Archive for the ‘Century Electirc’ Category

Two months to opening day and, like the Yankees and Red Sox, we are working hard to get ready.   Last week we poured the concrete in the loading dock area and beer coolers – we had to wait until all of the geothermal and electrical lines were run and pressure checked.  And we finished laying the floor in the retail area and loft.   This week (and it’s only Tuesday) we’ve installed the beer cooler doors, built the stairs to the loft, installed two of the space heating units, and are continuing to install the lights.   Take a look:

Soon we’ll be back outside.  It’s been a long winter and we still have to finish laying the permeable pavers for the parking lot and sidewalks, top coat the asphalt, and finish the landscaping.  Once that’s all done we’ll move the existing inventory into the new store and get ready to open.

There will be a Grand Opening and a chance to tour the building.   If you are interested in coming please send us an email.  We will notify the owners and make sure that you’re invited.

Cheers!

The drywall brings out the geometry and dignity of the mortise and tenon timberframe.

Three phases of the project are in transition.   On the outside we are finishing up the siding (our project was featured in NuCedar’s recent newsletter) and starting the planting. Inside we are installing and taping the drywall.  And in the basement we are running electrical lines and finishing the piping for the geothermal system.   All of the lighting will be monitored by computers linked to touchpad controls.

The Charlestown Package Store is a fluid blend of old and new.   Timberframe, stone walls, native landscaping and thermally broken EPS panels, computer controlled LED lighting, geothermal heating and cooling, low VOC finishes.   Designed and built by local architects and contractors, the project demonstrates design and construction that is sustainable and sensible.  We are proud to be part of the team.

Geothermal Heating and Cooling & Lighting Control Panel

Landscaping the front of the store.

Century Electric's Tim Robar explains the switching to owner Jon Maldon.

Jeff Brennan (UBS) & Megan Moynihan; Breck Tully & Tim Van Wormer

Oyster Works’  commitment to sustainable design and building a sensibly green building is dependent upon an efficient and coordinated team that includes subcontractors and material suppliers.

We are very fortunate to work with Jeff Brennan of United Builders Supply (UBS), pictured here with architect Megan Moynihan and Breck Tully and Tim Van Wormer of T & J Construction.  In addition to providing lumber and fasteners, Jeff has gone the extra mile and helped us purchase specialty products, including NuCedar Siding and Unilock Permeable Pavers.   A tip of the hat and thanks to Jeff and the team at UBS!

Elsewhere on Site…

On the outside we are finishing the NuCedar siding and preparing the site for landscaping and paving. All of the underground systems are installed and Morrone Excavation is screening the top soil.

Morrone Excavation Screening the Top Soil

When we started the project we removed and stockpiled all of the topsoil. Before we spread the soil  to establish a base for the landscaping, we are screening it to remove all the stones.

Inside we are working to complete the rough plumbing, finishing the electrial wiring, and installing the geothermal equipment. All of this is precise work made more difficult by a timber frame builidng with exterior walls made out of solid EPS panels.  T & J Construction is doing the siding and general carpentry, Stedman and Kazounis  the plumbing,  Century Electric the lighting and fire alarms, and Alares and Mercury Tec the geothermal system.

Thanks! to all.

Phil Boster and Architect Megan Moynihan

Doug Ainley installing the geothermal equipment

The New Charlestown Package Store will be beautiful and green –  with a dramatic interior framed by Douglas Fir timbers, a highly efficient envelope built out of Climate-Block panels, a geothermal heating-cooling-dehumidification system, and very cool lighting.

Dramatic and cool, YES.  Easy to run electric wires, NO!  All of the wires are run in either the chases built into the wall panels, under the concrete floor in conduit, or in channels cut in the exterior of the roof panels.   All of this requires a lot of thought and often it’s best to get together at the construction site and go over the plan.  Below our lighting designer, Evelyn Audet, and electrician, Len Capizzano of Century Electric, meet to work out the details.

This morning we are working from the top to the bottom and pretty much everywhere in between.  In the big picture below the first of the upper roof panels is being set into place while the concrete truck pours the basement slab.

Meanwhile, on the lower part of the roof we are running the electrical wires and wires for the security and alarm systems.  We don’t want any exposed wiremold or electrical conduit so all ceiling mounted fixtures are being wired from the outside. This requires careful planning and skilled hands. To the left Sam Joslin, of Century Electric, confers with Dave Vinick, of Home Electronics.  To the right Len Capizanno locates the overhead fixtures.

And, while all this is going on up above, Ca-Gin Concrete pours the basement slab.  The blue foam blocks mark the location of the footings for the steel columns that will support the floor and roof structure.  Once the floor hardens the foam will be removed. And after the columns are set the diamond shapes will be patched and the concrete will secure the base of the columns.