Work is wrapping up on the construction site. The stucco is complete, providing a beautiful view of the finished west side of the building as you drive down Drake Street. At long last, we can see what we’ve been working towards for so long.
The construction fencing was removed on July 5. One of the next steps is to repair the lower parking lot and create concrete paths leading from the lot to the building. The fence was removed to make room for machinery. This is still an active construction site. The contractor will put out cones and caution tape.
Please respect these minimal barriers. There will be heavy equipment doing grading along Drake Street, and there is still a large hole where our detention pond/rain garden will be. Please make sure your children understand the dangers and know to avoid the area. Construction equipment can be very alluring but also very dangerous. We have made it this far with no accidents, and we’d like to finish up on a happy note.
On the interior, there will be a hold-up while we wait for the air handling unit to arrive. The carpeting and wood for the sanctuary must acclimate in the actual environment for a week before it can be installed. This means completing our new entryway and the sanctuary will have to wait until mid-August.
The Administration wing remodel is almost complete. In the new entryway, we have started painting and repairing the walls and ceiling. The temporary wall has been cut down. At this time, there is a plastic sheet obstructing the view, but soon you will be able to look over it to see the sanctuary. To reiterate, this is still a construction site. The wall will not be completely removed until access is allowed. Until then, please respect the boundary.
The elevator in the Chalice Wing has been installed and is almost functional. The basement is nearing completion. The wiring for the new AV system is being installed. We are doing everything we can while we wait for deliveries.
We can’t obtain a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) until the HVAC is installed, tested, and inspected. Once we get the OK on the sprinkler system from the fire department, we can apply for a Temporary CO (TCO). The inspection will occur soon after the 4th. The TCO allows us to store the new chairs when they arrive and start learning the workings of the new sound system. It does not allow free access to the new sanctuary.
There are many details to be finished up, but everything is going smoothly and quickly. We can start looking forward to our grand opening in September!