We are moving ahead with work at The Remnant Trust project in Winona Lake. Demolition is nearly complete and we have begun framing walls. An existing stage, an existing fireplace mock-up and miscellaneous display walls had to be removed. Most of the existing interior was finished in tongue & groove car siding. Let’s just say the original installer believed that if a whole lot of nails were good, even more would be better.
The Remnant Trust Building. Picture from Scearce Rudisel Architects Website.
Because of the type of protection for artifacts required here, special effort is being made for security as well as for Fire Protection and HVAC controls. The existing building previously housed the Billy Sunday Museum. The previous use has presented some challenges, but fortunately the original building construction was recent and most of the construction and existing systems are in good shape.
There have been a few changes as we’ve gotten into the project, but as always, the plans prepared by Scearce Rudisel Architects have provided the necessary guidance. Mary Ellen Rudisel Jordan is always a pragmatic Architect and she works well with us. We both maintain the goal of achieving the best possible project for our mutual client.
Tuesday I attended (and passed! perfect score!) an 8 hour class at the St. Joseph County Health Department taught under the auspices of Environmental Management Institute to become an EPA Certified Renovator. Believe it or not, I will be sent a new photo ID attesting to my knowledge in this area. This is a new requirement the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has put into effect for contractors working on renovation and repair projects on Target Housing or A Child Occupied Facilities where lead paint may be present.
Target Housing is a home or residential unit built on or before December 31, 1977, except:
Housing designated for the elderly or persons with disabilities (unless any child who is less than 6 years of age resides or is expected to reside in such housing).
Any zero-bedroom dwelling (e.g. studio apartments, hospitals, hotels, dormitories, etc.).
A Child-Occupied Facilityis a pre-1978 building that meets all three of the criteria below:
Visited regularly by the same child, under 6 years of age.
The visits are on at least two different days within any week (Sunday through Saturday period), provided that each day’s visit lasts at least 3 hours.
Combined weekly visits last at least 6 hours, and the combined annual visits last at least 60 hours.
Child-occupied facilities may be located in a public or commercial building or in target housing. These facilities include schools, child care facilities, and daycare centers.
I now know more about lead poisoning and lead paint than I want to know! It’s going to take some time to figure out how or if we want to participate in this market and how that decision will affect our business. In any case I have taken the first step for Easterday Construction Co., Inc. to participate in these projects safely and legally. The next step to consider is applying to be a Certified Firm.
The regulation is currently in flux. During the class we discussed several things that had already changed since the regulation initially went into effect on April 22, 2010. If you want to read the latest on this regulation as well as learn how to protect yourself and your family, visit the lead section of the EPA website here.
LaPaz Garden Court Site Under Snow and Concrete Blankets January 31, 2010
We struggled with this project through the winter when just a couple of more good weeks would have kept us going. Then with the wet weather this Spring, our progress on the site was further impeded. The site soils have a lot of clay, so when it gets wet, it stays wet, it’s not workable and doesn’t want to dry out. Despite covering the site with concrete blankets, the underlying ground became saturated and frozen.
Utilities have been an issue too as both the Town of LaPaz and AEP have vacillated on what they wanted regarding the sewer and electric service respectively. The sewer situation has been settled and is in the ground. We believe that the Town of LaPaz made good decisions for both themselves and LaPaz Garden Court. The revised solution provides gravity service to the site and also provides capacity for future expansion in the area. The electric service has basically gone back to the original design after exploring multiple scenarios. We think this just clarified the best route in both cases.
LaPaz Garden Court - View of the Northeast Corner
We’ve made some great strides forward this Spring and early Summer though! We are gaining on our schedule and the project is really coming together. Siding installation has just been completed bringing exterior finishes on the building to about 95% complete. Site work is proceeding. The detention ponds are roughed in and nearly complete. The walks and curbs are in place and the driveways should be started any day.
Inside, all infrastructure rough-in is complete and drywall is complete. Painting and other finishes will be starting within the week. Things are coming together nicely!
Unfortunately we had a break-in , but for whatever reason, the resulting damages and missing materials were minimal. We have secured the building further against similar assaults and have been assured of additional patrols by the State Police. We don’t anticipate this being a problem again as the building is secure and well patrolled.
This is our 7th Garden Court facility (See others here) and we continue to enjoy our relationship with the Garden Court team of B.A. Martin Architect, P.C., Hughes & Associates, Real Estate Management Corp. and Dr. Ronald Liechty representing the Garden Court, Inc. organization. We continue to look forward to Culver Garden Court starting later this year.
Culver Educational Foundation Boy Scout Headquarters under construction at the Culver Academies Woodcraft Camp
This year is the 100 year anniversary of Scouting in America and as a tribute Culver Educational Foundation has contracted Easterday Construction Co., Inc. to build a new Boy Scout Headquarters in the Woodcraft Camp at Culver Academies. The structure is a scaled down version of a woodcraft camp cabin. It is a modified post and beam construction built nearly entirely out of cedar. The original cabins were designed to sit on piers so that they could be moved if necessary. There are historical pictures of the original cabin being moved from one location to another on campus.
Culver Academies Woodcraft Camp Craft Pavilion under construction in 2008
Easterday Construction has been responsible for the construction of many projects at Culver Academies over the years and family legend has it that our founder, my great grandfather, Russell L. Easterday, began his construction career with James I. Barnes Construction on a project for the Culver Academies back in the 1920’s.
CEF Woodcraft Camp Counselor's Cabin near completion of construction in 2008
In recent years at the Culver Academies Woodcraft Camp we built the new Boys’ Showers, renovated both the old girls’ showers and the old boys’ showers, built the new Craft Pavilion and a new Counselor’s Cabin. All of these have had coordination issues due to accelerated time schedules, environmental preservation regarding site requirements, aesthetics necessary to fit the existing facilities and sensitivity to the safety, security and needs of the young children the camp serves.
On this project as well as the Counselor’s Cabin and Craft Pavilion pictured, we were assisted by Scearce Rudisel Architects with design issues and obtaining the State Plan Releases. Mary Ellen Rudisel Jordan and her staff have been helpful and responsive on these projects and the fact that she has a former Woodcraft Campera Chipmunk from the last graduating class of Woodcraft Chipmunks on her staff hasn’t hurt!
