished in the rest of the building. It's amazing how fast the drywall is going up. With the building exterior getting sealed up, a lot of the electrical work is coming along as well. They start breaking through the wall to connect the new with the old building this weekend and after Memorial Day, we'll see a lot more changes inside the existing building as they take out the attic stair and widen the hallway going into the new building.

Update 05.11.10

More great progress to report on. The exterior siding is all now in place and the roof is close. The footings for the lobby extension were dug yesterday and the concrete was poured today. Lots of drywall has been installed. Work on the interior of the existing building is well under way in Hall A & C.

Update 05.03.10

More encouraging news on the progress of the new building! The brickwork is basically finished. The metal roof is not far from being finished. The arch over the stage was framed. Vinyl siding is going up quickly. Drywall has been delivered and is supposed to get started tomorrow. Structural drawings for the lobby expansion have been completed so the footings on that part will get started on Wednesday. The sprinkler system is beginning to be installed. The contractor is ready to start some of the modifications to the interior of the existing building that are needed to make the whole building function well - look for some changes coming soon to Halls A & C and a little bit more dust in the building.

Update 04.22.10

We have brick! And a lot more roofing! The masons have been here all week and will probably have the brick 95% complete by the end of the week. The metal roof panels continue to go up as they work on covering the classroom wing. Most of the metal stud framing inside the building is done and the main thing left is the big arch over the stage area. The piece that makes the curve is being put together and they think that they will put that up this weekend. The retention pond area is fairly complete now and it has been seeded for grass. Lots of activity inside as electricians and mechanics continue work on the guts of the building.

Update 04.15.10

Things continue to dry out and progress goes well. The work on the pond area is almost complete. The subcontractor was out today raking up twigs and smoothing out the re-disbursed top soil. Work on the roof panels continues with most of the panels already installed on the gym roof. The vinyl siding has been ordered and is supposed to start going up in a week or so. Still waiting on the mortar for the brick and that will start going up as soon as it arrives. Lots of metal stud work going on in the gym area as workers shape up the tall walls around the gym. Lots of plumbing and mechanical work going on as well.

Update 04.07.10

Sunny and hot so things are really drying out now. The roofers have been at work this week making the metal roof panels. Basically the roof comes in rolls of metal sheets which are then run through a forming machine that makes them into roof panels. Pretty cool contraption. As I write, the panels have all been made now and sit ready to be hoisted up on the roof for installation. I think they are waiting for a crane to arrive in order to do that. The new cooling tower was installed earlier this week - another big piece of equipment. The roof overhangs are getting framed and the exterior of the building is shaping up nicely. Lots of metal studs going up as well as they try to finish all of the interior framing of the walls.

Update 04.01.10

It's sunny and warm :).... and that's the forecast for the next 10 days or so. So things are starting to dry out and move along. Some recent progress includes: construction of two dormers above the classroom wing roof that will help ventilate the attic above the classrooms; ductwork has been started in the classroom area; mechanical units (heat pumps) have been delivered and are being set in the attic and mechanical room areas; the concrete pad for the new cooling tower was poured; and most of the exterior metal stud walls are up and being covered with sheathing. The roofers are scheduled to come on Monday and begin the final part of the roof system - the metal roof panels. By the end of next week we should be fairly close to being dried in. We met with the brick masons yesterday and they are just waiting to get the mortar that matches our existing building and then they will start all of the exterior brick walls.