Walls do not a prison make...but they are helpful when building a library!

Beginning to take shape

Today, they are hard at work preparing the concrete forms that give us a hint of the shape of the library. In the front between two larger sections is a recess that will become our entryway. The sections on either side of this entrance begin to reveal the front of each community room. The large untouched chunk of earth to the left will be greenspace. The concrete footings behind that outline part of the youth area. Behind that (surrounded by orange fencing) is where they are digging out for a basement.

Part of the reason that there will not be a full basement is the abundant slate evident with the excavation. These slate layers heave and shift with changes in the weather. To put in a complete basement floor, the entire slate bed would have to be removed and the material replaced with something more stable. This explains why portions of the old basement had bare slate floor with no moisture barrier instead of a poured floor.

The parking area has been built up more and smoothed. There will still be a downhill slope to the parking area. It will, however, be much less pronounced.

More footers, digging, concrete forms

I thought it prudent to get over to the site before it began raining. The crew was hard at work setting up the forms necessary to begin pouring concret walls. More seems to be dug out from the back and the parking area seems to be rising. Some more footers have been poured since yesterday. I find it very nice to drive by daily and finally see activity and changes in the scenery.

Where do they get those wonderful toys?

Today, they are hard at work taking advantage of this good weather. Forms for the walls are beginning to go up. In the back, they continue to dig out for the basement. The more they dig out the more they can use to grade up the parking area (At least that is my hope). For now, take in these pictures. There will be more to come.

A new week . . .New Pictures

If you look at the back left corner of the site you can see where they have begun digging out the basement. The dirt that they remove will be compacted and used to raise up the parking area. Hope for good weather and we should see changes by leaps and bounds.

Digging, Digging, Will the Rain ever stop???

Although it may look like it, there will be no swimming pool at 319 Chestnut Street. Some major digging has occurred on site just in time for a spring deluge. While getting soaked during the process wasn't very fun, We are happy to have pictures showing noticeable changes in the landscape. They have begun grading the new parking area so that it you can now better see the scope of where things will be. For now we'll ask that you use your imagination as to what the assorted holes, trenches, and forms will become. As we discovery more, we shall share.

What's this, activity at last!!!

I'll admit it, I was too slow today to catch them working, but it certainly appears that someone has been busily moving heavy equipment. Areas are now excavated that were once occuppied. Tantalizing ditches and wooden form have appears as if out of the ether. Trees once stubborn in their defiance are now noticably absent. Could it be the first throws of new construction have officially begun. Return here to find out more information as it develops!!!