We are excited to begin the construction of the Boardman River Nature Center!  Follow along as we document the progress as we build:

 

April 21, 2008: Spring is finally here and the Nature Center is looking good! Workers have finished painting inside and outside. The exterior siding and trim match the colors of the nearby Oleson Pavilion. The main entrance to the Exhibit Gallery has half-stone river rock that also matches the Pavilion. On the inside, workers have finished the tongue-and-groove pine ceiling in the classroom/community room and are working on installing the counters. Outside, work is being finished on the septic system and dry-well areas. Workers have done a high quality job and the building is progressing at a rapid pace. Area school groups are now scheduling hikes for May and June, so the new Nature Center will be a welcome focal point for nature education at the Natural Education Reserve.

 

March 18, 2008: This week has been quite busy at the nature center site. Alpers Insulation is busy putting the insulation in the exhibit area and office side of the building. The Northern Michigan Glass crew is installing the windows and Central Ceiling & Partitions is installing the drywall. We are recycling drywall scraps (gypsum) for use on agricultural fields to reduce the amount of construction materials going into landfills. Spring is in the air and the excitement for the nature center is building!

 

February 28, 2008: The window holes have been framed out, the electrical is almost done, and they have begun hanging drywall in the basement, exhibit gallery, classroom and community room. The windows have been ordered and the crew will be hanging drywall in the office and the rest of the building. The staff has picked out the color palate for cabinets, countertops and paint. It’s really starting to look like a nature center now that you can see the various components. We are very excited to be at this stage of development, and cannot wait for summer. A Grand Opening is being planned for August 16^th and 17^th!

 

February 5, 2008: The outside crews are working on framing around the windows and putting on the siding. Inside, carpenters from Martinek Framing are working on the office side of the building. They are framing around the windows, framing the bathroom, offices and meeting room. Advantage Electric is wiring the Exhibit Gallery and finishing up in the classroom.  The work is coming along nicely and they are getting things ready to hang drywall next week.

 

January 24, 2008: Work is progressing despite the very cold temperatures. Advantage Electric is busy wiring the classroom side of the Nature Center building. Martinek Framing is working on the siding outside and on the inside framing. The concrete floor has been poured in the Exhibit Gallery. Our contractors have been doing a great job and we appreciate their hard work and efficiency.

 

January 14, 2008: The roof is on! Things are progressing at a good clip. Martinek Framing has finished the soffit and facia and are beginning outside trim work. Advantage Electric is working on the under-the-floor electrical and GBK is busy leveling and grading to prepare the floor for pouring this week. A temporary corn burner is actively pouring out heat for the interior. We’ll have more information later, on our use of alternative fuel at the Nature Center.

 

December 4, 2008: The building is really looking like a building now. The basement walls are complete, the floor trusses, decking and stairs are installed, and the building is backfilled. The walls around the classroom and exhibit hall are up to roof level and they are pouring the concrete cores today. The underground rough plumbing, electrical and HVAC is in and the footing for the AV room is poured. Molon Construction paved the entrance to the parking area and the Grand Traverse County Road Commission delivered gravel today for the parking area. Things are progressing well and we are both thankful and very excited!

 

November 28, 2008: Things are progressing fast at the nature center site. They have poured the concrete floors in the basement and the waterproofing is done. Marc Krakow at GBK Construction has been doing a great job and his crew is now setting the ICF’s on the classroom side of the nature center. The floor trusses have been delivered and are ready to go. The sewage pipes are set and the concrete has been poured into the ICF’s on the basement side. Fred Campbell, owner of Building and Design Group and our construction manager, has been doing a wonderful job for us. He continues to coordinate the job site activities and works closely with all the contractors to ensure that everything runs smoothly. We truly appreciate his hard work and dedication.

 

Nov. 9, 2007: GBK began installing the insulated concrete forms, or ICF. They are using a product called Eco-Block, a “Green” construction option. The forms can be installed more quickly and easily than traditional systems and the ICF minimize manufacturing and construction waste. They allow building from the footings to the roofline, without the need for furring or insulation, using one crew and one system. The Eco-Block system creates a high-performance thermal envelope that reduces energy consumption. It improves indoor air quality, has recycled content, reduces noise, resists wind, has a fire-rated assembly and does not support mold and mildew growth. This system is only one of the green aspects of the Nature Center building.

 

Nov. 4, 2007: GBK Construction came in and set all the footings for the building. A lot of measuring and leveling and it’s looking great!

 

Oct. 28, 2007: Molon Excavation has done a great job of site preparation, including clearing brush, stockpiling topsoil, removing rocks, and leveling the building and parking areas of the site.

 

Oct 23, 2007: The heavy equipment has been brought in and Molon Excavating has begun digging the basement for the Nature Center. As they cut through the upper layers of glacial till, a bulldozer works at digging the hole and a front end loader takes away the sand. Large boulders and rocks left by the glacier will be stock-piled for use in landscaping and in rock gardens.

 

The Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Boardman River Nature Center took place on September 29, 2007 at the District’s Annual Celebration. A champagne toast was followed by the ceremonial digging of a small onsite evergreen, to be potted and replanted. From the over 100 supporters of the District present at the Celebration, three people were randomly drawn to participate in the groundbreaking: Dr. Bill Scharf, Dr. Joe & Ann Gadbow, and Buzz Long.