Our First NRI Project

Earlier this month, we completed our first NRI project. The ARC, a local afterschool program based in the Word of Life Church about half a mile from our La Fortuna site, is only a year old, but is already having an amazing effect on the community.

This is a high-crime rate area. As one of the kids in the program put it, "there are a lot of bangers, like gang bangers."

Frank, the ARC director, wasn't surprised to hear this. "There are a lot of gang bangers and would-be gang bangers in the area," Frank explained. "These people try to convince the youth to join their fledgling gangs." This makes the ARC a community asset that helps keep kids out of trouble.

The ARC was with whom we did our first NRI project.

Several weeks ago, a few kids tore the shingles off the play structure outside the church and started a shingle fight. Frank had the shingles and nails, but didn't know how to re-shingle the damaged roofs. So, Mike Hammerquiest, Asa Peller, and myself visited the ARC one morning to help Frank re-shingle the play structure. It was a very minor job, about 2:30 hours of work, but after when we finished Frank told me what it meant to him.

"Thank you for the help Ted. The church was very upset when the shingles were torn off. If they were ever to kick us out these kids would have nowhere to go and would much more likely join these gangs. Thank you."

So, a few shingles can go a long way.

Carnation Informational Open House

We would like to invite the public to an open house showcasing our newest cottage style home neighborhood in Carnation. The open house will include drawings and illustrations of the development plans with opportunities for Q & A and public comment.

Open House Date: Thursday, April 14, 2011

Open House Time: 6:00-8:00pm

Location: City Council Chambers

Carnation City Hall

4621 Tolt Avenue

The Neighborhood: Located along NE 45th Street (Entwistle Street), the neighborhood will feature cottage style homes with front porches. Plans include open spaces for recreation, a walkable neighborhood design, and energy efficient features. The homes will range in size from 2-5 bedrooms and will be the most "green" Habitat neighborhood to date with plans to certify homes under Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard, Energy Star, and Built Green standards.

For more information about the event, please contact Mandy McCulley, Sustainable Building Coordinator at mandym@habitatekc.org.

Construction Update April 11, 2011

Magnolia Village, Issaquah Highlands

Building 3:

Electrical rough-in is complete except for some breakers.

Worked on pick up framing to prepare for inspections

Continued siding on the front gable- 90% complete

2 days of sunny weather allowed for exterior painting.

Gable ends mostly complete, some work done on the back

Building 4:

Sheet rock was installed. Taping begins on Monday.

Siding is mostly installed over the porch roofs

                

Building 5:

Installed OSB sheathing on exterior garage walls and party wall

Installed 5 of 6 garage beams. 

Work this week:

Siding, paint prep and scaffold removal on buildings 3 & 4.

Some inspections on building 3.

Begin insulating Building 3.

On building 5 we will begin setting floor joists, working and working landings.

La Fortuna, Renton

What a difference a sunny day can make. We sheeted 2 units sub- floor on Friday and everyone had a bounce in their step. Here's hoping for more sun.

Unit #1: 56' of exterior wall is framed, sheeted and stood.

Unit #2: All exterior and party walls framed, sheeted, inspected, and fire rocked with 77' stood and braced.

Unit #3: 12' of exterior wall framed, sheeted, and 21' of partywall framed and sheeted.

Unit #4:  Sub- floor sheeted and guardrails up. Stairs are cut and ready to install.

Unit #5:  Completed joists, blocking, sub- floor, guardrails, and stairs.

Unit #6:  42' of exterior walls framed, sheeted and stood with 42' of exterior walls framed and ready for sheeting.

Three days of mulching in the wetlands.

Work this week:

Exterior, interior, and partywall framing.

Sheeting.

Fire rocking.

More wetlands mitigation.

Construction Update April 4, 2011

La Fortuna, Renton 

Unit 1 has guardrails complete, stairs functional, and wall plates/layout started.

Unit 2 has exterior walls front and back, party walls framed and sheeted, and is waiting for inspections.

Unit 3  - floor sheeting 95% complete. Stairs 75% complete.

Unit 4 has floor framed, blocked, and ready for sub- floor.

Unit 5 has beams set and floor joists 85% complete.

Unit 6 has back wall standing and front walls 90% complete.

Work this week:

Floor joists/ blocking.

Floor sheeting.

Wall framing, stairs.

Wetlands mitigation.

Magnolia Village, Issaquah

Building 3:

Electrical rough-in is about 90% complete. Low voltage/communications wiring will start next week.

HVAC was completed and passed inspection.

Siding continued on the front gable and stairwell wall.

Staged scaffolding.

                

Building 4:

Completed insulation. Passed all inspections.

Communications wiring passed inspection.

Built scaffolding on the porch roofs and started siding above the roofs.

Installed OSB on interior shear wall.

Sheet rock is scheduled for delivery on Tuesday 4/5.

Building 5:

Framed interior party walls for both units.

Installed garage posts on 5A. Ready for beams.

Installed blocking on party walls for OSB sheathing

Joists were delivered.

Work this week:

We will continue siding on the fronts of buildings 3 and 4.

We will also continue exterior painting.

Electrical will hopefully finish up on building 3 and fire stopping should begin.

Sheet rock should begin on building 4. 

Framing will continue on building 5 with wall sheathing, beams and possibly joists.