Elevator going up!

Renewal construction updates (almost) as they happen, for the week of August 10, 2015.
This past week marked the beginning of the exciting installation of our new elevator.  The three-man crew of factory-trained specialists have already erected the shaft ladder, placed the base of the platform on the lower level and are working away putting all mechanical components in place.  We anticipate that they will be on-site for about four weeks. As you know, our new campus elevator will allow all of us to access the School Wing and all of the Temple programming we know and love, throughout Phase 1 construction. It will be a significant Renewal Project milestone when we commission the new elevator, just before the High Holy Days. After the holidays, we’ll then begin demolishing the current elevator (and the rest of the Ava Road foyer and existing courtyard) and set about creating our beautiful new central Atrium.
In other news, our new fire control panel has been installed and our electrical crew is in the process of transferring our current heat and smoke detection devices to the new panel.  In addition, our electricians installed a series of conduits that run from the lower kitchen through the Ava Road parking lot and out to the street. This will enable new electrical lines and telephone wires to be brought into the building.
Work is almost complete on the new fully accessible men’s and women’s washrooms on the lower level as well as on the new north staircase. Finally, the work in our new temporary Rabbinic and administrative offices on all three floors of the School Wing is almost complete, and we are eagerly looking forward to our big office moving day soon after the High Holy Days.
A reminder that during the High Holy Days, we’ll have full use of our Main Sanctuary, Eisendrath Auditorium and Philip Smith Hall. While we will have reduced space in the Philip Smith Foyer and the Enkin Boardroom, our rabbinic/cantorial team and our lay leaders have been working very hard to schedule available spaces for all services and programs.  And, not to worry … appropriate wayfinding signage will be in place!
For the most up to date photos and video of construction in progress, please click here.