Construction Progress Report -- October 25, 2011

Each day more and more of the vision of what the School will look like when construction is complete comes into focus. Today's pictures indicate Monarc's progress as the rooms are framed and the finishing touches are made to the support infrastructure.

The wood structure supports the floor of the Rose Window Room.

This is an excellent shot enabling you to visualize the Head of School's Office. The ladder rests against what will be Jason's office. Note it "floats" in the space between Level 2 and the front doors. The south wall of his office,the one facing the front doors, will be glass. Big brother will be watching! The Registrar's Office will be on the angle on which the scaffolding and two construction workers are located. This "L-shaped" space will be the go-to place in the renovated Dent Building.

The Rose Window space.

An excellent view of the space realized by pulling away one side of the massive interior chimneys.

Photo Credits: Heidi Ruesswick

Pebbles on South Carolina Avenue, SE -- October 25, 2011

Kelly Young, Operations Manager, Capitol Hill Day School, and Phillip Latham, PTSales, check out these "pebbles," small chairs and tables that the School is considering for the foyer on the renovated School's lower level, the early childhood classes.

Funky and fun.

What a wonderful neighborhood -- October 20, 2011

The Monarc Construction crew was on the Dent School roof and took this picture looking towards the Capitol and Washington Monument. Capitol Hill Day School is located in the most beautiful of Washington's neighborhoods is it not?

Photo Credit: Mark Bellingham

Dent Building Framing -- October 19, 2011

Today is a "mark your calendar" kind of day -- the project takes a giant step from destruction to construction with the delivery of the studs to frame the interior walls.

Seeing these huge vehicles navigate our alley on a near daily basis is fascinating. Once they get to the School parking lot the beep-beep-beep of their backup warning system seems of indeterminable length as they maneuver back and forth to come as close to the building as they can to offload construction materials.

214 South Carolina Avenue, SE -- October 19, 2011

The 214 South Carolina Avenue, SE bathroom project is now complete. This bath is on level 2 of the townhouse and is primarily for the 8th Grade homeroom and humanities students.

The design and installation was completed by Stephen Mercer, Mercer Contracting, LLC.

Stephen realigned and added weatherstripping to the building's exterior doors.

Seasonal Greetings from Monarc Construction -- October 19, 2011

The men of Monarc Construction added seasonal touch to their sign in front of the Dent School.

Demo and Steel Wrap-up October 19, 2011

Monarc Construction has finished nearly all the demolition work planned for the interior of the Dent Building. Wow! Do we now have space! Most of the steel has gone in to replace the brick and mortar infrastructure. Today two very long I-beams are being installed in the loft -- one runs from the northeast corner of the building to the center of the great space and the second runs from the southwest corner of the building to the center of the great space. With this installation we can remove several of the former wood supports making the 4th Floor area "support free." It will no longer look like a reconverted attic.

As I have mentioned in several posts over the past few months the most dramatic enhancement to the Dent Building is to the core structure inside the front door running from Level 1, the former Reception Area, through the entrance foyer, stairs to nowhere, and to the Rose Window Room.

The vision is taking shape as you can see in the following pictures:

This picture is taken from Level 1 looking towards the existing front door. The structural steel will support the new entrance foyer and reception area. The structural steel at the higher elevation supports the flooring for the Head of School and Registrar's Offices.

The foyer area is framed and ready for concrete to be poured. The two vertical plywood panels protect the front doors from construction damage. We plan to replicate the terrazzo flooring that was in the original Dent Building.

Looking up towards Level 3 you see the framing to support the Rose Window Room. The space between the steel beams, below, and the wood joists, above, will be offices for the Head of School and the Registrar.

Et Voilà! The Rose Window Room is now level with the rest of Level 3 and the foyer area is substantially wider.

This shot is from the landing in the rear stairwell looking down to the entrance to Level 3. Note all the different patching that has been done over the years as this entrance has been modified. We have moved it again in this project.

This is the west chimney as seen from the library. It is a little wobbly right now and has some temporary support.

With the steel in and the walls buttressed the concrete trucks are delivering load after load to complete the footings and level the floors.