Site Update: Preparing for Winter!
With winter weather an increasing threat day by day, there has been a major focus on tidying up loose ends as far as exterior work goes. This includes focusing on getting as much of the exterior concrete completed as possible, with the remainder planned for completion in the spring. We had hoped to get some of the landscaping completed this fall, but due to site logistics this wasn’t a possibility. Completing extensive landscaping would cut off access to the southern portion of the building, which would interfere with the exterior cladding and glazing activities. Instead, the planting of the native shrubs and trees will be completed in the spring once the snow has disappeared. The other weather-sensitive exterior elements to be completed are the remaining soffit areas of the building that need to be spray foamed. We also have had some delays in the atrium glazing delivery, so we’re hoping to solve that issue this week. In the meantime, we will be hoarding in the north and south sides of the atrium and heating the entire building with construction heaters.
The cladding of the building is progressing nicely and we are getting a lot of passers by stopping and commenting on the beautiful cedar siding. The colors of this natural wood are amazing and the cladding crew has done a great job of matching grain colourations. There are a variety of different claddings being installed on this building. Cedar, cement panels, polycarbonate panels and solar panels. These products are going to give this building an even more unique look in the end. Variety is the spice of life!!
Interior work is progressing nicely. Drywall is well underway with the majority of the 2nd and 3rd floors of the east side of the building being completed. Taping of these areas is currently underway. There is an extensive amount of mechanical and electrical infrastructure to install, and the drywallers have been hot on our heels. We anticipate starting to grind the concrete floors in mid-late November and we would like to keep these areas clear so the grinding can proceed uninterrupted. We need to ensure that all interior activities are progressing smoothly as there is little to no room for slippage in the tight schedule.
Mechanical and electrical room work is well underway. There is a great deal of work in these areas and mechanical systems need to be complete well before turnover date to allow time for commissioning and fixing any potential bugs in the system.
The push to the end is here and it is definitely being felt on site. Our aggressive schedule requires us to work together as a team and our scheduling initiatives are becoming more important as we move closer to the end.