If you have been following our progress reports, you know that
significant work has been completed to date. All of the split-faced
concrete block walls have been erected around the storage room
at the south end of the main gymnasium floor and on the north
and south ends of the rest rooms. The split-faced block matches
the one used in the Saint Elizabeth Seton Church and office
buildings. Carpenters have framed the restroom walls and defined
inner rooms within the storage area.
The first delivery of steel beams and columns was unloaded
on April 16th and staged for placement by the crane. The steel
erection began on Tuesday, April 22nd. The steel frame for the
gymnasium building will take about three weeks to complete.
If you are interested, come out to the site this week to watch
how this very delicate work is accomplished with such heavy
equipment.
Before the steel is lifted into place, carpenters attach wooded
plates on the side where wooden framed walls will be connected.
The teams placed a rubber-tired crane onto the concrete floor,
then deployed heavy wooden blocks onto the floor for the hydraulic
outriggers to steady the crane. When readied, the crane picks
up the heavy structural steel from the ground and swings the
I-beams into place. As a column line is completed – two
vertical columns bridged by a beam to form the roof structure
– the crane is moved north a column line and begins work
on the next set.
After the steel frame is in place, wall panels will be fabricated
of steel channel (“C” shaped steel) and shaped wood
studs covered by plywood. Each panel will be welded between
the columns. Eventually, the outer surface will be covered by
a ribbed-steel skin to match the church roof. After electrical
conduit, fire sprinkler pipe, and fiberglass insulation are
installed. The inside surface will be covered with sheet rock.
All of this work requires a coordinated schedule to ensure
each contractor knows when and how to accomplish the work efficiently
(read “quality at lowest cost”). Our general contractor,
TBI from San Jose, and architect, John Miller Architects, deserve
credit for keeping this project on schedule and on budget. We
continue to expect that this project will be completed on time
in November.
For all who continue to contribute prayers and treasure to
this project, we are committed to making the best use of the
resources you share. The last collection for the Pope John Paul
II Activity Center amounted to $39,000. The Catholic Community
of Pleasanton is blessed indeed.
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