Update 01.26.10

The rain on Monday set us back again but with the sun shining today, several work crews were on site. The masons began building the cinderblock walls between the classrooms and around the gymnasium. As the masons moved upwards, the electricians installed conduit in the walls for wiring. The metal stud wall crew continued work on the exterior walls and framing the doors and windows. Work was continued on building the mezzanine storage area floors with metal decking covering the floor joists.

Update 01.21.10 - Part 2

All of the concrete planned for today is in place. The smoothing out process is underway as a light drizzle starts to fall and the skies start to darken considerably. The concrete trucks were slow in arriving today so the process took longer than expected.

Update 01.21.10

The concrete has come... Pray that the rain will hold off today until late in the day. As I write this, the gym floor has been poured and they are starting on the classrooms. A large pumper truck sends a big arm over the tops of the walls and puts the concrete anywhere in the building from one location. It's fun to watch...

Update 01.20.10

Pray for dry weather! Preparation for pouring the concrete floor slab is going on today with the hope of starting the concrete early tomorrow morning. The stone that goes under the slab was put in last week and the plastic vapor barrier and metal wire reinforcing is being installed this morning. Regardless of the wet weather, the work on the metal stud walls continues and the steel bar joists that frame the floors for the mezzanine areas are being installed. The ceiling bar joists that are the framing for the gymnasium area roof were delivered yesterday and will be installed once the floor slab has been poured. A lot of underground work continues down by the new and existing mechanical rooms as the contractors prepare that area to install the new cooler tower.

Update 01.12.10

Our contractor walked by my window and tapped on it. He likes to do that when he needs me to look at something. This time I looked up and he was holding two thumbs up. The structural steel frame is basically finished - the crane is leaving. That's not the only exciting news. Metal stud walls are starting to go up as well. They started this morning just outside the back door and will be building the wall that faces the modular buildings this week. The building pad has finally dried out enough and the stone that goes under the floor slab will start going in tomorrow. The first part of the concrete slab will be poured this Friday if all goes according to plan. The roof joists are scheduled to be delivered next Tuesday and those should start going up later next week. Much to give thanks for!

Update 01.06.10

Can you say 'braced bay'? As the steel continues to go up, braced bays (inverted 'V's) are some of the prominent features of the steel design that stand out in the landscape of the back yard at PCC. These bays are structural features that keep the structure from twisting around under stress. Clear but cold weather persists so I sit in my office looking out at the workers and give thanks for a heated office. Did I say clear weather? The weather looks good for the next 10 days or so which should enable us to get the concrete slab in sometime soon. A lot of work is going on regarding the heating & cooling system for the new building. I spent Monday morning cleaning out our existing mechanical room so that they could start work in there. Now two huge pumps and some other bits are occupying the floor space and a new boiler is on the way. The new cooling tower has been delivered and sits at one end of the building waiting until we can get a concrete slab poured for it to sit on next to the existing cooling tower.