New Clubhouse News for September, 2007
We have started. (There! Now you have me saying it.) The footprint of the new clubhouse has been excavated down to where the top of the piling will be. The excavated material has created quite a hill on our southwest property.
Three piling are installed and one of them will be tested until it reaches failure. The test information will be provided back to the structural engineer to optimize the design. Hopefully it will allow us to reduce the quantity of piling. The production pilings will be installed over the next three weeks.
The pile caps and grade beams will
be poured in place concrete. From there the concrete columns will go up, then
the elevated slab. The metal building installation is scheduled to begin the
second week in November. Then the Metal studs and dry wall, plumbing, HVAC,
electrical, elevator, etc. Our contractor has provided us with a schedule that
shows a “substantial completion” date of
We are continuing to look at different design and construction options. We will consider them if they offer us the opportunity to save money in the long run either through reduced insurance premiums or reducing installation and operating costs. Some options we are currently evaluating include:
· Hurricane Resistant Impact Glass
· Window coatings to reduce heat loading in the building
· 480 volt primary electrical service
· Florescent lighting
· Not using plywood as a substrate to the exterior siding
Some options that we have already decided are:
· We have raised the elevated slab elevation to 26 feet above MSL
· The design of the metal building structure will be “partially enclosed”
· One elevator large enough for an ambulance’s gurney instead of two
· Walk-in cooler instead of reach in refrigerators
· Completely cover the South porch
· Eliminate the Widow’s walk
These
are exciting times as we forge ahead with the construction of the new
clubhouse. We are building for now and the future users of the new clubhouse
and God willing for future generations at
.