New Roof for ACC roof over "Big Toilet"

This weekend 20 people came up to Powell House to help ensure that the solar panels would be sufficiently supported so they wouldn't fall into the big bathroom on the 2nd floor. This meant taking off 2 sets of shingles, adding support to the old carriage barn frame and then putting a new roof back on. Liseli Haines, Andy Heimer and Bob Houghton take a look at what's underneath ....




Then the work began anew. Of course, this is the end of July, so the humidity was up as well as the temperature. We were very fortunate that the rains held off until we finished Sunday by lunch time. We took lemonade and water breaks, and swam in the pond to try to cool off.












The finished product! Looks good, doesn't it? Mike Clark took this photo standing on the roof of Hogo (youth director's home) which is connected to the ACC. The new Bugg House wing will be to the left of this roof. So here's the group that stayed until Sunday lunch. Thank you one and all for helping get the ACC ready for solar!

End of Week 4 - some cement & some grading

This month has had its share of thunderstorms, hail, downpours and a bit of sun. All of it adds up to the slow growing of the new Bugg House. We hope for better weather next week. The good news is that part of the floor has been poured and some of the grading has been done but as you can see, it's quite muddy.

New dining room roof for the ACC

Week 4 finds lots of work going on in the ACC. Today, we're highlighting the new roof for the ACC dining room (as well as a new skylight for the kitchen). This roof was not in our original plans for the renovations but one day when Liseli was checking out the gutters, she noticed some rot near the north edges. Upon further inspection, it became clear that we needed a whole new roof so that when CNS connects the new art hallway from the new Bugg House, it would be in good shape (and not leak!)

Woods Workers camping weekend project

Because of the renovations to the ACC, the youth are holding their June weekends in the campground.

This weekend, the 8 & 9th graders made tables from wood from the old Bugg House to sell. The proceeds will go towards the renovations. Contact Chris DeRoller or Mike Clark, youth directors, chrisandmike@pwoellhouse.org

Of course, there was also time to swim in Lea Pond and walk up to Dorson's Rock, not to mention spending time in the maze. Yes, they frequently checked for deer ticks!

Foundation fill - week 3

CNS was able to bring the fill in for the foundation midweek, after they had tarred the outside of the foundation walls and put light blue insulation panels on the inside. We hope to finish the fill by next Tuesday, so the concrete pad can be poured.

Don't forget ... if you like heights and have some

roofint experience, join us next weekend on the ACC roof over the "Big Toilet." Call Liseli Haines 518-794-8811 x 14 or liseli@powellhouse.org

There is another work weekend over Labor Day. Check our website http://www.powellhouse.org/ for more information.

Work weekend coming up June 27-29th

Come help us take off the old roof over the "Big Toilet, reinforce the roof to hold the solar thermal panels and put on new shingles -- all in one weekend.

Call Liseli Haines, property manager, if you can come 518-794-8811

Workers on this project are limited to ages 16 and older.

$$ keep rolling in for the ACC

We've had lots of rain over the past 4 days, so nothing concerning the building has changed since Saturday. But ... Mike Clark & Chris DeRoller, youth directors, had a lively 4-5th grade conference in the campground -- Tentacultar! Jacki Gray cooked under the shelter of the pavilion as well as in the ACC kitchen. Continuing the tradition of this past year, several youth brought in their coin jars. Here's what it looks like when Peg Mead is counting.

So keep that money rolling in for the ACC. (We'll accept checks, too!)

Foundation walls

The sub-contractors came back on Saturday and removed the forms for the foundation walls and voila!

pouring cement for foundation wall and abatement

Friday, the foundation wall was poured. They had quite a time getting the concrete to pass through the long hose from the cement mixer. Hammers and sledgehammers were used in this process. This view clearly shows the new sunporch area.

At the same time, the asbestos company were painting the floor of room 1 in ACC to finish the abatement. This was after the final air quality test. The ACC passed with flying colors!

Footings

Check this out! The footings for the new wing were poured yesterday!


Here's the new sunroom space :-)


Thanks to the photographer Jessica Haines-Stephan.

Lightning Does Strike Twice!

The Powell House staff were awakened at 6 this morning with a BOOOOMMMMM that fried our new fire alarm panel in the ACC (just replaced last spring for the same reason) and the phones there are out too!

Despite this glitch, we are moving ahead with a blogging lesson and getting ready for Healing Ourselves Healing the Earth conference that is starting later today.

The Old Bugg House is GONE!

Welcome to our blogspot where you can follow the long awaited renovation of Powell House's Anna Curtis Youth Center!

We are also sending out an e-newsletter with some of the information about how we are making the Powell House Anna Curtis Youth Center accessible, healthy and green.



This blog will be another way that we will keep you updated on a more frequent basis so that you can get the latest news and pictures of the construction progress.

Check in again soon!