Today I received some long-awaited news - we have been granted "Partial Plan Approval" for the First National Building. All that means is that we can BEGIN work but we can't FINISH until the Plans Examiner is satisfied with the details and specifications of the new systems being installed. I still have work to do but at least we can get started!
Dumpster will be delivered tomorrow. Contractors arrive later this week! The excitement is growing!
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A short note to explain the silence over the last two months. We received a surprise when the Bureau of Building Code Compliance (aka "the State") required us to install a monitored fire alarm system in the building (March 10). We spent a month designing and pricing said system - estimates ranged from $9,000 to $20,000. We decided that the cost to install plus the perpetual maintenance and monitoring costs were not acceptable for the viability of the project. So we spent the next month re-designing and coordinating to comply with the Building Code as the State required.
Honestly, I could not bring myself to type a sad and frustrating update about going back to the drawing board AGAIN. I would rather trudge quietly through and celebrate on the other side.
We submitted for Building Permit on May 7, the Village received the Grant Funds on May 12, we close on the loan May 21. It's been a busy month - it will be a busy Summer and Fall! Thank you, Father, for the patience and perseverance to see this project to this point. Please help me to carry it through!
I'm curious about the specifics of the redesign to comply with fire alarm requirements…is the use/occupancy changing?
ReplyDeleteNo, we are keeping the occupancy the same. See the February 21, 2014 post for more detail but suffice it to say that we wanted to replace the existing rear stairs. The occupant load of the building is too great for open stairs and, since we are replacing the old, the whole stair needed to be enclosed. The new plan includes the enclosed stairs so that we don't have to make the long-term investment in a monitored fire alarm system.
ReplyDeleteThanks for checking in!