Introducing Alex and the Project To Date

Good Day!

To those who do not know me, I am Alex Dahlgren, the design/builder that has been working with MCHS for the past two years on the development of the school project. I have been invited to participate in the MCHS blog so that it may be easier for the many interested folks to follow along with the work and progress on the project. Check back often for updates and photos of the work. I would remind everyone that construction sites are by their very nature dangerous places. As such, we must request that no one enter the job site without a board member as an escort.

Now on the to fun part.

As you can see below the steel has been installed in the trenches and is ready for the inspection by the City of Dallas Building Inspectors. That has been requested for Monday 9/8/08. Fingers crossed, we will pass and be ready to pour concrete mid-week. You may click the thumbnail to see the full sized image.

We have also completed the rough plumbing (everything that goes below the ground) and it has passed the city inspection process. This has been done for the addition as well as the complete reconfiguration of the school interior. All the old plumbing has been removed from the system so everything the school will be using is brand new. Once that was complete inside the existing building, we doweled the concrete slab and poured new concrete.

In the image above you can also how great the windows are in the walls facing the Nature Area. With a little judicious trimming, that view is going to be spectacular.

The exterior windows (yes there are interior windows) have all been ordered as have the exterior doors. The cubbies for the class rooms are well underway with one classroom's set being completed. These are being built by our cabinet maker and once they are complete, we will have him begin on the cabinetry for the classrooms, offices and the library.

The heavy steel is ordered and we will be doing some serious steel demolition this week. This will make the interior of the existing building easier to imagine when combined with the interior wall layout and construction that is also now occuring

That's all for now. More later.

Alex

"The best for the smallest...." Maria Montessori

After years of legwork and planning, and despite many setbacks, Montessori Children's House & School renovations are underway! It is with great excitement that we bring our latest progress to you, the parents of current, past, and future students. We also warmly welcome those alumni who are now old enough to search the web for themselves (some of whom have children of their own!) to the first MCHS - renovation blog.

We are excited to be adding a new classroom and an entirely new wing that will hold our Before and After Care (BAC) room, after school enrichment classroom, and nap room. In addition, the entire building has been gutted and all the classrooms will have new bathrooms and kitchen space. The reception area will be large and open. Our administrator, Christa, will have a beautiful new office, and the guides (teachers) will have a lounge.

Finally, we will have a building that is as stellar as our school's reputation! We know everyone is curious, so we will keep you up-to-date with photos so you can see what's happening. Keep checking back for new photos as we post them!

Remember, MCHS is currently a construction site and it is imperative for safety reasons that NO ONE go down the driveway. You can view the construction from the Abrams Road sidewalk above the school if you really need a first-hand look at the progress.