RWG Progress Updates
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Below are ongoing progress updates for the Calvary expansion project from Elder Bill Bailey, RWG Building Committee Chair.
AUGUST 2024
AUGUST 29 — Praise God that four new classrooms in the RWG expansion have been completed and approved for use in time for the start of the Calvary Christian Academy 2024-25 school year on August 14. The elementary-grade students love the new rooms, especially the big windows that provide natural light and a great view of RWG construction!
The exterior façade of the new building is almost complete, and dry-in of the interior has been achieved. Drywall and interior finishing work are now proceeding at a rapid pace. Repairs to the original Galleria wall and skylight are also proceeding well. When this overhead work is completed, grading of the new patio, plaza, and handicapped parking lot will begin.
The renovation of the Rea Road Concourse is nearing completion, as work to install new LED lights, apply fresh paint, and touch up the wood trim is now finished. The installation of new carpeting began this week, and the renovation of the Highway 51 Concourse and the Sanctuary lobby will start soon.
Please continue to pray for the safety of the workers and for the remaining work to be completed with excellence before our Christmas season events.
JULY 2024
JULY 9 — Edifice, Inc., our general contractor, continues to make good progress on the Reach Welcome Grow project.
The first two floors of the classroom expansion are nearing completion, as carpeting, ceiling tiles, and cabinetry are being installed. The temporary walls on those floors will be removed the week of July 15 so that corridor carpeting, drywall, ceiling grids, and tiles can be refreshed. This work should be completed in early August, in time for the start of the 2024–25 school year at Calvary Christian Academy.
The remainder of the project is proceeding at a steady pace. Window frames and glass have been installed in the new Café, Main Entry, Galleria classroom, and Prayer Room, and the exterior stone façade is now being laid. Interior framing for all of these spaces is now complete, as are the rough-ins for the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. The two new elevators have been built and are now being tested and adjusted.
Due to unanticipated issues with rainwater leakage into the existing Galleria wall, full project completion is now projected to be in November.
Please continue to pray for the safety of the workers, for diligence and excellence in the construction, and for good stewardship of the resources the Lord has provided. May He be glorified as we reach out and welcome visitors into our expanded campus this Christmas season.
MAY 2024
MAY 28 — By God’s grace, work on the Reach Welcome Grow project continues to proceed according to plan. The structural steel is now complete, the exterior shell of the entire project is in place, and workers are busy installing mechanical, plumbing, and electrical infrastructure throughout the facility. New glass has been installed in the upper portions of the existing Galleria to match the glass that will be installed in the RWG elements starting in early June. Framing of the large columns in the main entry and café is nearly complete, and workers are beginning to install drywall panels in the classroom expansion adjacent to the CCDC wing.
Please continue to pray for the safety of the workers, for diligence and excellence in the construction, and for good stewardship of the resources the Lord has provided.
APRIL 2024
APRIL 28—The structural steel and exterior framing are nearly finished! The concrete floors and exterior shell of the classroom expansion are complete, and the installation of plumbing, electrical, and mechanical infrastructure is proceeding well. Interior walls and the components for the new elevators are being installed. The exterior framing for the Café, main entry Atrium, Prayer Room, and Galleria classroom is nearly complete. Installation of the roof and mechanical systems to provide heating and cooling are underway. Work to renovate the Sanctuary concourses will be starting soon!
From an exterior perspective, the new loop road at the pond has been configured and paved, and islands for the Galleria parking lot have been poured. Additional parking lot configuration work will be performed after that area is no longer needed to temporarily store construction materials.
Due to a number of unanticipated issues, the total project cost is now forecast to be about $12.8 million, which is about 5% above the original $12.2 million RWG budget. Please continue to pray for wisdom and discernment for Calvary and for our partners at ADW Architects and Edifice to manage costs well and be good stewards of the resources the Lord has provided through the generous giving of His people.
We anticipate finishing the first two floors of the classroom expansion in August, in time for Calvary Christian Academy's start of the 2024–25 school year. The remainder of the project will likely not be completed until late October. However, the entire project team is dedicated to finishing the work expeditiously and with excellence so that we can dedicate this new facility to the glory of God sometime in the fourth quarter of 2024.
MARCH 2024
MARCH 28 — Concrete is now in place for the second, third, and fourth floors of the classroom expansion!
Work on the structural steel for the main entry, café, prayer room, and Galleria classroom continues, and good progress is being made. Water intrusion into the existing decorative columns caused corrosion, which had to be remediated by severing the columns and welding replacement metal to the bottom portion of the steel. With that work now complete, the structural steel can be finished!
Roofing installation will begin next week. Then, fireproofing material will be applied to the structural steel and decking in the classroom expansion in preparation for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing rough-ins and interior wall framing.
Please continue to pray for the safety of the workers on site, for good weather, and for wise stewardship of the resources the Lord has provided.
FEBRUARY 2024
FEBRUARY 28 — The structural steel framework for the RWG classroom addition has been completed! Currently, contractors are removing the exterior wall of the original four-story section of the CCDC wing to connect the old and new structures. Steel decking for the classroom floors and building roof is now being installed. Concrete will be poured for the new classroom floors the week of March 11.
Structural steel for the new Café began going up this week, and steel for the main entry, prayer room, and classroom will follow over the next several weeks.
Despite a few rainy days in late January and February, good progress is being made. Please continue praying for worker safety, good weather, wisdom for decisions, and good stewardship of the resources the Lord has provided for this project for His glory!
FEBRUARY 18 — Good progress continues with RWG! The concrete building pad is now in place, and the installation of structural steel has begun. Edifice and their subcontractors are diligently setting columns and beams for the new classrooms, which will continue for the next two weeks. Edifice anticipates beginning the structural steel for the café, main entry, and prayer room the week of February 19. The skeleton of the building will rapidly take shape in March, and daily progress will be much easier to see!
JANUARY 2024
The Reach Welcome Grow (RWG) project is progressing well. After our groundbreaking and dedication ceremony on June 11, 2023, site clearing and excavation began quickly. In late autumn, contractors erected a temporary wall inside the Galleria to shield people from outside construction activities and protect the building from inclement weather.
As of January 4, 2024, the vast majority of underground work on the site has been completed. This includes:
- New lines to transport stormwater runoff from the roof and parking lot to the pond at Campus Entrance 3
- New water and sewer lines to service the Café and classrooms
- New electric service to the RWG building and parking lot lights
- Reinforced concrete footings for the new building columns
Challenges & Successes
The most complex and challenging task in the project — the excavation for and installation of a pit for the two new elevators — was recently completed! This makes way in January and February for the pouring of the concrete building pad and the erection of the structural steel that will serve as the skeleton for the new building.
Curbing and pavement for the new “loop road” at Campus Entrance 3 have been installed, and an attractive stone retaining wall with black fencing now guards the pond and a new sand filter for parking lot rainwater runoff.
Our general contractor, Edifice, Inc., has successfully removed all of the Galleria glass and glass framing to enable a seamless connection of the existing building to the new main entry Atrium, Café, Prayer Room and classroom. One noteworthy activity was the removal of the lower halves of ten masonry spires that were embedded in the original Galleria wall and the insertion of steel beams to support the remaining upper spires. Although difficult and time consuming, this work enabled an iconic feature of the original Galleria design to be retained so that it can be integrated into the new façade of the RWG building.
Scheduling
Our construction schedule has slipped due to unforeseen challenges in several critical pieces of underground work. However, Edifice continues to work towards completion and occupancy of the new classrooms adjacent to the Calvary Child Development Center wing in August 2024, when students from Calvary Christian Academy will return for the 2024–25 school year. The remaining portion of the project — the Café, main entry Atrium, Prayer Room, classroom and Galleria renovation — is currently on track for completion in October 2024.
Funding
Our total project cost budget remains at $12.2 million. Project spending to date is currently tracking with this figure, praise God. Giving for RWG has been strong, reaching $4.4 million as of December 31, 2023. We continue to pray for the Lord to move in the hearts of His people to provide the remaining funds. May He be glorified as we follow His leading to complete this project with excellence.
Get full details about the Calvary Reach Welcome Grow building expansion project HERE.