Still wet but ready for asphalt

Robert's latest pano shows the spread gravel. I didn't speak to the site superintendent today but I assume the asphalt will be laid down early next week.

Soggy rocks

The spreading of the base gravel has given more definition to the contours of the building area. The rain has slowed them a bit but they still hope to get the asphalt down in time for the steel's arrival late next week.

Approach from cul-de-sac

Bank has been graded and covered with topsoil

Shaping up

The gravel did not go down today but should go tomorrow (Wednesday). Today was spent fine tuning the grading of parking areas which was double-checked by our engineer. The base layer of asphalt will follow Thursday or Friday, weather permitting. One notable improvement is that the bank/berm behind the building/to the right of the entrance from the cul-de-sac has been dressed up, covered with topsoil and landscape netting. It looks really good.

Of asphalt, steel, and steeples

Here's the near-term schedule:

• Gravel on driveways - today or Tuesday
• Base asphalt paving - Wednesday-Friday
• Steel components delivery - March 31

After the steel frame goes up the roof will follow quickly and then comes the steeple. We ought to see it some time in May.

Trailer in, work continues

We expect the base paving to begin Monday.

Sun breaks through the clouds - give thanks for good weather!

Electrical contractors work on underground service for parking lot light poles

World's ugliest jobsite trailer - but this bodes well because it means we're moving forward and work will be almost constant from this point

Update

Word is that Construction Plus's office trailer will be delivered to the site today. You might see it from the road though it will be back by the cul-de-sac. The binder course paving of the driveway and parking lots is to commence on Monday the 21st. Remember this is only the base of the driveway and lots, not the final product. I don't know if the front lot will be done in this initial stage. We still expect that the steel will arrive by month's end. The weather is looking pretty good for the next week or so. Thanks for your prayers.

Another view

This photo from Bob shows the covered dropoff on the building's south side entrance. The pile of rubble would be under the dropoff roof where a car would pull; the footers for the columns that support it are just to the right of the pile. This photo also has a nice view of the distant river and you can see Oak Ridge Baptist as well. This is a telephoto shot made from the berm which condenses the perspective a bit.

Slow, wet week

There isn't much to report on the site this week. The large electrical box is in place, and though it's near the back corner of the building it is visible from a great distance as you approach the site from Solway. You won't see it at all when the building goes up, but this does further indicate just how visible the building will be, since the box is only five or six feet tall.

The next planned activity at the site is the laying of the binder course around the building. This rough base layer of asphalt will help keep the concrete clean by minimizing mud. This should begin next week. A nice smooth coat of asphalt will go on near the end of construction.

Robert captured the electrical contractor installing the box next to the finished slab

Rear view

It occurred to me that most haven't seen what the rear of the building will look like. The gabled section in the center of the shed protrudes a few feet from the rest of the back portion. Note that the round window into the worship hall is lower than the drawing at the top of the blog. Click for a larger view.

Looks like a church

One of your building committee's goals in the planning process was to arrive at a building that "looks like a church." What exactly that means is hard to define, but most people know it when they see it. The general shape of our building is that of a basilica. Don't be alarmed - basilica is not a strictly Roman Catholic term. It refers generally to a style of public building current in the Roman Empire a century or two before the time of Christ. These buildings, usually with interior galleries, central vaulted space, and a platform for magistrates to hear cases and make pronouncements at one end, were common in the Roman world. When Christianity became "official" in the 4th century the basilica style was naturally adopted for larger churches. From Encylopedia Brittanica:

In architecture, “basilica” in its earliest usage designated any number of large roofed public buildings in ancient Rome and pre-Christian Italy, markets, courthouses, covered promenades, and meeting halls. Gradually, however, the word became limited to buildings of a more or less definite form: rectangular walled structures with an open hall extending from end to end, usually flanked by side aisles set off by colonnades (in large buildings often running entirely around the central area), and with a raised platform at one or both ends. During the 1st century bc, when basilicas were increasingly used for judicial purposes, the raised platform became enclosed by an apse, or semicircular half-domed protrusion of the end wall, to accommodate the magistrate.  

Early Roman baslica

So, the shape of the building -- deeply ingrained in most Western psyches as that of a church -- is one cue. The presence of a steeple is another. Steeple equals church to many people, though many steepled buildings no longer contain anything resembling biblical Christianity. Neither shape nor steeple make the church. Nevertheless, those driving in and out of Oak Ridge will know that there is a church building of some sort on the hill. Let us pray that those things done, said, and sung within its walls and the lives of those who seek refuge there will always typify true Christianity!

Our steeple - and it's not made of fiberglass

One last thing. Note that the old basilicas were often used for judicial purposes. We will gather to hear two great pronouncements on every Lord's day:  one is a guilty verdict, justly rendered against us as those who have broken all of God's law. Then comes the great Gospel pronouncement that Christ has paid our debts and we are declared innocent for His sake if we believe in Him. What a happy place our new building will be if this good news is always heard there.

Direction & altitude

Nothing exciting here, just a couple of tidbits. If you've wondered which direction the building faces, the answer is almost due east, just slightly to the south. This means there will always be sun in the morning on the building's three main entrances (one on the front/east and two on the side/south). This should be appreciated in the winter. It also means that the drawing at the top of the blog has accurate shadows - and there aren't many from that southeast perspective.

Another question: how high are we? Bradley C. once remarked when were on the site that he believed the building was higher than the tops of the large power line towers in the valley. There are five of these towers as you look towards Solway. I can say for certain that the slab floor is higher than the three farthest towers. I checked today by bringing my head down level with the slab from the rear of the building. This means the steeple top will probably be about 100 feet higher than the top of those large towers closest to the bridge. Think about that the next time you drive by.

Steel month

The structural steel is slated for arrival by the end of the month. The erection of the steel  columns, beams, and trusses will be the most dramatic development in the whole construction process. When the steel goes up we'll truly see the shape of the building,  get a true idea of its visibility, and get a real feel for the space. Stay tuned for news of progress.

Here's a time-lapse video of the erection of a steel-frame church building (which is actually shaped much like ours, though larger) that might give some hint of the process:

A productive 12 hours

Yes, by 5 pm you could walk on the slab and the workers were nearly done with the last step of cutting in the expansion joints. It looks very good indeed.

Sandy, president of Construction Plus, and our site superintendent Dan survey the finished slab at about 5 pm.

Cutting the last expansion joints. Foreground shows conduits and plumbing that rise in  the main mechanical room.

The light of day

Here's the scene at midday on the nearly finished slab. Thanks to Robert for providing these wonderful views.

Sunrise (and moon) over the slab

As morning gilds the skies...work continues on our firm foundation.

Slab nearly poured by 6:30 am 

Moon over Clearview Court

Foggy valley at sunrise

Pumping progresses to rear of building pad

Slab poured

 A crew of more than 20 men plus nine concrete trucks carrying two loads each began work on the site this morning at 4 am. They got an early start because it will take all day to finish. The pictures below were made between 5-6:30 am. The pad already looks "bigger" as the surface becomes flat and well defined. The weather today and the next couple of days looks to be perfect. Give thanks for this major step in the building's progress. (Click for large views)

Workers used lights to allow an early start

Massive  concrete pumper

Concrete flows out of nozzle

Concrete is pumped through a pipe in the machine's arm, then directed by hand with a nozzle at the end of the arm.

Workers smooth concrete on a chilly morning

Slab week - UPDATED

The slab will be poured this week if weather permits. They'll be picky about this since some of our floor surfaces will be polished concrete. This makes the quality of the pour essential.

UPDATE - Concrete pouring will commence pre-dawn on Wednesday morning. It will be an all-day affair.

Give thanks

This shot by Robert (also posted below) of the view from our future front door is the best one yet. This is what we'll see when we walk out of the new building every Lord's Day morning. How many are so blessed? Imagine it in fall with colors blazing or in spring with fresh green. If we are less than thankful we are without excuse! And don't forget, it's not ultimately about our pleasure. Many on the roads below will see the building on the hill. Let's pray that many of those will come and see -- and hear.

More great images

From Robert's camera, taken on 2-22 before the rain came:

Looking into worship hall

Looking out the front door towards Solway

From the southwest, wide view

From the southwest

We expect to see the slab poured next week. Pouring was scheduled for today but has been postponed by the rain.

Bob's front panorama

Here's a fine panorama made Saturday from in front of the builiding by Bob S. (click for large view):

It occurs to me that while the progress seems slow, the transformation of the site is amazing. Scroll to the bottom of this page and then back up to see pictures that show the great change.

Pictures of progress

Bear in mind if you visit the site that buildings never look smaller than at the foundation-only stage. The openness of the site dwarfs the building pad. It will seem much larger when the vertical dimension is evident.

(Click on images for larger view)

This view from off the right side of the south parking lot shows that our building will be more visible than we ever imagined. With the judicious removal of a few more trees we'll be seen around the sweeping curve and from Bethel Valley Road.

A fireplug of our very own, southwest corner of site, on your right as you come in from the cul-de-sac.

Fire riser (where sprinkler system will attach) in mechanical room, northwest building corner.

Ready to power up - temporary power meter is approved. This should mean you'll see Construction Plus's jobsite trailer up there soon.

Like soldiers in a row - the plumbing drains for the main ladies room and nursery.

Panorama from the berm behind the building. Note that the lake is visible.

From same vantage point, pad only.

Front door floor-level view, a sliver of the lake is visible.

Lots of progress

The building pad is nearly ready for slab pouring since the footers are done and the gravel base is down. We may get our water and electric meters hooked up today. This will allow Construction Plus to get bring in their jobsite trailer. The good weather has been a real blessing.

Pulpit view?

It just so happens that a pile of gravel about four feet high resides today almost exactly where our pulpit will be located in the new building. Here's the view from it:



The soil compactor is working right in front of the front door/patio area..

The footers are 95% done -- one corner footer and the footers for the covered drop-off and front entrance protrusion are all that remain. The underground plumbing is all in and has been pressure tested for leaks. The turndown footers that rim the building pad are next. We should see the slab poured by month's end. The steel frame is scheduled for erection in late March.

We give thanks for the wonderful weather this week. Please continue to pray for good providence in this long and complicated process.

Two new panoramics of site

Thanks to Robert for these! Click images for a much larger view. Notice all the stubbed out plumbing connections.

Footer work continues

In spite of the cold weather work continues on footers and utilities. It's been just dry enough and the subcontractors are making good use of their time.