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Construction reporting, week by week, of the work happening between May 2 and November 7, 2011. For earlier reporting see construction archives 2 and construction archives 3.
Contents
- 1 Week of May 2, 2011
- 2 Week of May 9, 2011
- 3 Week of May 16, 2011
- 4 Week of May 23, 2011
- 5 Week of May 30, 2011
- 6 Week of June 6, 2011
- 7 Week of June 13, 2011
- 8 Video for the Week of June 13, 2011
- 9 Week of June 20, 2011
- 10 Week of June 27, 2011
- 11 Week of July 4, 2011
- 12 Week of July 11, 2011
- 13 Week of July 18, 2011
- 14 Week of July 25, 2011
- 15 Week of August 15, 2011
- 16 Week of August 22, 2011
- 17 Week of August 29, 2011
- 18 Week of September 5, 2011
- 19 Week of September 12, 2011
- 20 Week of September 19, 2011
- 21 Week of September 26, 2011
- 22 Week of October 3, 2011
- 23 Week of October 17, 2011
- 24 Week of October 24, 2011
- 25 Week of October 31, 2011
- 26 Week of November 7, 2011
Week of May 2, 2011
Not many pictures this week, but we captured the beauty of our windows on a spring day.
Viewing the clouds Wednesday
Another view of the clouds Wednesday.
Another early bloomer in the alley - woodland phlox.
Week of May 9, 2011
Big week. Work began on the parking lot. The first industrial clean took place. Our first meeting in the 3-season room was wonderful. We acquired our lockers from the Detroit Public School System. And the blooming continued in the alley.
Our first meeting in the 3-season room!
Classic Landscape working on the parking lot Wednesday.
Taking up lanes on 2nd Ave during parking lot work.
The first industrial clean of the building began Monday.
We acquired these lockers from the DPS warehouse.
The serviceberries are beginning to leaf out.
Week of May 16, 2011
As HVAC work continues, bathrooms get finishing touches. Our business gets a big boost from Nick Wetzler (a U of M MBA/Erb Sustainability grad), who'll be working with us a few months on firming up the business plans. A final week of alley plant review and clean-up before planting the pavers next week.
Kirsten working in the alley
Mazus reptans in full bloom
Nick working on our business plans in one of our huddle rooms
Palmer working on our HVAC system
Donated marble was used for the sinks in the women's room
Donated tile seconds were fashioned into a mosaic in the shower
Week of May 23, 2011
Chad was working on designing the furniture for the library and the reception area. Work was finishing on the men's room and the earth room.
Chad worked in one of the 'huddle' rooms on Wednesday
View out a back window over to Motor City Brewing Works
Men's room sink and new paint color
The back of the building on a stormy day
Jesse Gilsbach's boys found a hiding place on Friday!
heladio finished the earth room on Friday.
Week of May 30, 2011
Chad worked on the reception bench this week. Kitchen cabinets came from Craigslist. Big blooming time in the alley.
Chad working on our reception area bench.
Beginnings of the reception bench.
1954 kitchen cabinets came from Troy (found on Craigslist)
Canada anemone blooming in alley.
Mazus reptans continuing to bloom this week.
Eduardo watering the alley on Friday.
Flowering dogwood in our back yard.
These wire vents (for fresh air) came from Acme Wire in Detroit.
Visit from Whole Foods representatives
Week of June 6, 2011
We planted out the front fence plants this week. Our new flag was unveiled.
We planted coreopsis, catmint and boxwoods on Tuesday
Watering our new tree with cistern water
Brendan and Alex hold up our new flag.
Alex and Brendan hold our new flag while Tom Bradley holds the topper.
Week of June 13, 2011
With great fanfare, the flags went up for the first time this week. More planting in the front. Chad's bench was carried from the annex to it home in the reception area.
The alley from the east side, June 16, 2011
Tom Bradley hoisting up the flag.
Peggy and Helen planting out the front last week.
The alley side of the Green Garage in June 2011
Mend (Jason's recycled wood business) meeting today
Carrying our new reception bench from the workshop to the reception area
Video for the Week of June 13, 2011
We hoisted our flag for the first time on Tuesday, and in celebration of the event, Laurie, Marsha and Tom played a great rendition of 'It's A Grand Old Flag' for the group. Book them now for your next event!
Week of June 20, 2011
A big week for water: Drinking fountains went in, as did a kitchen sink. Water dishes were also placed outside for the dogs (it was a hot summer!). Chad began work on the reception desk.
We are repurposing an old gate as an interior screen.
Nick working in the three season room.
Chad working on the reception desk.
Chad cutting out the reception desk.
Not completed yet, but here's a view of our new reception desk made by Chad Dickinson. Next to it is our entryway bench.
We now have dog dishes (water) in the alley.
The front minus the sidewalk.
Taru Lahti made our kitchen sink.
Week of June 27, 2011
New light fixtures went in.Lots of visitors this week. Work continued on the reception desk.
Guests from the Lenawee School District visited Monday. They are doing a net-zero energy building on their campus.
New light fixture for the ceiling.
Finally! The front sidewalk and entrance to our parking lot is going in.
Chad working on the reception desk.
A walk through the front garden.
Caroline watering the front garden.
Kirsten teaching a student from WCCC.
Looking into the workshop.
WCCC students visiting in the alley.
WCCC class tour on stairs.
First cars in our parking lot.
Chad showing off top for reception desk.
A big group for our Friday lunch.
Week of July 4, 2011
Prime garden beauty week brought a visit from Google- Ann Arbor employees. Reception desk was finished.
Caroline planting some groundcover in the parking lot.
Mr O (in window) observing us in his alley.
The manifolds are open in the floor to check on the water that is now in the tubes.
Joe Pye weed blooming in alley .
Purple bee balm blooming.
cardinal flower beginning to bloom in the alley
Kirsten used a rolling cart for weeding this week!
Chad oiling the reception desk.
Chad and Jason looking over the finished reception desk.
Purple bee balm in the alley.
Red bee balm in the alley.
Cardinal flower in bloom.
Google group at GG on Saturday.
Google employees visited the Green Garage on Saturday as a part of their Day in Detroit event.
Our grandson asleep in the alley before the tour.
Week of July 11, 2011
Work began on the kitchen cabinets. Refrigerator came in. Celebration of the life of Mary Fran Gilleran, IHM, who was a huge influence in our decision to bring this project downtown.
Kitchen cabinets under construction.
Jason showing us the new refrigerator. It's really a freezer, but we'll be adapting it into a refrigerator. It should cost $4 a year to operate.
Heladio and Chad trying out the back rest for the bench.
The alley is in full bloom.
Library group reviewing design.
Big community lunch on Friday.
Earth flag was raised on Friday in honor of Mary Fran Gilleran, IHM.
U of D Mercy class in for a service day Friday.
Week of July 18, 2011
Hot, hot week, but the GG remained relatively cool. Work began on the library. We sealed the ceiling of the building. Work on Tank Town this week.
Joe sitting at our prototype library shelving unit.
Heladio applying spray sealer to the ceiling of the greenhouse.
Chad working on the new library bookcases.
Ann, Rose and Judy, 3 sisters, over for a visit.
Working on the controls for the HVAC system.
Building out tank town (the space in the annex where the tanks are).
Air conditioning the old fashioned way.
The alley side of the building this week.
Week of July 25, 2011
Work continued on the kitchen and library. We hosted a movie and dinner in the alley this weekend to celebrate its first birthday.
Chad building the library book cases.
The kitchen as it looks this week.
Aircraft cable provides support to the shelves.
Chad with library book cases
A view of the library, reception area and kitchen.
Nick working in the 3-season room.
Melinda Anderson, who did the decorations.
Max with a plate of food.
Week of August 15, 2011
Work was continuing for the kitchen and library this week. Tank town was completed. The first wood came in for Jason's mend business.
Kitchen nearing completion!
Chad oiling the new library table.
Heladio using our new garden bench.
Tank Town completed (it's where we store our water tanks).
Woodland sunflower in alley.
Cardinal flower in alley.
The alley in August 2011.
Harvested wood from Van Dyke house for MEND business.
Week of August 22, 2011
The big thing this week was the clearing out of the rest of the materials that lingered from construction - out to Boxxster!
Caroline, who helped us this summer!
Cleaning out the last of the materials - sent to Boxxster.
Rich doing an air flow check.
Library under construction this week
Under-cabinet lights in the kitchen.
Chad with the library he's creating.
Week of August 29, 2011
The library was completed this week. Beautiful!
We're not yet open, but the workshop is being used every day.
Big bluestem, a Michigan native grass in the alley.
Turtlehead, another Michigan native, is a late bloomer in the alley.
Completed library with black trim.
Another view of the library.
Blue mist spirea in the parking lot.
Week of September 5, 2011
The final bit of fence was put in this week. We had our first peek at the floors when small sections were uncovered for other work.
The fence was completed this week with the addition of the parking lot fence and gate.
Ladybugs eating the aphids on our butterfly weed.
Kevin and friends working in one of our back rooms.
We laid down the floor in sections, and immediately covered it with paper to protect it. This week we had to life the paper on large sections to do some work, so it's the first time we've seen it on any scale. Beautiful!
A view of the kitchen from above.
Back staircase with wood wall.
The trusses in the ceiling.
Week of September 12, 2011
Cleaning and oiling floors...
You know you're getting ready to open when you get your handicapped parking spot painted.
Dally visitors from Saturday.
The library's already in use!
martha working in the library.
Blue mist spirea blooming in the parking lot.
Clearing out wood in the annex.
Shaft of light pefectly illuminating our stair rail Monday afternoon.
Kevin Gardner talking with Joost backus from the Netherlands on Wednesday.
Tom giving a tour to the group from the Netherlands.
Helen and Tom Bradley with her family on a tour Wednesday.
Group from the Netherlands posing in front of the wall.
Kirsten walking along the new floor.
Jason putting finishing touches on the floor.
We cut up the last of the wood and sent it to Boxxster, who will process it into wood chips.
The floor was finally uncovered on Friday!
Week of September 19, 2011
Window washing and oiling floors....
Insulating primary manifold loops for heating system.
Wood covers the stairs now.
Eduardo oiling the floor on Wednesday.
Week of September 26, 2011
This week we began bringing stuff into the building, specifically the kitchen and library.
Laurie and Joe measuring the amount of air flow in the ventilation system.
Another picture of the main building.
We're beginning the outfit the kitchen!
The beginnings of our library collection....
Week of October 3, 2011
Big week. The furniture arrived from the DPS Warehouse and Bargain Office Equipment. We also ran our first labs experiment: the blower door test to determine just how well sealed the building actually was (early indicators are thumbs up!). The library officially opened this week.
First meeting of the library group in our new library.
'New' desks came from the Detroit Public Schools warehouse.
'New' chairs from the DPS warehouse.
'New' chairs from Bargain Office Equipment.
Coat rack purchased from Bargain Office Equipment.
Lamps in the library adding a little atmosphere.
Laurie Catey, ready for our blower test.
Sealing the doorway between the buildings.
Prepping for the blower door test.
Ken using thermal imaging to detect air leaks.
Sealed entrance to annex.jpg
Sealing the entrances to the annex for blower test.
Mike conducting a smoke test at the windows.
Laurie reading the numbers.
Smoke test at 3 season room doors.
Smoke testing to detect leaks.
Week of October 17, 2011
Finishing details....
New message center/coat rack in annex
Recycling center by the kitchen
Recycling containers with signs up in kitchen area
First time using our projector in the library.
Calibrating the scale, getting it ready to weigh our trash
Kirsten stirring the cauldron (really, coconut husk material we are adding to our indoor planters).
Week of October 24, 2011
Getting the furniture ready for tenants....
Desks ready for placement in the building.
Tables coming in from the DPS warehouse..
Desks ready for placement in the building.
Desks ready for placement in the building.
Week of October 31, 2011
First tenants move in. Getting the furniture ready.
A welcome furoshki filled with chocolate chip cookies for our first tenants.
Nic working at one of our new teacher desks.
Prototype for dividers for businesses.
New desks lining the walls.
View through the greenhouse.
Tom Besemer at the front desk.
The labs were the first to use the business design space.
Francis Grunow of New Solutions Group, our first tenants, working in his new space.
Mitzi working hard in the library.
European Fellows visiting the GG on Wednesday as part of the Memorial Fellows Tour.
Wayne State University civil engineering students.
Kirsten came dressed for our Friday trash audit.
Week of November 7, 2011
This week we added the first dividers to the space. We are enjoying working in such a beautiful place! Construction is officially over.
Tom and Nic making use of our new furniture.
Heladio with divider that will separate the business design space.
Max holds up our certificate of occupancy.
Helen in the library space.
Business space with new dividers made by Kelly Windows in Detroit.
Laurie with new labs closet.
To look back further, see:
Construction archives 3 (Sept. 7, 2010 - April 25, 2011)
Construction archives 2 (March 1, 2010 - August 30, 2010)
Construction before and after (Powerpoint photos of before & after shots of the Green Garage)