WRCC

By Russ Williams

After all the planning, designing, reworking, and preparing, it is really good to tell you that construction of the new auditorium is going well!  Some of the progress has been easy to see – like walls and roof going up – but other work is less obvious.  The steel frame is essentially complete for the main auditorium and the side structures (lobby/kitchen and storage areas), the roof is in progress, the porte-cochere is going up, and site work is in the early stages.  Closer examination shows that ductwork for HVAC is going in, electrical wiring is being installed, the sprinkler system is mostly finished, the stage is being framed up, and windows are started.  All in all, the building is progressing nicely.

The framing has gone together well and our contractor has confirmed that we have a very solid building.  As you know, we focused design around acoustics and included stringent requirements about wall stiffness, connector security, and wind load.  That resulted in a lot of concrete and steel for a structure with our size and shape.  Based on his experience, our construction site supervisor believes we have succeeded in our goal; the building should be very stable and provide a quiet, controlled atmosphere.

As we move forward, you will see more windows go in, the roof will be completed, and the outside walls will be finished (covering what our preschool kids call “the big yellow school building”).  On the inside, work on all the components will continue.  We will install new windows in the existing building to help tie the new and existing structures together (the new windows will also provide energy savings).  

Speaking for the Expansion Team and the construction contractor, we appreciate how accommodating the congregation has been through construction.  Parking, access to the building, dust, and appearance of our site have all been a hindrance; but our members and visitors have worked around the obstacles and remained focused on our goal – reaching more people in our community.  The next few months will continue the excitement of construction.  Please keep the project in your thoughts and prayers as we move toward completion.