WEEKLY CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
In an effort to keep the public updated on the progress of completion of the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, a weekly summary of activities expected to occur in the weeks to come is presented.  As always, questions can be forwarded to either Executive Director Chuck Still at (860) 510-5000 or Town Hall Restoration Building Committee Chairman Roland Laine at (860) 395-3127.

Week of January 12th through January 19th, 2009
Happy New Year to everyone!  This is the year of the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center!  Over the holidays, contractors were able to get some work done, but we’re still in a holding pattern – but not for long!  Unfortunately, fewer photographs are included in this report in that, although work continues to get accomplished, some of the smaller details being completed are not as visible as work conducted on the larger features of the Center:

Transformer Installation.  The major obstacle to most of the remaining interior work and to a realistic estimate of a completion date from Netsch Construction is the installation of the transformer and the commencement of heating inside the building.  As of Tuesday, January 13th, the transformer is on-site and CL&P workers were continuing the week-long process of transformer installation (see photo).  With good weather, the installation should be completed by the end of the week (ice storms create situations where CL&P personnel are called away to other areas in the northeast to repair infrastructure).  With the fine tuning of the furnace and heating system, heat may be on in the building by the middle of the week of January 19th.  Then the interior work begins in earnest!

Interior Work.   Much of the hanging of sheet rock within the interior has been completed over the holiday period, including the walls leading to the vaulted ceiling in the new south addition second floor lobby.  Once the heat is turned on, the taping and plastering of those walls will commence.  At the same time, the contractors can begin bringing the finish wood trim materials to the site prior to its cutting and installation.  If those wood materials are brought into an unheated environment and installed, the dryer environment of the heated building would cause the shrinking and separation of mitered and cut joints, a situation we do not want to experience, hence the wait.  Again, we try to be patient!

Site Work.    Given that the cold has set in, the site excavation and concrete work will likely wait until spring, which does not create schedule hardships in any way.  It would have just been nice to have that item checked off the list.  We’re told that, with a mid-winter warm-up, there is still an outside possibility of having this work done prior to spring.

Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, CL&P

CL&P and the Transformer Installation
Finally!  This photo was taken Tuesday morning, January 13th and that dark green box on the back of the CL&P truck is what we’ve been waiting for – the Center’s electircal transformer. The transformer is necessary in order to “step down” the power delivered through the CL&P grid to levels that can be used inside the Center.  The cables extending from the hole to the right are those that were pulled from the building to the transformer location via underground conduit pipes several weeks ago.  We’re getting closer folks!  By the way, don’t be surprised if later this week you see one more picture of the transformer actually sitting on its concrete pad!

Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, Color Samples

Although it may not be evident from this rather simple photograph, much deliberation has gone into the finish of the interior of the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center.  The “finishes” committee, as they’re called, have spent literally HOURS deciding on issues from the choice of chairs, carpeting, curtains, shades and interior paint.  In this photo, what is seen are several wall panels painted with different beige and tan finish colors, each labeled with the blue tape.  The purpose of this exercise is to see the effects of the lighting in the facility on the different paint colors.  For the purpose of orientation, the south addition on the Town Green is located opposite this wall with the cinder block elevator core seen through the center (right) window.

Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, Museum Alcove

This photograph shows the rough sheet-rocking of a small portion of what will eventually be the Katharine Hepburn Museum Alcove on the Center’s first floor level where artificacts and memoribilia of Kate’s will be displayed.  Although its hard to tell when under construction, this feature of the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center is one of the most highly anticipated sections of “The Kate”.

Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, Patron's Lounge

This photograph, taken in what will be the Patron’s Lounge on the stage level at the rear of the house (the former coat room in the original building), gives a small indication of how a century old building is retrofitted to allow for the operation of a modern cultural arts center.  In many places throughout the Center, original walls have been opened up in order to run electrical conduit, fire suppression piping, plumbing, sound system conduits and the like from the first level of the building below to the performance space as well as the attic above.  Due to Building and Fire Code requirements, finding ways to bring these conduits from first level electrical panels, water sources and waste lines through original walls is a huge challenge.  Such challenges include how to run substantially-sized piping through thin walls while at the same time hiding the work and meeting the code requirements.

Photos and text by Torrance Downes, Trustee and Building Committee Member

This entry was posted on Monday, January 12th, 2009 at 2:52 pm and is filed under Construction Updates. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.