Last of the Structural Steel Erected

The remaining roof trusses will be installed starting Tuesday, 2 January.

Window Installation Begins

Final, Final Grading

The excavation contractor completes grading and the spreading gravel. The parking lot can now be used for church activities. The last of the structural steel has not yet arrived, but fabrication was done this week. Hopefully it will arrive next week. Window installation will commence either tomorrow or Monday.

Final Grading

The excavation contractor is bringing our new parking lot to final grade level and will spread gravel in preparation for paving. The windows are scheduled to arrive next week as are the replacement steel beams for the drive through. The county approval of the building structure is expected this week. Passing this inspection will allow us to proceed to completion.

Another Delay On Completing the Drive Through

The structural engineer for our Family Life Center project (Alliance in Richmond) has determined that the steel beams that run between the building and the new steel support columns must meet the original design specifications. This means the re-designed beams that are currently on site must be replaced. This will delay completion of the drive through while new beams are ordered and fabricated. The upside is the drive through will be very strong. The downside is it will take longer to complete.

Sidewalks Poured

The sidewalks are almost complete. The parking lot still needs to be graded to its final contours. This is why some of the sidewalk sections currently appear to be too low. Plumbing, electrical, heating and air conditioning work continues inside the building.

Curbs and Gutters Going In

The curbing and gutters for the new parking lot have been poured. Final grading and the laying of gravel will commence soon. This will permit us to start using part the new parking area prior to asphalt paving.

Last of the Steel Arrives

The structural steel posts that replace the masonry ones in the drive through are now on site. Erection of the remaining steel and completion of the drive through will commence as soon as the grading and cement contractors complete the curbs and sidewalks.

Steel Spaghetti

The electrician has been busy running the flexible conduit that houses the Family Life Center electrical cables. This photo is taken outside the area that will eventually contain the main power panel.

Work Moves Inside

The exterior brick and the roof are essentially finished with only the drive through remaining. We are awaiting delivery of the additional steel beams needed to replace the masonry columns that have been taken down. Work has moved inside the building with plumbing, electrical and heating/air conditioning contractors hard at work. The grass is starting to come up in the area of the storm drain outlet. This will stabilize the soil to reduce the chance of another washout like we experienced with Tropical Storm Ernesto

First Shiloh Expansion

The first expansion to Shiloh can be seen in this old aerial photo. This project created the existing fellowship hall. It is shown under construction.

Roofers Back on the Job

A two-man crew repairs damage to the roof from tropical storm Ernesto. The full crew is scheduled to return tomorrow and begin installation of the shingles.

Starting Point

While we focus on the completion of the new family life center, it is worthwhile to remember where we started. The photo shows Shiloh Baptist Church as it stood in 1958, a few years after being rebuilt due to tornado damage and before the two (soon to be three) expansions.

Construction Resumes!

Today the county inspected and approved the site work items that caused the hold on construction. This effort took much longer than expected due to damage caused by tropical storm Ernesto. The torrential rainfall washed out part of the storm drain system, repair of which extended the schedule. Work has now resumed on the building.

Finishing Up Storm Drain System

DeBernard Construction puts finishing touches to the the storm drain system. The remaining activity is to construct the poured concrete flume, which will carry away the storm water and prevent erosion. That effort is expected to complete after the Labor Day Holiday.

Site Work Proceeding

DeBernard Construction expects to complete the site work required by the county on Wednesday, August 30th so that work can resume on the new building. Progress has been slower than expected due to an old nemesis - unsuitable soil. A small area of old fill had to be replaced in order to finish the storm drain system. In the photo the new fill is being laid and compacted.

Construction Delayed

Work on the Family Life Center has halted until our new excavation contractor completes several site work items required by the county. The new excavator is DeBernard Construction, who is now under contract. DeBenard is expected to start work as early as tomorrow and we expect construction to resume on the building by next week.

Our builder, JH Batten, changed excavation contractors due to performance issues with the original contractor.

The Big Picture

Here is the new Family Life Center shown next to the sanctuary. The shingles are stacked on the roof ready for installation. According to rumor the roofer is waiting for some cooler weather before starting. In the meantime the plumber has started to install the overhead piping.

Almost Ready for Shingles

Most of the roof structure is complete. The masons are making good progress in applying the exterior brick. The roof over the drive-through will be delayed due to a design change, which will add more steel. That steel will not arrive for about a month. This delay will not affect work on the rest of the building. The second photo is taken inside the new fellowship hall from Todd Brinklow's new sound booth. It should put to rest any concerns about whether the new fellowship hall is large enough.

What a Difference a Week Makes!

The Kitchen/Bathroom area and the Fellowship Hall are under roof. Only the Chapel area remains uncovered. The steel beams that support the cover over the drive through should go up next week allowing the final section of roof to be completed. Notice in the second photo that the masons are back and laying the exterior brick.

Framing Completed

The framing team has completed framing of the exterior and interior walls so the layout of the Family Life Center is now fully apparent. The first photo shows the walls of the chapel with the wrap around handicap ramp. The second photo shows the new kitchen. The third shows the exterior walls, which are ready to receive the roof trusses. The trusses are now scheduled to be set in place starting Monday.

Stained Glass Window Update Two

We have received interest from Shiloh members in donating a total of four stained glass windows. The builder is sending information for us to select the final designs and colors. Our intention is to install two of them in the left two openings in the existing wall shown in the photo. The rightmost window will be replaced with a door. The remaining two stained glass windows will be installed in the chapel. The floor of the chapel can be seen in the area surrounded by the handicap ramp and the stairway seen in the photo.

Framing - Finally!

We lost almost two weeks due to weather, holidays and scheduling issues, but the framing crew has started at last. The remaing outside walls of the Family Life Center are of frame construction with brick exterior. They are now starting to go up. The crane is scheduled for Thursday to commence installation of the roof trusses, which have been on-site for some time.

Inside the New Family Life Center

Now that the block walls are up the layout of the building is taking form. This photo is taken from the front door and shows the framing for the large windows in the rear of the Fellowship Hall. The opening at the left rear is the hallway to the bathrooms and the pass through to the new kitchen.

Masons Laying Last of the Block

Now that the steel beams and posts are in place the masons are completing the last of the block walls. Next week the framing crew will begin construction of the framed walls.

Stained Glass Window Update

At the 6 June 2006 Shiloh Business Meeting the church voted to advertise that we were seeking donations to purchase stained glass windows to go where the old nursery windows are now. The stained glass windows would be given as a memorial, just like the existing ones in the sanctuary. The price is approximately $2,500 apiece. The first announcement was made in last Sunday's bulletin and two families responded with interest in donating windows. So it appears that we will be getting these windows. If additional families are interested, it would be possible to put two more stained glass windows in the chapel.

Steel Going Up

The structural steel beams are being set in place. This will be completed tomorrow and then the masons can return and lay the remaining concrete block. The framing and truss installation is expected to commence next week.

More Progress

Progress Restarted

The masons are back on the job full force with a 14 man crew. The exterior walls of the new chaple section are complete and the remaining walls are well started. The block work is expected to complete by next week so the structural steel (seen in second photo) and roof trusses can be installed.

View Through the Foyer Window

The interior of the Fellowship Hall takes shape as the block walls go up.

Stained glass windows anyone? The architect has suggested that instead of bricking up the two windows (seen at the left side of the existing building) that we instead install stained glass windows. The stained glass windows would be lighted from behind. This existing exterior wall becomes an interior exposed-brick firewall in the new building. We have asked the builder to quote us a price, which will be posted when available. We will then offer families the opportunity to donate one or both windows. Here is a way to create a beautiful memorial to a loved one, just like the existing stained glass windows in the sanctuary.

Walls Start to Rise

The masons have begun laying the interior walls. Next week they will begin on the exterior walls.

Masons Back on the Job

The masons have returned and have started to brick up the openings in the wall between the old nursery and the Family Life Center. Once this work is completed they will begin laying the block for the exterior walls of the new building

Slab Poured

The concrete slab that is the floor of the Family Life Center has been poured. The concrete workers are finishing up and making way for the masons.

Rain Delays Pour of Slab

The under-slab plumbing and electrical work is complete and has passed county inspection. The amount of rain we received in recent days will require us to wait a bit before we pour the slab. This will give the soil time to dry out so the moisture won't be trapped under the concrete floor of the new building.

Don't Forget the Memory Bricks

Mike Rose holds up the Memory Brick purchased in honor of Mary Burnley Owens. Memory Bricks will be set in the walkway to the new building, creating a lasting memorial to those whose names are inscribed on them. All brick proceeds go towards the new building construction cost. If there is enough interest, we may establish a series of memory bricks using the recently discovered bricks from the original Shiloh Church building. Please see Mike if you wish to purchase a brick.

New Bathrooms Almost Ready

Well - The drains for the new bathrooms are ready. The next step is to fill the inside of the foundation with gravel and rebar in preparation for pouring the slab. That pour is scheduled for next week. The gravel mountain shown below will be partially used for the under-slab gravel. The remainder will be used to surface a temporary parking area where the new parking lot will be located.

Old and New

No it is not Jim Rodante who is old, but the brick he is holding. Jim is the JH Batten site superintendent. He discovered a cache of bricks during excavation of the footings for the new building. These bricks are old and of a size that pre-date the current buildings at Shiloh. More of them can be seen at his left. It is believed these bricks are from the original church that was destroyed in the tornado in 1948. Jim placed one of them in the concrete as it was being poured for the Family Life Center foundation - thus ensuring that a bit of the oldest building is part of the newest one.

Plumbers Lay Building Drains

The plumbing crew lays the main drain line for the Family Life Center. The electricians are also on site installing under-floor conduit for our electrical and audio systems.

Masons Finish Foundation

The masons lay the brick facing on the foundation. This completes this phase. Starting Monday the electrician and plumber will install the under-slab conduit and piping so that the building slab can be poured.