Water Tank -- February 7, 2012

The gigantic hole in the ground between Dent and 214 is getting deeper. Maby Bridge and Shore, Inc., is supervising the installation of the shoring which keeps the remaining dirt from falling back in the hole with the potential to injure the workers. We are nearly there! The hole will be deep enough when the shoring is at ground level -- about another three feet to dig.

Chris takes a look to see how much more he has to dig. Chris is our field supervisor and operates the earth moving equipment.

Fire and Life Safety -- January 31, 2012

A strategic objective of the Dent Renovation Project was to install a sprinkler system in the facility. This objective has overcome many obstacles in the road to conclusion. Today the underground water tank that will provide a supplemental source of water should the sprinkler system activate was delivered. One big water bottle.

The installation project -- digging the hole for the tank, shoring it, and piping the water to the pump unit in the Dent School boiler room, and providing an underground cable connection between the two School buildings is in the capable hands of Creative Pipe Fitting Solutions, Inc., Clinton, MD.

The contractor has begun work on the site; the tank will be buried under a section of the side yard play equipment between the Dent Building and the 214 Townhouse.

Site prep well underway. Monarc Construction built housing to protect the air condenser units.

Disassembled play equipment.

The water storage tank awaiting unloading.

Down the alley the tank comes!

The workmen were very careful to avoid the overhead power lines as well as protect the brick from the bulldozer treads.

Level 4 HVAC Units -- January 31, 2012

One of the strategic objectives of the Dent Renovation Project is to improve the heating and air conditioning of the facility. The 4th Floor has received significant emphasis with the installation of R-30 insulation and the design of a high-efficiency unit to both heat and cool. Level 4 will have a brand new, state of the art, system. Today we take delivery of the air handling units that will be installed over the common space in the loft. Just in time!

An intermediate objective will be getting these units up four floors. Clover Contracting has its work cut out.

Level 1 Flooring - January 23, 2012

In the complex web of firms working on the Dent renovation project, Monarc Construction, our general contractor, subbed the flooring to CB Flooring, Columbia, MD. CB in turn subbed to floor preparation to Sub-Floor Solutions, Inc., of Atlanta, GA.

Sub-Floor Solutions, Inc., arrived on site Friday, January 20th and informed Monarc that all of the existing leveling materials on Level 1 needed to be removed so the moisture barrier could be installed directly on the original concrete flooring. The material that Sub-Floor planned to use to seal the floor would have caused the layers of leveling agents that have been added over the years to deteriorate with the result that the moisture seal would have failed.

The exercise resembled an archaeological dig. The Monarc crew found wood supports for abandoned steam lines from the original heating system, areas where there was but a concrete skim over dirt, and in other areas several layers of leveling material.

Today, Monday, the floor is sealed and the crew from Sub-Floor will pour the material that will result in a flat surface on which the finished flooring can be installed.

The layers of leveling agent that had to be taken up. This product was most likely that which was installed several years ago by Dominion Floors, Inc., Arlington, VA, when the School removed the Pergo flooring in Level 1 corridors and installed simulated oak linoleum.

Below the leveling agent, shown above, is some of the original concrete covering the wood framing for the steam piping.

Photo: Courtesy of Mark Bellingham, Monarc Construction

A portion of the Level 1 flooring subsurface removed by the Monarc crew.

The hardworking team from Sub-Flooring Solutions, Inc.

The shiny new moisture barrier.

The shiny new moisture barrier.

South Carolina Avenue Furniture Showroom - August 25, 2011

With a large portion of the Dent Renovation Building Project under contract our design team has begun to look at new furniture for the beautiful space we will soon occupy.

Paul Johnson, PJ and Company, the School's long-time furniture supplier, and Carmen Braun, Marketing Manager, VS America, Inc., presented their line of school and office furniture to us. Carmen's van was loaded with samples which she displayed and we tested on South Carolina Avenue's sidewalk -- a beautiful showroom.

Jason Gray, Head of School, Kelly Young, Operations Manager, and Robin McGrew, cox graae + spaak architects, dutifully took each item of furniture for a short test drive.

Voice and Data Communications

The School's telephone and data "frame room" in the Dent Building will be temporarily housed in the adjacent townhouse, 214 South Carolina Avenue, SE. Our long-time telephone partner, Clear Connections, Inc., is moving the mainframe and rewiring 214 to provide handset and data drops for the administrative and instructional support staff that will be relocated to the adjacent space. Dave and Tyrone are the men on the job. Ben was here earlier this week. Fortunately these gentlemen have the patience that working in our wonderful old buildings requires so they can get the job done. The cable lines in 214 are a work in progress!

We anticipate making the big "switch" from one building to another early in the week of June 27th.

Garfield Park Play Equipment

Designed for Fun, Inc., our local representative for the Berliner Seilfabrik play equipment located in the center of Garfield Park, arrived today to complete some long-overdue repairs. Brett Haddaway and his son Dave started to install new webbing on the very popular "Yellow." Tomorrow they will replace the "Funnel." They will also check all the fasteners, replace frayed ropes, and correct tension in the remaining equipment to make sure that it continues to be safe for the children (and adults!) of our community and School.

Capitol Hill Day School maintains the play equipment in coordination with the Friends of Garfield Park to provide our Capitol Hill community with safe, inviting, and rewarding outdoor recreational opportunities.