Tile floor installation started in Readlyn

Another sign of progress in Readlyn is the tile floor that is going down in the restrooms. While work continues on the interior block walls of the main restroom, the smaller single restrooms in the building have had some tile laid on the floors. This restroom is located in the main office. In Readlyn, the exterior brick is 100% complete, and roofing is nearly finished as well. Many of the windows have been installed, and about 95% of the steel stud framing is complete. Now that the steel stud framing is nearing completion, the drywall is going up as well. About 70% of the drywall has been hung, and tapers are working to finish that part of the project. At the last job conference, an interesting distinction was made by the project manager from Larson Construction: he reminded all sub-contractors that we are beginning to shift from rough carpentry work to finish carpentry work, and he stressed that subs needed to keep that in mind as they worked in the buildings. I think that is an interesting distinction, and as we see more and more progress, it's a great sign that we're starting to see some "finishes" in the buildings.

Classrooms taking shape in Fairbank

The image that you see to the left is a picture of the interior of the Fairbank Elementary building. As you can see, workers continue to frame classrooms with steel studs. This work is about 50% complete as of this past Thursday, February 11, 2010. This picture was taken from the corridor. To the right is a classroom doorway; the split panels that you see in the middle of the frame will be covered with glass. The doorway to a neighboring classroom is immediately to the left of the doorway that you see. As you look into the classroom, you can see the progress on the walls, as well as the windows that have been installed. Many of the windows in the Fairbank building have been installed, and the roof is about 95% complete. All those changes make it much easier to control the climate inside the building for workers as they continue to make progress. I was in the Fairbank building last Thursday toward mid-day and it was as busy as I've seen it at that site. People were working to prepare floors to be poured (about 75% of that work is finished), framing classrooms, and masons were continuing work on interior block walls. Electricians are also working to install electrical boxes and run conduit as well. On the outside of the building, progress is being made on the exterior brick. Much of the east side of the building has been covered in brick, and the bricklayers have now worked their way around the to the west side of the building. Even in a matter of a few days, it is truly amazing to see all of the progress that is being made on the building. Remember, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to call me at school (319-638-6711), at home (319-279-3428), or on my cell (563-880-3920).

Sheetrock Installation Begins in Readlyn

With classrooms being framed up in Readlyn, drywall hangers have started their work inside the building. As the classrooms are framed up, the rooms are really beginning to take shape as sheet rock covers the walls. With a completed roof and many windows installed, the interior of the building is tightening up and taking shape. The area of the building shown in the picture is part of the office area. In this area, in both buildings, there will be a main office desk, along with a nurses' office and restroom, principal's office, time out room, guidance office, and conference room. Much of the concrete slab on grade has been poured, but a section in the northeast corner of the building remains. Look for cement trucks making deliveries, weather permiting, in the next couple weeks to finish that stage of the project.

Windows to the World

As you can see from the attached photo, windows are being installed at the Fairbank building. I mentioned in an earlier post that the exterior brick would be continued later this spring, but you'll notice as you drive by that the building has some enclosures on the south end. At this point, the masons plan to continue with the external brick around the building, so you'll start seeing more progress on the exterior of the building once again. The roof structure--steel joists and decking--in Fairbank is nearly complete. The next step will be to cover the steel decking with two sheets of insulation and a rubber membrane. You should start seeing roofers working on that part of the project as well. Inside the building, there is continued progress being made to frame the classrooms with steel studs; as that work progresses, I'll show some pictures of the classrooms, offices, and workrooms taking shape.

An enclosed building in Fairbank

The picture that I've attached is a picture of the interior of Fairbank Elementary. As I've mentioned in previous posts, the studs that are being installed in both buildings are steel, and as they go up, you can get a really good idea of how the rooms and office areas are laid out. That process is beginning in Fairbank now that the building is nearly entirely enclosed. Windows will go in to the building as well yet this winter to replace the plastic that you see in this picture. Exterior brick will be completed later this spring so the progress that we'll see in the Fairbank building will be on the inside for the next few months. Work continues on the inside of the building with the running of conduit, ventilation, and steel studs. The committee that was asked to participate in the selection of interior colors met in December and made some choices this past month with the help of Jill Becker, Interior Designer for Struxture Architecture. The committee, again, was made up of people from the schools' staff and members of the community. We looked at everything from the color of lockers and countertops to terazzo, carpet, restroom partitions, and floor tile, not to mention the colors of paint for various walls within the building. All of these interiors are part of the general contractor's bid; the group worked with Jill to choose colors and materials that fit within that bid.

It has been a while since I've been back...

As you can see from the span between posts, it has been a while since I've been back to update the blog. Fortunately, the contractors working on the school have been more active than I have. In the attached picture from Readlyn, the work continues on the exterior brick of the building. You'll still see a section of the exterior enclosed in plastic; while that was work on an exterior wall a month ago, that is now work on the exterior brick of the building. The goal is to complete the exterior of the brick in Readlyn yet this winter through the use of the enclosures. You'll also see the windows have gone in as well. Many of the windows have been installed. The view of the building you're seeing is the north side of the building, looking to the east.

Steel joists and metal go on the roof at Fairbank

The job site at Fairbank was a whirlwind of activity this past Monday as work continued on the exterior structure of the building. Masons enclosed portions of the exterior of the building, and workers continued their work on the roof assembly. As you can see in the picture, a large crane sets the steel joists, those joists are welded into the structure of block bearing walls, and then covered with sheet metal. The work to enclose the building was a race against Mother Nature. As the weather changes, you'll continue to see changes with the building to accomodate progress. As I mentioned in the other post, if you have questions regarding the project, don't hesitate to call me at home (319-279-3428), at school (319-638-6711), or on my cell phone (563-880-3920). You're also always welcome to stop out at school for a visit or send an e-mail to cgarber@wapsievalleyschools.org.

Windows, electrical conduit, and continued block work in Readlyn

This week, we've seen a few changes at the Readlyn site, some of which are the result of progress at the site, and others which are the result of the changing weather in our state. As you can see by the attached pictures, conduit is being run for electrical outlets inside the building. You can also see the steel studs that are being installed. Another change at the job site can be seen on the northeast end of the building. As you drive by the site, you'll see sheets of plastic draped over scaffolding. Inside that "tent," block layers continue on with the work to finish the exterior walls of the structure. By keeping the work area enclosed, Schuler Masonry is able to heat the space, which keeps the materials like mortar at a temperature that allows them to continue to work. Another big change you'll see at Readlyn is the installation of windows; the past few days, you can see the windows being installed, especially on the south side of the building. As more and more of the building is enclosed, and progress is harder and harder to see, hopefully the blog will give you a picture of what is happening inside the building. Thanks for checking in on the blog. Remember, if you have questions, don't hesistate to give me a call at home (319-279-3428), at school (319-638-6711), or on my cell phone (563-880-3920), by e-mail (cgarber@wapsievalleyschools.org), or by stopping out at school for a visit.

Joists installed in Fairbank

The next step in getting the roof on Fairbank is well underway. If you drive by the site, you may notice a crane setting the steel joists that will support the roof of the building. Many of the joists in the northwest corner have been set, as have the joists in the gymnasium, and today, work is beginning on the south wing of the building. Work continues laying block in Fairbank when the weather allows, as well some work to rough in plumbing and electrical work.

Exterior Wall in Readlyn

Because of the size of the site in Readlyn--we don't have a lot of extra space to work with--the exterior walls of the northeast corner of the building haven't been completed because it has allowed for easier access to the building for other parts of the project. With much of the floor poured, and the roof continuing to go on, the time has come for work to begin on that section of exterior block bearing wall. The foundations have been poured, and now, as you drive by, you'll see the block being laid. It won't be long and the building will be nearly completely enclosed. The steel is on the roof in the gymnasium, and the rubber roofing has been installed on a good portion of the main section of the building. The attached picture shows the newly laid block.

Framing with Steel Studs in Readlyn

As the building becomes more and more enclosed in Readlyn, it gets harder and harder to see the progress that is being made inside the building. Inside, the steel studs that will frame the office and classroom areas are being installed. In the picture attached to this post, you can see the studs that will will later be covered with sheet rock. On the left side of the photo, you can also see a doorway that will soon be framed in with block. Work continues on the roof in Readlyn as well. When you drive by the site, you'll notice huge bundels on the roof; these bundels are sheets of insulation that are placed down over the steel roof, and then covered with a rubber membrane.

Progress on floor and walls continues in Fairbank

In the picture that is part of this post, you can see that work continues on the exterior walls in Fairbank. All told, about 60% of the exterior block bearing walls are complete, and about 75% of the slab on grade (concrete floor) is complete. It won't be long and residents will see a crane arrive in Fairbank to begin setting the joists on the north section of the building. After the roof joists are set, we'll see the steel go on the roof as well. Something that has become more apparent to me over the past couple weeks is the pretty tall task of coordinating a construction site and its operation. Larson Construction is the general contractor and Struxture Architects is the architect, of course. However, there are several sub-contractors also working on the job and it is the responsibility of Larson Construction to coordinate the efforts of all the subs--and their own workers as well. In order to see consistent progress, people need to have space to work, materials to work with, and progress on one part of the job site in order for someone else to begin their work. It truly is an amazing task to coordinate that work and we are happy to have Struxture and Larson working on that part of the project.

Joists installed, roof going on

As we mentioned earlier, the joists are going up in Readlyn, and now, as they work on that part of the building, we'll see the roof going in as well. In each of our buildings, sheets of steel will be placed over the joists, and those sheets of steel will be covered by sheets of insulation. Once the insulation is installed, those two layers will be covered with a thin rubber membrane that will serve as the outer layer of the roof. Many years ago, my dad always questioned the flat roof for ANY building in the Midwest. However, with these buildings, while the roof looks flat, there is a certain amount of pitch in the roof that helps to direct water toward drains that are placed throughout the roof of the building. The attached video shows the sheet steel being installed over the joists.

Interior walls going up in Fairbank

Work continues on both interior and exterior walls in Fairbank. Since we last posted, a good deal more of the floor has been poured, and the exterior brick has been going up on the gymnasium walls. (The gym walls are the area of the building that are exceedingly higher than the rest of the building.) As you may know, the sites have been fairly muddy, and a great question was asked this past week about the depth of the geo-thermal wells that are on the east side of the site. With all the traffic on that part of the site, what is to prevent damage to those wells? In answer to that question, it is important to know that, depending on their position on the site, those wells have been connected to one another between 6-10 feet below the ground. That provides a considerable barrier between the truck traffic and the wells themselves. Thanks to the local resident for asking the question. It's a good one. As you can see from the video, the walls to the corridor are going up in the northwestern portion of the building. Sunny days help construction and field work and I'm sure all of northeast Iowa is happy to see the sun. Keep it coming.

Group begins work with interior designer for schools

On Monday, October 26th, Jill Becker, interior designer from Struxture Architects, met with a group of Wapsie Valley stakeholders to begin discussing the interior of the new elementary schools. The group consisted of four community members, two staff members, two custodians, a board member, and two administrators. At last night's meeting, the group looked at carpet samples that were selected by Ms. Becker. The new buildings will have carpet squares in the classrooms and office areas and terrazzo flooring in the corridors. Carpet squares are very appropriate for new school construction because they are durable, and, in the event of a spill that isn't able to be cleaned up, the single carpet square can be replaced without removing an entire section of the carpet.

The group was able to look at about eight different carpet "collections," or groups of carpets that have similar colors and patterns. After some great discussion, the group chose a collection and Jill will now begin to pull together interior colors for things like paint, cabinetry, and colors for trim. Jill's service as an interior designer and the cost of the interiors are alreadly included in the cost of the project, so samples that we see will all be within the budget of the general contract.

The buildings will be very similar to one another in terms of interior colors, though each building may have distinctive "touches" that make it unique. As superintendent, and from Jill's perspective as a designer, our goal will be to have buildings that are very comparable, yet have a few distinguishing characteristics that fit that particular building.

Steel Roof Joist Installation Begins

In Readlyn, the work has begun to install the steel joists that will support the roof deck. As we mentioned in an earlier post, the joists were delivered to the site, and on Tuesday, October 20, the work began to install them. The joists that will support the roof deck over the gymnasium/cafeteria are nearly completely installed, and, as you can see from the video, the work has begun to install over the office and classroom areas. The video is taken looking west, so you can see the start of the roof, an interior wall and portion of the corridor, and then some additional work on the roof joists.

Floors Poured in Fairbank

We've mentioned over the past few posts that the interior and exterior walls are taking shape in Fairbank. This week, we're seeing the "slab on grade," or the cement floors going in on the northwest "wing" of the school building. As you can see on the video, much of the floor in this part of the building is poured, and you can see that another sizeable portion is prepared to be poured. Eventually, the cement will be covered with a variety of floor coverings, including terazzo in the corridors, and carpet tiles in many of the classrooms.

Interior Block Work Continues in Fairbank

At Fairbank, the work to lay interior and exterior block continues. As you look at the attached photo, (looking south) you can see the workers lay block on the interior corridor, with the growing exterior block walls in the background and foreground. Dry weather is a real benefit as Schuler Masonry continues their work.

Steel Joists Delivered to Readlyn; roof to begin in the next couple weeks

As you can see from the attached pictures, a truck delivered the steel joists that will support the roof deck in Readlyn. The delivery came on Friday, October 9th, and Larson hopes to begin assembling the roof in the next week or so. Teachers and administrators were on hand in the morning to re-route students coming to school or entering the building. The building site in Readlyn is fairly small, so every last inch of space is important. Because of that, you'll see the crane lifting the joists from the truck, carrying them over the exterior wall, and setting them down again inside the building. From a novice's perspective, it was a tricky proposition, but they handled it well.

Doorway to the future...

This past week, a good portion of the floor was poured in Readlyn. This week, with a poured cement floor, as you can see in the attached video, door frames for a few classrooms can be seen propped as part of the interior of the building. As you walk in the "front door" of the building, seeing those door frames really helps the coming corridor take shape.

Even rain can't stop the progress in Fairbank

In the video that I've attached, you can see (as you look northeast and east) that the exterior walls are really jumping up out of the building pad. The shape and size of the building is becoming readily apparent; you can now really see the outline of the building as the exterior walls at the north end of the building are nearly complete and that progress is working its way steadily to the rest of the building. While the recent rains make for muddy footing, the exterior walls continue to progress. If you know any meteorologists personally, ask for a favor: dry weather and continued progress.

Plumbing being "roughed-in" in Fairbank

In the background you can see that the block walls continue to go up, and in the foreground you can see subcontractors from Andy's Plumbing working on the "rough-in" of the plumbing for the building. It is certainly amazing the number of "moving parts" that go into a project like this one. The contractor (Larson's) along with the architect (Struxture) coordinates the efforts of all those people involved. We've got people from Larson Construction, Schuler Masonry, McAllister Electric, and Andy's Plumbing all working at the same site on different aspects of the job. Once the electrical and plumbing are roughed-in, the work can begin on the pouring of the floor. If you'd like to post a comment or ask a question, click on the title of the post and follow the simple instructions to post a comment.

Slab on grade being poured in Readlyn

I stopped by school today and the work had begun to pour the concrete "slab on grade" at Readlyn Elementary School. The work consisted of concrete being brought in, poured into the forms, and then leveled with a laser screed, a small machine that levels the concrete based on a laser that is synchronized with a set point on the wall of the building. Other work was done with large trowels, "motorized wheel barrows", and old fashioned 2x4's. While lasers and wheel barrows may change the construction process, some of the work is done like it was done decades ago. If you'd like to ask a question, or offer a comment on this or any other post, simply "click" on the title of post and follow the short instructions about posting. On the video, you can see that they had poured a little more than 3/4 of the the classrooms on the south side of the building by around 10:30 this morning.

Exterior walls continue to take shape in Fairbank

As you can see, the exterior walls in the northwest corner of the lot continue to take shape. Many people have asked why the building pad is so high. In simplest terms, its best for water to run away from the building rather than toward it, so a school on higher ground makes it easier to grade the surrounding area to slope away from the building. When the building is finished, it will sit just a bit higher than the existing school house. We've asked the contractor, engineer, and architect to review the elevation again; they've done that, and still believe that the building pad is at an appropriate elevation and will look "right" when the grading and building is finished. Stay tuned for more updates on the progress in Fairbank.

Interior footings being poured in Readlyn

As the walls continue to go up in Readlyn, they have also begun work on some of the interior footings. As you look at this video, you can begin to see the outline of school corridor. You'll also see some work being done to "rough in" the mechanical, electrical and plumbing, both in the walls of the building and underground.

Footings and block laying in Fairbank

As the footings continue to show the footprint of the elementary school, block is beginning to be laid at the site as well. In the attached video, you can the first row of block going in on the northwest corner of the building, while footings are being poured on the south end of the building. With the building pad complete, it won't be long and you'll see block walls all the way around the building.

Readlyn Elementary continues with block and brick work

If you have a chance to drive by Readlyn Elementary School, you'll see that Schuler Masonry is making good progress on the block and on the exterior brick of the building. The greatest change you'll see in the project is the south gymnasium wall; those walls are about 30' high and will provide the area for our gymnasium and lunch room. Many block will go up in that part of the building in the next few days. You'll also get a good look at the color of the brick and split faced block that will be used to accent the buildings.

Welcome to the WV Elementary School Construction Page!

In an effort to keep local stakeholders up-to-date on our elementary school construction project, I'm going to try to blog regularly. Check back for updates on what is happening at our school construction site today and what you can expect to see happening in the future. In order to help with my blogging, I'll ask my daughter Maddie to take over some of the reporting and blogging responsibilities. As always, Go Warriors!