The renovation project has continued to make progress, and the building will be move-in ready by the end of November. There’s only one major item awaiting completion, as Heather Hill, our Property Chair extraordinaire reports: With the addition of the elevator, NES is requiring an upgrade to our current service. With this upgrade, the transformer will be replaced at a new location next to the chiller in the West lawn. A design has been received from NES, and our electrical subcontractor is pricing it now. Once pricing is reviewed and approved, the electrical subcontractor will start the work trenching from the current transformer location in the basement, near the mechanical room, to where the new transformer will be installed. At that point, we will have to wait until NES sets the new pole so that the transformer pad can be poured, pathway completed and wire pulled. The current expectation is that the new NES pole will be set sometime in January/February of next year. The elevator cab install is reliant on the upgraded power and cannot begin until the above work is completed. All other work in the areas surrounding the elevator shaft can be completed prior to this. After the work around the elevator shaft is complete, the shaft openings will be protected for public safety. We expect the entire project, including landscaping, to be completed in the first quarter of 2021.
Update: March 5, 2020
Our architect, Cyril Stewart, has sent a big roll of drawings to our contractor, Batten & Shaw, for bidding and an application for the permit. The drawings include details on landscaping, engineering work including structural, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical engineering, as well as interior design and finishes. Several subcontractors have already walked through the building to prepare submitting their bids.
Electrical engineering plans took a little longer than expected due to concerns about the location of our transformer that powers the entire facility. Thankfully, the transformer will not have to be moved.
Thorough testing revealed multiple areas with asbestos in tiles, adhesives, insulation, and finishes, and we are making plans to complete the necessary abatement work.
In a few weeks, we expect to have solid cost estimates for all parts of the project. In the meantime, our leadership has begun conversations about fundraising options we may include, both as a means to help offset the overall cost AND as a way to celebrate our bicentennial year and the memory of loved ones (like trees, personalized pavers, and artwork.)
Update: January 23, 2020
Building update
Our architect, Cyril Stewart, and our contractor who is providing pre-construction services have been busy: they are completing plans for permitting and they are finalizing cost estimates for various parts of our renovation project. These estimates will allow the Administrative Council to review and discuss the total renovation budget, in order to determine the scope of work to be done. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could accomplish all items on our list (elevator, South entrance, HVAC upgrades, bathrooms, kitchen, floor and lighting upgrades, chapel, sanctuary balcony, and landscaping) without major tweaking? We are on track to begin construction at the beginning of May, assuming that all necessary Metro permits and approvals will have been issued by that time.
Some research is necessary to complete plans for the elevator. According to the blueprints of the 1958 building, the foundations are strong enough to support an elevator inside the building. We want to be certain that the foundations have indeed been built according to specs, and so we authorized the contractor to dig through the floor of the pantry to take the necessary measurements. This work will happen next week.
Testing for asbestos throughout the building has been completed, and we are expecting results within a week or two. We need to complete any abatement work before construction begins.
Landscaping plans have been sent to several contractors. In addition to proposals for hardscaping and planting, we will also get pricing for maintenance agreements (cutting grass, trimming shrubs, maintaining beds and trees). We are confident that landscaping work will begin before spring.
