Preparing the ground

After a day of snow, the crew spreads stone on top of the dirt to prepare for the "slab on grade" (meaning the pouring of cement on top of the stone to create the floor foundation- the cement floors of the new basement). The stone also helps with drainage underneath the cement.

Before the cement is actually poured we'll be preparing outside (AND Inside) the library for the structural steel. Our community room and storytime room will be the first to be closed off for the installation of the steel. We are really going to start seeing some big changes over the next 2 months!! Stay tuned!

Waterproofing the Foundation!

Even a few snow flurries can't stop the Men in White! Here we see the crew applying the damp-proofing material. This is a regular part of foundation and backfill operations.

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Pouring the Footings, 2-11-11

The weather hasn't stopped our construction crews from excavating the foundation and building forms for the footings.

It's now Monday, 2-14-11 and the concrete trucks are here, pouring more footings, and forms for the foundation walls are going up!

The sun is out! Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!

Equipment goes to sleep for the night...

January 28, 2011

That's it for today! The equipment is lined up and parked to get some rest for the night. All day the power shovel has been loading up alternating dump trucks with dirt to take away. Now it's time to sleep...

More Foundation Digging, Forms for Footings, 1-28-11

January 28, 2011
The foundation hole is getting bigger every day! Digging is proceeding around the back of the building, and will eventually reach the edge of the parking lot where the bike rack used to be. That area closest to the edge of the parking lot is where the new community room will be located. The soil is very loose and sandy, once they get below the freeze line. Haven't seen any ledge or big boulders come out of the hole yet. The forms for the footings are covered with large plastic tarps overnight for protection.

Marguerite Concrete, Inc. Pours the Footings, Jan. 26, 2011

January 26, 2011
Another snow storm is on the way, and Enterprise continues to dig the foundation in back of the library. While their power shovel is working away, Marguerite Concrete, Inc. trucks are in front, pouring concrete through a tube into the footings forms, see above. The big dirt hole at the top of the photo will be the part of the basement where the Friends of the Library will set up tables to sort books for future book sales. This is only part of the foundation you see. The rest will wrap around the back of the library and end up close to the edge of the parking lot, which is where the new community room will be.

It's 2 Degrees Outside! Enterprise Digs the Foundation

January 24, 2011
It is a FRIGID 2 degrees outside, but Enterprise Builders continue to dig the foundation on the West side of the building by Sunnybrook Drive. Today they are starting form work for the footings. The construction workers are wearing many layers to keep warm. Fortunately, the sun is shining brightly, which may add a little warmth.

Another Snow Storm...January 21, 2011

Last night and into this morning we had another four inches of snow. See above: the power shovel sleeps...It reminds me of a deer sleeping with it's legs tucked up underneath it. The soil inspector arrived this morning to walk the site. Not much is going on this morning.

Digging the Foundation, January 20, 2011

This photo of the beginning of the foundation hole on the Southwest side of the building was taken on Thursday, January 20, 2011. Enterprise Builders started digging the foundation this week, but have had some severe winter weather to deal with. Last week we had about 18 inches of snow, and yesterday we had some snow which turned to sleet and freezing rain, making outside work treacherous. Today the sun is out and work resumed early this morning. Construction equipment has also been compacting the soil over on the opposite side of the parking lot to prevent erosion of loose soil. It creates deep vibrations and at times feels like we are having an earthquake!