Work Proceeds on Schedule

Westmaple - Tremendous progress is visible in the Westmaple wing as two new classrooms are now entirely blocked, with poured concrete floors and steel beams.

The new teacher's work room has been roughed out and is ready for finish work.
Exterior brick and insulation is being added to the Westmaple walls, along with roof trim to match the existing classrooms.

Site Improvements - Work continues in the west parking lot as we expand our parking space between the sanctuary front doors and the new main entrance.

New sidewalks are being poured to facilitate safe passage to and from the parking lot. Crosswalks will be painted at the end of the project. Also, new accessibility ramps are being added at strategic locations around the parking lot.

Town Square - More block is being laid to form the exterior walls of the new main entrance and town square. A new lion's den ...

Gym and Worship Stage - Significant progress is being made in the renovated gymnasium as the sheet rock around the soffits and gables is complete. The necessary trusses to support speakers and lights have been hung as have two large projection screens on either side of the stage itself. The electrical work proceeds to enable both new lighting and audio/video, as well as three large fans. Painting will begin shortly.

Inspiration

It was hard to get too excited when we were just looking down at a mud filled hole early in the project. But things are changing. Have you noticed? There seemed to be something uniquely inspirational as we saw the steel of Sacred Space rise skyward this past week. Maybe it was the strong beams soaring skyward that seem to promise a bright future. Or maybe it was just the juxtaposition of the new and the old. Or maybe its just as simple as a heavenward glance on a warm summer evening that creates inspiration. See what you think.

Town Square Steel in Place

The steel beams for the new Town Square were erected this past week. The steel sits directly atop the new lower level classrooms. This steel not only provides the framework for the new Main Entrance and Town Square, but also provides for a second story addition that is part of our overall master plan vision. The correct steel, concrete and rough plumbing are all being installed now so that we have the option to add a second floor should the congregation agree in the future to proceed with other elements of the master plan.

Construction for Week of 6-21-10 and 6-28-10

The two week schedule for 6-21-10 to 7-5-10

Stage addition
· complete stage lighting package
· complete drywall operations
· complete fire suppression
· continue with prep for painting
· continue with grid ceilings

Town Square
· complete steel erection
· continue mechanical plumbing and electrical
· Lower level metal stud framing
· Pour 1st floor concrete

Interior infrastructure
· Continue with Fire suppression installation
· Continue with electrical relocation
· Continue with demo at New South stairway
· Continue with new ceiling grid

West Maple
· complete block walls
· begin steel erection
· prep for concrete floor
· Complete mechanical air shaft
· Begin mechanical and electrical
· Continue with new air condition systems

Music Wing
· complete with metal stud framing
· complete with Masonry infills
· Prep for AC system
· Rough electrical and mechanical

Site improvements
· Complete electrical service East side of building
· complete parking lot site demolition
· complete parking retention system
· begin prep for exterior walks
· curbs at new parking lot

New Nursery Taking Shape

Often lost in the discussion of the new Town Square is the fact that a new nursery will be added to the Town Square. The nursery will be immediately available to parents as they step just inside the new Main Entrance that leads into the Town Square.

The nursery will accommodate the youngest members of our church family, members and visitors alike, with a secure main play room, a crib room, parent drop-off area, and new nursery bathroom.

Lower Level Classrooms

Two new classrooms that are nearly the size of the Great Room and Library combined, are now enclosed on the lower level. These classrooms will serve many different needs for children, youth and adults. The electrical work will begin shortly. Until then, without lights, you'll have to use a little imagination to envision your bible study group, confirmation class, VBS session, or Sunday School class meeting in this spacious new area.

New Westmaple Classrooms Underway

Two new classrooms are being added to our Westmaple Nursery. The rooms will be available for this coming school year, beginning in September. The addition of two new rooms will put a big dent in the Westmaple "waiting list" that had unfortunately become all too common each year. The photos below show the block walls rising around the north side of the current Westmaple wing, both from the interior and exterior.

Slides from Annual Meeting Update

Click on the triangular play button below to view the slides that were presented at the June 13, 2010 annual congregational meeting. The presentation is shared via a web site, slideshare.net. Any other presentations on slideshare.net using the keywords Sacred Space are not related to the capital stewardship and renovation project at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Birmingham, Michigan.

Sacred Space Update at 6-13-10 Annual Meeting

View more presentations from smscheidt.

Annual Meeting Provides Bird's Eye View

This Sunday, June 13, at the annual congregational meeting, a Sacred Space project update will be provided. Get the complete bird's eye view of the project, including answers to questions such as: are we on schedule for opening? are we on budget? were we able to add the new gym ceiling work to the project plan? And more ... well, not too much more. Join us after the 10:30 a.m. service in the sanctuary.

Construction for Week of 6-7-10 and 6-14-10

Work began this past week on the construction of two new classrooms for our Westmaple Nursery. The foundations were poured this week (see photo below.) The block walls will rise shortly. In the mean time demolition and mechanical work has begun to integrate the new classrooms with the existing Westmaple wing.

The exterior brick work around the new stage addition is nearly complete.

Work on the stage addition is increasingly shifting indoors as the interior block walls are complete and the stage platform is under construction.
Meanwhile in the lower level of the town square block walls are nearly complete around the two new classrooms, storage closets and stairwell.The full two week construction is as follows:

Stage Addition
· Complete Metal stud framing
· Complete exterior carpentry work
· Complete roofing
· Complete brick veneer
· Complete with interior electrical
· Complete with stage lighting package
· Complete stage floor framing
· Begin drywall operations

Town Square
· Complete basement block walls
· Begin steel erection

West Maple Classrooms
· Complete footings
· Begin block walls
· Complete mechanical air shaft
· Begin mechanical and electrical

Music Wing
· Begin layout and wall framing
· Masonry infills
· Under floor plumbing

Interior infrastructure
· Continue with Fire suppression installation
· Continue with electrical relocation
· Continue with demo at New South stairway
· Begin new ceiling grid

Site improvements
· Install electrical service East side of building
· Begin parking lot site demolition
· Complete gas main relocation
· Complete water main relocation

June Parking and Entry Update

For the month of June, please make note of the following construction plans around Redeemer:

- NEW: Work on the new Westmaple Nursery classrooms will close the back Westmaple door throughout the month of June, both during the week and on Sunday mornings. You can still enter through the gym doors and walk through the Westmaple corridor. See photo below.
- Work inside the Music Wing will close the side music wing door throughout the month of June, both during the week and on Sunday mornings.

- The new gymnasium door off the West Parking Lot will continue to be open on Sunday mornings while work proceeds inside the gymnasium during the week.

- Access to the sanctuary is possible through the staff office hallway via the Chapel doors, through the church office hallway via the Office doors, through the gymnasium via the new northwest gymnasium doors and of course through the narthex via the church front doors.

- We continue with the specially marked parking spaces for those that require proximity to church doors. These are for anyone that requires their use.

Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Stage Construction Begins

Work has begun in earnest inside the new stage addition. With the roof in place overhead, block walls are now being constructed that separate the stage itself from the adjacent floor level storage rooms and stage-level prop room. The large white beam that we all signed Easter weekend can be seen across the top of the stage opening.

New Classroom Floor

The concrete floor was poured throughout the lower level of the new Town Square at the end of the week. The photos below show the two new lower level classrooms and coffee area, as well as the new stairwell and storage closets. Once the floor and walls are adequately cured and the water proofing is installed, lots of steel will follow to ready the area for the next level of construction -- the new Town Square.