August 28, 2007 Tuesday: Two Steps Backward; One Step Forward

Last week was not a good week for the abbey addition. On Monday the 20th the area was struck by a thunderstorm with 70 mile wind gusts and a downpour of 4" of rain in one-half hour. The roof didn't have shingles yet. The brick layers were not done on the south side. Dry wall and insulation had been installed in many parts of the addition.

Fr. Louis and Bro. Luke walked through the building after the storm to view the damage. Water was dripping from the second floor ceiling were copious amounts of water had leaked in. The roof had numerous areas where the tar paper had ripped away. On the first floor the water had driven so hard it saturated the Cement blocks thoroughly.

The next day roofers showed up and began to lay shingles. The weather didn't cooperate and more thunderstorms came for the next several nights before all the shingles could be put on. Each night more damaged occurred. The south side received the most damage. The drywall ceiling on the 2nd floor's south side is being removed and all the drywall was ripped out from the exterior south wall on the 1st floor. This was because the brick work was not complete and the cement blocks were saturated and oozing water beneath the insulation and drywall.

The reason the shingles hadn't been put on was that the steel facing for the eaves had not arrived. The decision was made to go ahead and do the drywall and insulation with the hope that it wouldn't rain.

The good news is at this date the roof has shingles over most of the addition now. They still need to complete the connection between the abbey and the addition but that will hopefully be before the week is out.

Strong Thunderstorms are forecast for tonight.

A slide show of water damage is added.

August 18, 2007 Saturday: Drywall begins, Roof still unfinished!

The First Floor - This week much of the drywall has been set in place in the private rooms on the 1st floor. The cables for phone, tv, and internet have been run to the outlets and most of the windows have been put in place. The sprinkler system in this area was about 1/2 done by Thursday. The community room has some more beams being set in place. The monks have been wondering for sometime where they would go. They run along the walls from the floor to the arches above giving "visual support". There are still a few beams that are still a mystery but we should soon find out.

The Second Floor - The second floor is pretty much framed. Allot of the plumbing is done but the electrical has not started. It will take a good number of weeks for the second floor to catch up with the first floor. Hopefully about the time the dry wall crew finishes downstairs the upstairs will be ready for them.

The Basement - The basement has had some framing done and the laundry room, kitchen and utility room block work is in progress. The exercise room still waits to be poured. It was almost ready several weeks ago but appears to be on hold. The Dining room is still mud as rain water still pours in from above.

Roof - Friday they started putting some of the metal siding on the eaves. They may start shingling soon.(?)The connecting roof between the addition and the abbey is still to be completed. Every time it rains water runs into the building here across the floor and down into the community room where it then proceeds into the basement below. It looks like it should be a one-day project but evidently it isn't a priority.

A new slide show has been added with this log entry.

August 8, 2007 Wednesday: Progress continues

At times it seems like little head way is being made but that would be an incorrect observation. Great progress is being made it is just that it is the same type of activity day after day. Each day there are more bricks laid, more conduit & wiring run, more plumbing installed and more interior framing accomplished.

Roof: The roof is still not complete but... any day now. The area where the new wing attaches to the existing abbey & the elevator roof are all that is left. The shingles have arrived and are stacked on the roof peak waiting to be laid.

Interior framing: The 1st floor private rooms are complete. Wiring & framing are done and it appears that computer/tv cabling & the sprinkler system are all that need to be be done before it is ready for drywall. In the hallway outside of the private rooms the heating and cooling units & piping are ready to begin installation.

Geothermal Wells: The well lines for the heating & cooling system have been connected to a set of values in the basement utility room and have been filled with fluid.

Brick Work: The brick work on the east and north sides has been completed. They are now working on the community room and elevator area on the south. The hydraulic scaffolding on the north side is being disassembled for moving to the south side. On the north side the window sills on the top floor have been set along with the stone trim along the roof line.

Basement: The floor has been poured for the utility & washing machine rooms along with the kitchen, restroom, and pantry areas. The exercise room and storage areas are ready to be poured. The dining area is still mud and will remain so until the roof is completed.

Community room: They have recently been taking the window forms out before the bricks are installed on the exterior. The monks are now getting their first views from the community room windows.

New Completion dates: Dates? It depends on who you talk to. Some say December others say next spring. It leaves some leeway huh! Last springs mid-October estimate is out.

July 4th, 2007 Wednesday: Roof Almost completed

Currently work is being done on the roof over the community room. This is a unique project because of the massive arched beams used in this "two-story" room. Some workers are even here on the 4th of July working on it!

Brick work is mostly completed on the east end of the building and is now progressing
to the front of the building.

Plumbing & Wiring are slowly progressing through the 1st floor. On the second floor drywall has been delivered for the ceiling so that they can then start to partition the individual rooms. The showers have been delivered and now await installation.

I've added a slide show of recent progress.