Construction archives 3

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Construction reporting, week by week, from September 7, 2010 - April 25, 2011. For earlier reporting, see construction archives and construction archives 2. For later reporting, see construction archives 4.

Week of April 25

An exciting week for the gardeners as the first flowers began blooming in the alley - daffodils and prairie smoke. Work has begun on interior design, such as the kitchen and the library.

Building out tank town.	Barbara Oldershaw visiting from California.	The first flowers are popping up in the alley - daffodils.	New doors between the annex and the main building came from a local church.
Chad showing us designs for the library he will be building.	Jason opening a window in the 3-season room on Friday.	Light from a Solatube giving the group a halo effect.	Early bloomer prairie smoke in the alley.
Spring daffodils.

Week of April 18

Work continued on the tanks with a thorough cleaning. Green Leaders breakfast this week - Tom Bradley and Peggy Brennan were judges.

Paragon Industrial Cleaning cleaning out our tanks on Friday.

Gathering in the building before our Friday lunch.

Donated marble for our bathroom countertops.

Kirsten, Tom, Laurie, Helen and Peggy at the Green Leaders breakfast

Week of April 11

This week, as weather improved, we got up on the chimney for a little masonry work. Dormouse also worked on patching holes in our water tanks (used for water storage for our radiant heating and cooling). Work was begun on building the earth room in the basement (which will help modulate air temperatures).

Scaffold for the chimney work. We're redoing the mortar in parts of the chimney.	A view of the solar collectors on the annex roof from the top of the chimney.	View of the new hot water tank (look up) and the tubes that run through the ceiling and connect to our solar panels.	Spring plant inspection in the alley.
Building out the earth room in the basement.	Jason of Dormouse in one of our hot water tanks.	Kelly McElroy and other students from MSU and U of M visiting on Friday

Week of April 4th

Work continues, framing 'tank town', tiling the bathrooms, adding light fixtures to the bathrooms. Also this week, a visit to the Detroit Public Schools warehouse to see if there are items we can use in our building.

Kevin installing lights in the bathrooms.	Eduardo doing trim work in a conference room.	Eduardo and Heladio doing framing work on 'tank town'.	Framing 'tank town' in the annex.
Dormouse plugging holes in the water tanks on Wednesday.	Jason doing trim work.	Jason behind our 'clock' in tank town.	New tile work done in the shower.
Another view of the new tile work done in the shower.	Joe inspecting lockers for possible use at the Detroit Public Schools warehouse.	Dividers at the Detroit Public Schools warehouse.	Books being stored at the DPS warehouse.

Week of March 21st

Beginning work on 'tank town,' the area in the annex where the tanks will be located. We are building out a wall to cover and insulate the tanks.

Sketch of wall being developed to cover the tanks in the annex.	The space where the 'village' wall will go.	Eduardo, Joe and Heladio leveling a door.	Daffodil bulbs popping up in the alley.
Heladio with door.	Eduardo coming down the stairs.	Early spring in the alley.

Week of March 14th

The wood floor finished this week, while tile work continued.

The floor is done!	Back hall flooring completed	The finished floor from the main entrance.	MSU film crew here on Friday for a documentary they are making on initiatives in Detroit.
Last plank going down on the floor.	Juan working on the wall tiles in the shower.	Kirsten, Maureen, Molly, Dean and Areeta on Friday.	The Mowle family, visiting from Ontario on Friday.
Spring is here!	Molly, Tom and Areeta.	Conversations after the Friday meeting.	Conversations after the Friday meeting.
Chad, Tom and a sleepy Dean.

Week of March 7th

Eduardo oiling the last planks of flooring on Friday.

Working on manifold dampers for radiant flooring system.

MSU film crew here on Friday for a documentary they are making on initiatives in Detroit.

Kevin's wall lit on a dim March day

Week of February 28th

This week involved tile work, more floor work, interviews from a MSU journalism student.

Tiffany Willams from MSU setting a a camera for documentary filming on Wednesday.	Juan prepping the shower area on Wednesday.	Heladio and Eduardo cleaning the mortar.	Kirsten working in our conference room on Wednesday.
Spring sunlight pouring into the building Wednesday afternoon.	Sunlight coming through the front door on Wednesday.	Mezzanine floor done by Jason Peet from scrap wood.	Enviro-Quarry tiles being laid in the men's bathroom.
Juan laying down tiles in bathroom.	Oiling floor planks.	Our new Org Chart

Week of February 21st

A snowy February. Special visitors. Urban sustainability library meeting this week.

Friday commissioning meeting.	A visit by our daughter and grandson.	Our grandson, Dean in on Friday for a visit.	Tom running the urban sustainability library meeting.
Snowy path in the alley this week.	The alley side of the building in the snow.

Week of February 14th

The floors are more than halfway done! More meetings this week. Visitors from Michigan State.

The floor is a little more than half done.	Floor work on Friday.	Jason and Frank working on the floors for the stair landings.	Eduardo keeping the floors clean.
The building operations group meeting Friday afternoon.	One of our doors, purchased from the Detroit Antiques Mall.	Eduardo Jr. cutting wood	Chris, Trevor and Katie, all MSU grads, visiting the GG on Friday
Jen of McDowell and Associates testing some El Moore soil this week.	Soil testing at the El Moore.	Shannon and Amica walking their babies last week.	Eduardo Jr. taking on some work in the mud pit!

Week of February 7

Doors 'n floors!

Jason managing the pex tubing for the floors.	Brian and Jay doing wood work on Wednesday.	'New' recycled door for one of our private rooms.	Jason and Frank doing floor work.
Some of the pex tubing that will run under the floor	New screening for the staircase.	Snowman at MCBW!!	Eduardo and Heladio are screwing down the new floors.
New archway to annex	New entrance to annex.

Week of January 31

Checking on the solar collectors on the roof to see if they will be blocked by large amounts of snow (they looked good!), more floor work, new fence in front and new doorway between building halves.

Pex tubing being laid in the men's room.	New fence in the front.	Joe up on the roof on Thursday.	Quik Trak flooring in the front of the building.
Another door in!	The conference room has a door!	New railing for our back stairway comes from St. Charles School.	New doorway being built between the main building and the annex.
Once floors are done, they are covered to prevent damage.	Quik Trak floor on 2 sides.

Week of January 24

A snowy January....working on bathroom floors, windows are framed, some new doors from St. Charles School go in, new winter meetings (business incubator, co-working, library and gardens).

Permabase floor, a cement board floor that goes under the bathroom ceramic tiles.	Sheet aluminum under pex tubing to aid heat retention.	Snow covering the alley.	Co-working meeting on Friday morning.
Recycling in the alley.	Snow covering the alley.	Window framing.	Kirsten in our new linen closet. Door from St. Charles School.

Video of the Week

We're currently working on the flooring system that will provide radiant heating and cooling for the building. Jason Peet describes the construction process.

Week of January 17

A visit from our grandson, Dean, and some new front awnings.

Dean coming in from the cold.	Helen and Dean.	Tom and Dean.	Laurie and Dean making matching faces.
Kirsten and Dean.	Joe and Dean.	Grandpa and Dean.	Mitzi and Dean.
Tom, Helen and Dean.	Front awning going in.

Week of January 10

Floor work, door frames, a new front door and visitors.

Eduardo and Jason putting down the Quik Trak flooring.	Roger working on door frames for our bathroom doors.	Kevin in winter attire.	Hardware on, front door now opens!
Ken Flaherty, Daineil Zhang (visiting from Shanghai) and Tom	Tom conducts tour for Googlers Josh, Danny and Dantae	Working on the floors.

Week of January 3

Right now, it's all about the floors.

Kirsten showing us the pex tubing layout for part of the floor.	Working on the floor.	A snowy view out a back window.	Building out the floor from the center. No pex tubing under the center floor.
Completed floor in back hallway.	Completed floor in a meeting room.

Week of December 27

First floor completed in conference room.

Josh and Roy taking photos for Preservation Magazine

Week of December 13th

With freezing weather, all outside work stopped. The fence posts got in in the nick of time! Interior work was mostly on the floors, with the beginning of the installation of the Uponor Quik-Trak radiant floor system. On Friday, a visit to St. Charles school to see if we can harvest any of their doors.

The alley side of the building as of Saturday, Dec. 12th.	Alley windows reflecting the building next door.	Construction in the parking lot.	Location of water holding tank in parking lot.
Front fence posts going in.	Snow covering the gardens in the alley.	New parking lot behind the Canfield Lofts.	Uponor Quik-Trak radiant flooring system in our meeting rooms.
Uponor Quik-Trak radiant flooring system - close up.	Quik-Trak radiant flooring system plan for 4 meeting rooms.	Exterior of St. Charles school.	Measuring a prospective door for fit.
Some potential closet doors.	A candidate for the Green Garage.	Interesting small doors.	Transom window.
Some candidates.	Message found on chalkboard.	See if you can find Laurie in the boiler room.

Week of November 29th

A week of details, including finishing off the 3-season room floor, beginning paint work, powerwashing the exterior, continuing on the parking lot. We finished the week with our first participation in Noel Night.

Iris and Max fashionably and warmly dressed for Noel Night.	The alley on Noel Night.	Mitzi Carter preparing S'mores early in the evening.	The crowd entered through the greenhouse.
Daniele trying out our bike that powered a light.	Mike trying out the same bike.	Eduardo leveling the floor.	Heladio painting a ceiling.
Juan applying sand to the 3-season room floor.	Powerwashing our exterior brick.	Getting ready for our water storage tank in the parking lot.

Week of November 22nd

Parking lot construction continues, solar collectors begin going up on he annex roof, the back yard entryway is completed for the winter.

Jose paving the floor of the 3-season room.	Back yard entryway from the alley.	Back yard entryway from the alley.	Eduardo putting up the first of the solar collectors.
Heladio powerwashing the bricks that will be used in the parking lot.	Altherma heat pump, our back-up heat source.	Rain pouring off roof, soon to land in cedar gutters and through to a storage tank on the patio area.	Beginning work on the parking lot.
Parking lot construction.	Viewing parking lot construction.

Week of November 15

Front columns were completed, which allowed us to remove the plywood in the front of the building. We put paper up inside the windows, which will be removed once construction is completed. Alex Mills of Illuminart designed a holly stencil which was applied to some of the paper for the holiday season.

New columns and trees at the beginning of the week	The building front before holly was added.	Martha and Alex applying stencils.	Front with holly stencil.
Front with holly stencil.	Jay and Brain of Dunbar Construction making windowsills.	Walkway leading to front door.

Week of November 8

In keeping with our goal to get the outside of the building done before the winter weather set in, Redford Cement poured our front walkway. Our front columns (for the fence) were also begun. Doors were finished.

Excavating the front earlier this week.	Pouring cement for front walkway.	The front of our building on November 10.	Pouring cement for front walkway.
Smoothing cement.	New front stoop.	New floor for 3-season room.	Eduardo and Heladio smoothing base of 3-season room floor.
Jason framing annex door.	Prepping Wednesday at the Bronx for filming of Detroit 1-8-7.	Eduado affixing a Solatube to mezzanine ceiling.	New entrance for Motor City Brewing Works in alley.
Charlene joins us for lunch.	Movie trucks lining Second Avenue Thursday (for Detroit 1-8-7)	Dan and his kids over for a visit.	Making new columns for front fence.
New front stoop	Tom and friend posing in front of columns.

Week of November 1

As floor construction continued inside, the frame for the solar collectors was being built on the roof of the annex. We gathered materials for building the fence columns, such as the finials, below.

Front vestibule doors and windows going in	Frame for solar collectors on annex roof.	Eduardo and Heladio building the frame.	Weighing down the frame with harvested cement block.
Solar frame next to a Solatube.	Heladio being interviewed for Paper Tiger TV.	Limestone finials for the 4 columns that will be part of the front fence.	No standing on the Solatube, boys and girls!
Heladio on the roof.	Bird bath on annex roof

Week of October 25th

Trying to seal up the envelope of the building and take care of outside work concerned us this week, with winter fast approaching. Joe, Eduardo and Heladio worked on sealing the Solatubes to prevent air infiltration. Redford Cement began work on our front garden/walkway. Jason worked on outdoor window trims, and Jesse, Brent and Jason began installing doors.

View of Joe through a Solatube.	New pergola in back yard.	Pig fashioned from old materials by Heladio and Kirsten.	In 3-season room, filling in floor to raise it up.
Reford Cement digging out our front yard on Friday, Oct. 29.	Redford Cement digging out front.	Redford Cement digging out front.	Joe measuring the holes.
Pouring cement for fence posts.	Beginnings of the front walk.	Jason trimming the windows	The back yard as of Friday
Brian and Jay from Dunbar Construction working on windows	New door to upstairs patio

Week of October 18th

This week the windows went into the 3-season room, the back yard fence was constructed, the solar panels arrived and were temporarily placed on the roof of the annex, work continued prepping the floor, and we stayed open one evening for a Third Thursday event in the neighborhood.

Placement of windows in 3 season room	First windows in 3-season room	Dan in the new recycling center	New wrought iron fence in back yard
Back yard fence posts for wooden portion of fence	A view of a Solatube from the roof	Roof dam will stop water from going into alley	Water from roof dam will feed into cedar gutters, which will feed into....
...this water tank	Solar collectors being moved onto roof	Joe with solar collectors	Drywall pieces under floor will act as heat sink
Parking lot from above	Our temporary inside recycling center	Drywalling over posts	Connecting the ducts
Joe with his Duralast (roof material) hat	New fence from our perspective	New fence from our neighbor's perspective	Tom and Laurie on Friday
Jay of Dunbar Associates installing our 3-season room windows	Brian of Dunbar Associates inside the windows	Iris warding off a chilly October night	Open in the evening for Third Thursday

Week of October 11th

All of the systems are going in....the floor system, the heating/cooling system, the electrical system, etc. We also hosted Bioneers, among others, on Friday.

visit from Bruno Ripoche of Ouest France and Regan Watson of DIVB	Bioneers tour on Friday	new alley garbage/recycling center	Aero Heating and Cooling putting in duct work
these little rollers moved a 6,800 lb tank across our floor	and here is the tank in full roll	Heladio and his new helmet	...and Kirsten with hers

Week of September 27

This week the folks at MCBW began work on the garbage/recycling center for the alley. In order for us to put down the sleepers for the floor, some of our unwanted material had to go, and we found takers for things like our polyisoinsulation. We also were visited by a group from the Hannan House and by Derek Moore of the Henry Ford (preservationist in the automotive section).

Frame for new recycling/garbage center in alley	welding the hot water tank	sleepers for sub-floor going in	Drew taking some of our unwanted polyiso
Kevin planing some wood	Kirsten and Peggy - the broom women!	Kirsten in one of our hot water tanks	Joe and Heladio on the floor
the view from above	oak and ash wood for our floors	people from the Hannan House on a tour of the green alley	Derek Moore with Ames radiator cover
Derek Moore with radiator part	cleaning roof garden

Week of September 20

Finishing ceilings, floor foundation going in, drywall.

the finished ceiling in the greenhouse	jesse working on window frames for greenhouse	Carmello, Kirsten and Martha sorting wood on Thursday	Putting up drywall under the front mezzanine
A swatch of the paint we'll be using in the building	Heladio putting down floor insulation	Facebook friends Jeff and Tina in for a visit	Nick of Greenwire (electricians) installing power boxes
light pouring in at the end of the day

Week of September 13

Back yard work, finishing work on railings, working on connecting the heating/cooling systems.

new back yard taking shape	me taking a picture of the alley at the end of the day	Tom and his bike in the alley	trash/recycling center frame going up this week
brick wall in annex	view from southwest corner of the building	west mezzanine	Aero Heating and Cooling constructing ventilation vents
sunflower at North Cass Community Garden	peppers in share box at NCCG	sun in front entry	Peggy and cookies
hanging in the alley	in the greenhouse	Tom Brennan, Neil Steinkamp, Tom Bradley	Mike Mancini, Martha Peterson and Ken Agacinski
Woody Melcher (alley designer) and Charles Moceri visiting with friends	at the opening	at the opening	at the opening
at the opening	at the opening	new sign	new sign close-up
view of GG from alley	at the opening	neighbors	at the opening
Tom and Ann	Mike Bradley and friends touring the alley	hanging in the alley	Mary Lou and Emily Cochran taking the tour
Tom on his soapbox	Tom's speech at the alley opening	Neighborhood cat looking down at the festivities	Zach of Motor City Brewing Works and his son

Week of September 7

Continuing work on railings, second water storage tank delivered, sawmill work on boards, work on interior brick wall in annex (using our old bricks from the front windows).

new railing from old wood from the building	backyard smoothed out and ready for planting	some new fencing at Motor City Brewing Works	sawmill cutting boards we'll use to line windows
second hot water storage tank	visiting cat found a treat and headed out to the alley	Jay and Brian installing our alley door	interior brick wall from old bricks that covered our windows
Gerry Martin (who used to work for Kanners and Patrize) with Tom	Helen, Mitzi and Martha, part of the alley garden crew	Helen and Peggy by new MCBW fencing	Matt and Ian (library science students) getting the tour
jason using a ladder to finish the railing	interior light	Friday lunch in the alley	alley visitors
bricks in new front entry	a shot from the rooftop