The concrete strike continued-on through the month of January, but great progress continued on the project. Inside the building, the Exxel team applied finish paint colors, rolled-out carpet, and installed wood benches and countertops. At the lower level, the team mounted fiberglass-reinforced panels (FRP) to the walls of the grab-and-go food satiation, while nearby in the multi-purpose room, the acoustical wall panels were painted and mounted to the upper half of the walls around the entire room and assembly began on the telescoping bleacher stands. Aluminum storefront systems at the main entries were installed on the exterior of the building, officially sealing up any remaining holes to the exterior. The team constructed the bio-retention planters, placed steel reinforcement bars, and installed form liners. Hot rubber waterproofing was applied at the south patio, and on the roof, the steel mechanical screen frame was craned-in and bolted together.

February was busy as the team works to complete the project for student occupancy in April. Inside the building, they will install kitchen equipment, apply a final polish on the basement level concrete floor, install of the large folding partition in the Multi-Purpose Room, complete final inspections, and ensure the various building systems are setup correctly for the future users. A big milestone for the interior of the building in February will be the start of the “punch” process, which is a final pass over the various rooms to ensure The Bush School receives a high-quality finished product. On the outside of the building, the composite metal panels will be installed, along with steel canopies at entryways, pavers at the south patio will be set, and solar panels will be craned onto the roof and installed. Sitework will be prepped as much as possible as we continue to wait for the concrete strike to come to an end.