Work Continues

The week of July 4th has seen an influx of more workers to our campus.  There seems to be work going on everywhere on the property.  Here are a few updates.

The flooring in the kitchen continues to be demolished. 



Looking through the window into the kitchen, the scene makes me think of a frozen moment of angry ocean waves during a storm. 



The front corner classroom is being emptied. 

Workers are waiting for the SkyTrak to return so that they may fill the bin with debris. 

Now it is almost cleaned out. 

Brick Mock Up

The construction team has created a mock up of the brick and mortar choices for the building.  It is located in the bus lane.  Mr. Finneseth, the FCPS Project Coordinator, gave me my first brick/mortar/insulation/weeping lesson and I will share with you. 

The two horizontal bricks have the same texture but are a slightly different color.  The mortars are also different colors.  The top and middle bands are the same on each side. 

More than you probably wanted to know about the brick.  FYI - weeping holes are the tiny holes located near the bottom of brick walls that allow water to "weep' out of the bricks since brick is not waterproof. 

Outside Water Pipes

Our new building will also have all new water pipes and even a new fire hydrant. 

This work is being done on the Cardinal Lane side of the parking lot.  They are preparing to lay new water pipes.

The jackhammer breaks up the pavement and the bucket scoops it away. 

Working side by side.

After the pipe has been laid the workers fill it in the trench with gravel. 

This view shows the trench, pile of blacktop, and trenches that continue onto the grassy area. 

Stacks of pipe waiting to be laid. 

Our first new, bright yellow fire hydrant. 

Kitchen Update

Demolition of the kitchen continues on.  It doesn't look much like a kitchen anymore.  Only outer and load bearing walls are still up.  Windows have been knocked out, the refrigerator and freezer have been removed, and they are currently working on jackhammering out all of the existing floor tiles. 

Just as they separeted the debris in the front of the building, they do the same in the kitchen demolition. 

This is the first evidence of something new to our renovation process.  The frame for a new double door has been added.  Look to the inside wall and you will see the measurements for the inner doorway.  This will ultimately be a hallway that will lead to the new cafeteria.  It will run where the current stage is in the cafeteria. 

This is the kitchen as the photographer is standing against the farthest wall of the dry storage area. The manager's office, prep area, ice machine, sinks, and employee break room have all been demolished. 

This is the view from the sink/dishwasher area.  Directly in front would have been the wall that separated the serving line and the cooking are that had the stove and convection ovens. 

The dirty tray window from the kitchen side. 

This machine has a jackhammer attachment on the front.  It was removing the floor tiles that would have been in/under the refrigerator area. 

A close up of the jackhammer attachment.  Workers said that to remove all of the tiles would take 2-3 days. 

Ground Work

Thanks goes out to Lars Finneseth, FCPS Project Coordinator for Construction Projects and also a Clays Mill parent.  Mr. Finneseth was able to give me an update and some explanations as to the current work being completed.

Now that the small classrooms are gone there is much work to be done to the land itself in order to begin rebuilding.  Notice that all the sidewalks and blacktop areas have been removed. 

This view is from where the Rosies were stored by the gazebo back door.  They are now being stored by what used to be Mrs. Harrington's classroom.  Notice that there is no sidewalk and the wrought iron railing is on the ground by the Rosies. 



A view of the gazebo area.  No railing or sidewalks are left and some of the trees have had to be cut back.  At this time, I am unsure of the future of the gazebo. 



This is what is left after the backhoes broke up the floor from the small classrooms. 

This view is from the bus lane sidewalk looking at where the old portables used to be.  There is no longer any foundation from the classrooms, sidewalks, swing area, or blacktop primary playground area.

Workers are now busy removing all of the top soil from the work area.  They will use fill dirt that was transported from the new Keithshire Elementary site to fill in the hole as they construct the flooring for the new classrooms. 

View from atop the fill dirt by the bus lane. 

This view is from the door of the intermediate hallway.  This is the former site of the old portables.  Workers are bringing all of the top soil to this location. 

This view is from the top of the steps to the intermediate playground.  Look at the back of the photo and you will see a makeshift 'road' that the dump truck would take to bring the dirt around and fill the middle.  According to Mr. Finneseth, the area that is being covered will ultimately be a more level area than when they began. 

Another view facing toward the front of Mary Queen's parking lot. 

The Primary Hallway

The workers are continuing to demolish the interior of the remaining classrooms in the primary hallway. 




They are continuing to knock down the walls on the front classrooms. 



These are pictures of a classroom on the gazebo side.
This is what it looks like as they knock down ceiling tiles. 
And then.........



....all of the newest tiles are down.
And then........



....they tear out the closets, cabinets, and old ceiling tiles. 
And then.......

....they clean it all out.
And then...........



.....they continue the work by knocking out the wall. 



They are removing the soffetts.  Notice the blue "65' 4"" spray painted on the brick.  This is how they mark existing measurements or future measurements that will be needed. 

Inner view of the soffett. 

Classroom on the First Floor

Changes just keep happening at CME.  Here's a look at what's going on.


The room on the first floor closest to the bus lane (most recently Mrs. Pickard's room,formerly the art room, and in late fall will hopefully be the temporary office) has undergone some demolition.

The windows have been removed.  The awning to the right is the one closest to the bus lane. 

The ceiling tiles were being knocked down first.



This is what happens when they start knocking it all at once.  Notice that the door is removed and you can now see the temporary door that is used to block this work from student areas.  (Someone added a bit of happiness via art work on the blackboard.)




Another view



This was a small workroom located within the classroom.  Its bright yellow color lent itself to dubbing the room "The Sunshine Room".