Depot flooring begins

Report and photos by Dennis Casebier

The flooring crew, consisting of Kelly Binns, Ed Hardesty, and Donna May, arrived mid-morning. They started on the first floor of the Depot.

First they cleaned the floor, then put down some kind of foam sheeting, and now they are laying maple tongue and groove pattern, perco-type flooring on top of that. At 2:00 PM they were about two-thirds of the way done with that room.

Here at the end of the day, the flooring is complete on the first floor of the Depot. Also they've cleaned the floor in the lounge and bathroom and are putting glue down. We are asked not to go in there this evening or we might have to stay forever!

The crew is moving all of their tools and materials to the second floor. This same flooring goes in the second floor of the Depot. Then they'll lay a vinyl material of the same maple style in the Lounge and rest room.

A window guy is here working on loose molding. There'll be some other glass guy later to replace some of the glass upstairs.

Very warm and windy today but it isn't impacting their work day since the workers are inside.

Air conditioning units rewired

Report and photo by Dennis Casebier

The electrician arrived mid-morning and did some rewiring of control boxes by the air conditioning units on the west side of the Library/Depot.

Flooring delivery and plumbing leak

Report by Dennis Casebier

The flooring guys, led by Jim O'Connor, were here before noon. They dropped off a bunch of flooring (apparently not all of it) and then departed for Laughlin. They said they'd be back Wednesday morning with the rest of the flooring to do the job.

The plumber came in some time this morning. He found a leak. It was in a pipe that got punched with a nail during some of the finish work around the toilet. It's now been fixed. The plumber adjusted the pressure in the pump house to 56 pounds.

Very hot in Goffs today. 110 degrees at 3:30 PM on the west porch.

Rain gutters and bollards

Report and photos by Dennis Casebier

The rain gutter guys (three of them) showed up this morning. Jo Ann and I were just leaving for a quick business trip into town. I figured they would still be here when we got back at about 2:00 PM, but they were gone already. Hugh reports the job took about four hours. So the gutters are all in place.

Also, Dan Cordova and a helper were here this morning finishing up the bollards they started yesterday. These are metal posts designed to prevent people from driving their vehicles into the new building.

The plumber is expected to be back on Saturday of this week to fix a leak that has developed in one of the walls.

Dan is picking off the few remaining tasks. The last big one will be to put the flooring down and I understand that is to be done next week.

We are nearing completion.

Painting the handicapped parking

Report and photo by Dennis Casebier

Dan Cordova and crew are here preparing to paint the the handicapped parking area with the appropriate blue and white emblems. They will also install curb stops and yellow-painted bollards to protect the building.

The flooring contractor, Jim with Hardesty Custom Floors, will be stopping by on Saturday to drop off some of the flooring to be installed next week, starting Wednesday. After that, Dan will be back to install the baseboard and the painter will be back to touch-up everything.

Flag Day and the loading dock at 1 day old

Photo by Dennis Casebier

Loading dock poured and stamped

Report and photos by Dennis Casebier

Today was the fullest day around the construction site we've had in quite awhile.

The concrete man Craig Merriam, his deputy Jody, and his wife Terry, spent the night at Goffs in anticipation of arrival of a concrete truck by 5:00 AM.

The concrete truck arrived on time. Craig & Co. soon had it lined up with the loading dock forms alongside the Freight House and began dumping from the nine yard load. Even prepared as we were for this special load, it it was surprising to see brown-colored concrete coming down the chute!

Soon the sun was up and the temperature was rising. Also there was a dry breeze blowing out of the north. That meant it was a race against time for the concrete crew to get the material laid down, smoothed out, and finished. This was particularly challenging today because once smoothed out, the crew went back over the entire surface with a special stamping form that left the imprint of wood texture.

This involved hard work pounding the form into the hardening surface. A real race against time as the concrete was setting up due to the increasing air temperature and lowering humidity. But the crew was equal to the task and finished their imprinting with a little time to spare. But, it was very hard work.

There followed the cleaning up. Then, just before departing, they removed all the hardware that held the forms in place revealing the loading dock in its final form. It looks great!

Meanwhile, the electrician arrived mid-morning and did some rewiring of control boxes by the air conditioning units on the west side of the building.

Parking slab poured

Report and photo by Dennis Casebier

The concrete truck came in a little before 5 AM and we didn't catch it. The truck poured the handicapped parking slab and also the small slabs "stoops" outside each door.

There will be just one more truck tomorrow. It will be carrying the colored concrete for the loading dock. Today's concrete crew are Craig and Jody. They'll be staying overnight in our trailers to deal with the concrete truck tomorrow morning.

Also Dan Cordova is here. He's installing grab rails in the restroom. He says the electrician will be here tomorrow to hook up the air conditioning units.

Plumbing wrap up

Report and photo by Dennis Casebier

Plumber Tim Henry arrived this morning at about 10:30 AM. He plans to be here only about an hour and a half after which he'll have the plumbing all done. I believe he has a toilet with him, so maybe we'll be able to perform a test flush in our new building!

Fierce wind in Goffs today.

Intrusion alert system installed

Report by Dennis Casebier

Dave Mongrain of security firm, Alarm Team, has been here working on the security system. He'll be leaving here shortly. He has the intrusion alert system all hooked up. We did a dynamic test of the big alarm that goes off if someone intrudes.

Concrete plans

Report and photo by Dennis Casebier

I met this morning with building inspector Steve Given and concrete subcontractor Craig Merriam. Mr. Given went over the loading dock plans with Craig and they have reached agreement -- so Craig can proceed.

Craig said he was originally figuring to have concrete up here Monday but he's looked ahead with the weather and says the wind is supposed to be blowing so he likely won't figure on meeting that schedule. He plans to pour Tuesday or Wednesday of next week, depending upon the weather

Craig says he'll be back tomorrow to finish up his preparations.

Loading dock forms constructed

Report and photo by Dennis Casebier

General Contractor Dan Cordova and a couple of guys were here all day working on odds and ends.

Cement sub-contractor Craig Merriam was here with crew working on forms and putting in rebar for "flat work," which are the handicapped parking area, sidewalks and the forms for the loading dock.

It was on the cool side today and very windy out of the west.

Flatwork begins

Report and photo by Dennis Casebier

Cordova and crew are here this morning. His crew is busy finishing installation of cabinets in the Lounge.

The concrete man, Craig Merriam, has come in with his crew to get started on the final "flat work" such as the parking pads, sidewalks, stoops, and loading dock.

I reviewed progress with Dan Cordova. The bottom line is that he'll be nearly done by the end of next week. Yet to do;

The air conditioning guy will be in with his equipment that goes outside on the slab later this week. The electrician will come in after him to hook up the A/C equipment up. Preparations for the final concrete work is in progress.

The building inspector is scheduled to be here Thursday to approve plans for the loading dock.

It is going to be another warm day in Goffs. It was well over 90 degrees yesterday and today looks like a repeat.

Lounge cabinets arrive

Report and photo by Dennis Casebier

Dan Cordova arrived this morning at about 8:00 AM with two of his sons as crew. They have brought the cabinets for the Lounge. They plan to unpack and install them today.

Day says the concrete man will be here tomorrow to begin on the flat work for the parking area, sidewalk, and stoops.

Dan is closing in on the job. There will be some waiting for the arrival of the special order flooring material.

Let there be light!

Report by Dennis Casebier

Yesterday evening after dark, we looked over towards the Library/Depot and beheld a wonderful thing - it was lighted up!The electrician had gone home and turned the outside lights on - there's a lamp by each door.

Jo Ann and I went over to turn the lights out. Of course we walked all around the building turning other lights on. They all work! And what wonderfu light it is. We're going to have really good light to work by.

This morning I had the pleasure of showing a reporter from the Needles Desert Star through the building. It "shows" very well.

Then at about noon today, Hugh and Carol Brown showed up so we got to go play with the lights again. It appears the building is fully electrified. All the electrician will have to come back for is to hook up the outdoor A/C units when they get installed.

Next is making arrangements to get the security system completed, install the cabinets in the lounge, install the flooring, and lay the concrete flat work around the building.

There is light in the end of the tunnel!

Flourescent light fixtures are up

Report by Dennis Casebier

Two electricians were here much of today. Jo Ann and I inspected progress later in the day. The flourescent light fixtures are up in most places. The "on/off" wall switches seemed to be mostly in place. At least one wall plug was "hot" as there was a glow light illuminated at the end of an extension cord. The building is coming to life and is expected to be pretty much electrified by the day-after-tomorrow.

Electrical fixture installation begins

Report by Dennis Casebier

Fred Compton the electrician arrived this morning at about 9:00 AM. He says he plans to be here through Thursday and sometime during that period he'll "power up" the new building. The electrical will be mostly done then except for a quick trip out after the lounge cabinets and the air conditioning are installed.

Quiet week and rain

Report by Dennis Casebier

No work on the Library/Depot the last couple of days. Next week should be exciting. I'm understanding the electrician will be back to install the fixtures, and then we'll be able to power up! Things are moving along.

We did have a special blessing today in the form of RAIN! It has been cloudy for a couple of days and the air got especially cool last night. It looked like rain all day and then we had thunder and lightning beginning at about 3:15 PM.

We closed the breakers on the deep well pumps to lessen the chance of damage to them. Then here came the rain. It was a nice little rain; I would guess at least a quarter and maybe a half inch. It was over in about half an hour. First rain we've had since January, I think.

Painters finishing up

Report by Dennis Casebier

Painter Brandon Bates and at least two of his workers in two pickups arrived at 7:30 AM this morning. Brandon says they'll be here today and tomorrow and then gone until the floors are down and the baseboards are installed. Then they'll come back to touch up the baseboards.

Looks like another hot day.

Roof braces and painters

Report and photos by Dennis Casebier

The painters have been here all week. They plan to finished the major interior work by this coming Monday. They have finished three coats (one primer and two finish coats) on the entire inside. They are working on detail work now.

After next Monday they'll have to come back one time to do touch up on the base boards after the floors are laid. The painting crew, under Brandon Bates, includes the following: Steve Pout, Gary Davenport, Larry Davis, David Therrian, Richard Hernandez, Kevin Sperbeck, and Marco Rodriquez.

Dan Cordova's crew has been here several days mostly installing the braces on the roof overhangs, a feature that gives the building part of its distinctive appearance.

With the painting done, the electrician may be back this coming week to install all the fixtures. Then we can "power up."

Roof braces installed

Report and photos by Dennis Casebier

The painters are here. They got the first of two finish coats applied on the interior of the Library/Depot.

Mr. Cordova was here with a small crew this morning and into the afternoon. He won't be back personally now until early next week, but his crew will continue working on the roof braces.

Warm here today - we hit 100 degrees on the front porch. No wind this morning but it came up this afternoon.

Interior painting prep work

Report and photos by Dennis Casebier

The paint crew has been at work preparing the interior of the Library/Depot for painting. They haven't started painting yet. They're just getting ready.

Trimming the windows

Report by Dennis Casebier

General Contractor Dan Cordova and crew arrived early this morning and have been out there working in the building all day.

They have trim around the windows, the wainscot, or chair rail, in place in the fist floor of the depot, and much of the crown molding is installed.

Mr. Cordova reports they plan to be here through Friday and have the interior ready for painting, which should commence the beginning of next week.

Door hardware and trim installed

Report and photos by Dennis Casebier

After a break of a couple of weeks, general contractor Dan Cordova and his crew of four are back early this morning on the job. They labored much of the day putting trim on doors, installing some new doors, and installing door knobs, etc. They left this afternoon returning to Yucca Valley.

Also, they are installing moulding around windows and doors and crown moulding around the top of the walls in some rooms. This will prepare the building for interior painting. They'll be back tomorrow. Their goal is to have the interior ready for painting which could begin a week from today.

Beautiful day today. The temperature was about 80 degrees with very little wind.

Water pressure system installed

Report and photo by Dennis Casebier

Tim and Alfonzo of Eagle Well Drilling and Pump Service showed up at 7:30 AM this morning and were here all day. They finished up at almost dark this evening. The pressure tank and booster pump system is completely installed.

A decision was made to reduce the number of pressure tanks from four to three. This was mainly due to the amount of space in the Pump House. Then, there was a mishap towards the end of the installation.

The system was fully pressurized when a union gave way inside the Pump House and Wooooosh! All of the water from the pressure tanks was released into the Pump House. Quite a mess. It took them a couple of hours to recover from that.

Looking forward, it is anticipated that general contractor Dan Cordova and his subconractors will recommence work on the Library/Depot this coming week.