2008 In Brick And Mortar

This will not be a review of the year but more of a culmination of the year's efforts in brick and mortar. Steel, dry wall, HVAC units, concrete, etc., etc., etc., could also be added. Since the last posting much has happened, of course. The sidewalk in front of the guest team's door of the annex has been laid;the drywall in the annex has been completed, and a ladder to the roof can be seen in a cupboard; in the theater the two spiral staircases leading to the catwalks have been placed and explored (one gives the only access to the sound room); the ceiling has been further filled with more pipes, some large and some small (note the bases of the large--probable indication of the level of the lower ceiling), the small ones, at least some of them, have sprinkler heads on them. On this last day of the year the crane appeared again, placing on the theater roof what this blogger thinks are the "boxes" for the gutters that still need to be put in place. And so ends another year on Hilton Drive with the dreams of many years a little closer. There is much for which to thank the good God!

Flight Lessons

We're standing in the theater facing the stage and see that the top over the stage (name?) has been drywalled. Let's go up onto the stage and view the other side. We see lots of framework and pipes (they think of everything!). Now let's fly up to the gym roof and take a look at what is happening on the annex roof. Up goes the "fence" around the HVAC unit. Looks pretty nice. Let's fly down and see what's going on at ground zero. What is that man doing? Well, the plastic tubing he's inserting holds caulking. This allows for expansion and contraction of the bricks as the weather changes (yes, they do think of everything). That piece of information is courtesy of the site manager, Mr. Steven McVey. Another piece of information: in case you've ever wondered what a stand pipe is, and surely you have, it's the pipe carrying water from the underground water supply to the fire suppression system inside the building. A flow indicator registers if water is released from a sprinkler. This in turn tells the fire alarm panel to call the fire dept.. Now, doesn't that make you feel safer? Be sure to read the posting below. It's new too.

Outside, Through, Inside

Imagine that you come out the student entrance, then walk through the annex, then over to the theater (be careful, it's muddy). Coming out the student entrance, you see the tarp over the future sidewalk extension that will come along side the annex. Moving through the annex, you see that the drywall is going up (hurrah!). Coming out on the other side and proceeding to the next stop (stay on the gravel), you pass through the lobby of the theater, and come into the theater proper. Go over to the other side and look toward the stage, and lo! a spiral staircase. Turn around 180 degrees, and lo! a spiral staircase. They've been installed now and lead to the catwalk network. Step through the doorway you are near and proceed down the hallway away from the stage to the back steps. Go down the steps, and lo! the outside doors have been hung. If the cafeteria door has been propped open, you're in luck. Otherwise you will have to retrace your steps ... and avoid the mud. All in a day's tour.

What Have We Here?

Ta da! The new kids on the site are the HVAC units for the two of the new roofs. The flat bed that has brought the two units is a big one and sits in the yard of the theater next to the crane. After the straps attached to the lead line from the crane jib are in turn attached to the base of the units (there are holes for this on the units), the units are ready to be lifted. See the posting below to follow the progress. Things are happening very visibly now.

Mission Accomplished

Now that the stage is set for taking the HVAC unit aloft, we can follow its progress in photos (if they end up in reasonable order). This first unit is going to the Heritage Hall roof and will serve the gym and annex. The men are waiting there as it arrives. The next unit to go up is the one for the lobby and theater, and will rest on the roof of the former. As it arrives, the men are there to pull it into place with the ropes that have been attached, and of course, the signal man is at the edge of the parapet to give hand signals to the crane operator. The men at the ropes are having a hard time because the roof surface is covered with a thin layer of ice, and so they are doing quite a bit of sliding around. Last minute checks can finally be made by a brave man willing to get below the unit and look up into it. When all is ready, the huge unit will be laid to rest on the framework visible below it. Mission accomplished, but it will take awhile yet.

The Cold Notwithstanding

Most of the pictures of late have been taken without men working. Today they return to our site (and our sight) as blogger moves in with hard hat on and the gracious guidance of the site manager. Inside the theater the men have put up dry wall between the theater proper and the passageway you read about in the last blog. At either end will be a spiral stair case that will lead to the cat walks. (Maybe when they are completed, blogger will muster enough courage, mount the steps and take photos from that vantage point, but don't hold her to it.) On the back wall above the elevated seating area, the metal wall frames have the various window frames for the control booth that will be behind them. The space there is about six feet to the lobby wall, so it will be a compact area. On the outside of the theater at the corner of the prop room, is one of the pipe connections for a downspout for roof drainage. You can see how the pipe goes into the ground thereunder connected to the storm drain.

Over at the annex, men work inside and on top. Note their apparel: it is very cold outside and in. On the roof, the men give final preparation to the bases of the HVAC units--the units will be placed next week--and begin the second set of layers of roofing. Under this scene and on the inside, men finish up all sorts of tasks before the drywall is put in place in the many walls. Currently, one can literally walk through the walls of the exercise room, the locker rooms, the referees' rooms, the first-aid room, and the hallways. Just below the ceiling are the many different kinds of pipes, reminiscent of the myriad kinds under ground. One can be sure that the former are more easily installed than the latter.

The men will welcome the weekend and richly deserve it, we trust. The site will stand, cold and less empty than one week ago. And so it goes on.

Moving Right Along

In the last blog, you saw the first of the metal wall framing that will result in a passageway from the back of the theater to the stage. Here you see that framing extended, getting closer to the stage. Since this passage way will be a flat, level path, it will be higher than the floor of the theater which will be sloped to accommodate the front seats. The orchestra pit will drop lower still. This digging out will happen this week, with the cementing of that slope taking place next week, if all goes as planned. When that is accomplished, the large opening to the yard will be blocked and bricked up, i.e. it will disappear. You get an inside look at this large opening, as well as a look at the back wall above the elevated seating area in another photo above. All the metal wall framing is completed on that back wall now.

Outside the theater, the dock has been cemented. Inside the gym annex, the metal wall frames are up in abundance, defining the spaces for rooms and passageways. It's getting exciting in there! The outside presents its own excitement as well, as men have planted a tree in each island on the parking lot. As there is now life outside, there soon will be a great deal of chattering, responding, sweating, dramatic life inside. That's what it's all about!

In, Out, Up, Down

Lots happening on all fronts despite the weather. Starting at the front of the theater, the men are finishing up a narrow ditch that will carry rain water from the roof to the detention pond nearby. On top of the theater lobby just above the ditch, men are laying the insulation blocks and membrane on that roof. The photo was taken from Heritage Hall roof pretty much on the same level and right up against the new roof. Looking down on the gym annex roof, we can see the frames for the HVAC (heating, ventilating, air-conditioning) units that will arrive up there in a few weeks. This raising will require the return of the crane.

Back inside the theater, the men have placed some of the wall framing that will run from the back of the theater to the stage. The passageway thus produced will allow actors and crew to move back and forth without the audience being distracted. On the outside of the theater near the southwest corner of the building, can now be seen the sign stating what the building is. Not as big as the Hemmer and Sturm signs, but finally it's there. Eventually it will be replaced by a more fitting identification for the school so it can be easily read from the expressway. That will be a halleluia moment, one of many to come!

Up On The Housetop, Out In The Front

What has happened up on the housetop? Very much. Have you ever wondered how many layers are on the roof of a large building? Just what is up above the ceiling panels you see? Well, lots of layers of stuff. As you know (if you've been following the blogs), the first thing put on the theater after the trusses are put in place, are the acoustical decking pieces. Recall that these are corrugated and perforated. What make the decking acoustical are the strips of yellow inserts you see being laid in the grooves of the decking--these absorb the sound that will penetrate the ceiling of the theater. Other acoustical material will be hung inside the theater, but that takes us ahead of our story. After the yellow strips are laid, panels of gypsum sheathing--brown boards--are placed, also sound absorbing (lots of sound coming from inside!), then styrofoam insulation panels are placed, and finally the membrane that covers all. Whew! Let's hope it all stays up. Just kidding! Since the men walked around on the corrugated, perforated decking before these other layers were added, prospects are good.

On the front of the theater lobby which will be mostly glass, you can see the framework that will hold the facing above the glassed area. On the roof of the annex, finished now, you can see the framework for the "fence" that will hide the air conditioning unit for the gym and the annex. You can observe the same kind of hiding device on the roof of CCH and many other buildings. Most operations will be moving inside soon, and the way the workmen are bundled up, it looks like that can't come soon enough.

Cat Walks and Hands Dance

The inside of the theater is just that, the inside, out of sight to the casual observer, but the scene of labor nonetheless. The catwalks are visible in the photo, but will be in the dark when “the play’’s the thing.” More drama is obvious on the outside as the gym annex gets its metal. Truss rising, signals given from the ground and from the rooftop, beam placed--all in one act. Notice that in two photos a man giving hand signals to the crane operator. (Those who don't speak the language need not apply.) Applause for the workmen, the engineers, the site manager and for God, the Maker and Gifter of them all.

Another Week Down (Actually Up!)

Much has been accomplished in the past week as walls are dressed in brick and the whole of the construction takes on a more definitive appearance. The large opening in the front wall of the theater will remain until the floor work on the inside is completed. One sign of work moving indoors appears in the form of the bundles of yellow insulation. Hopeful sign!

The field has received more definition with the addition of a large sign that all can see as they come down Hilton Dr. and turn the corner to cross the parking lot. Our maintenance has lined the soccer-field-to-be so that it looks more like its future self for Open House this Sunday. Future Pandas are coming, and we want them to catch a glimpse of what they can expect. Nothing like whetting the appetite!