Quelab New Building Update

November 24, 2024

Hello Everyone

Weekly update on the status of Quelab 3.0 at 1511 Central NE.

CURRENT STATUS

1. INSURANCE: Same issue, different week. This continues to be an issue because of the age of the building, its long vacancy and our lose claims due to the flooding at Haines.
2. ELECTRICAL: Progress continues in the overall building. The electricians were not able to give us as much time as hoped but on the plus side, they were able to order the new electrical panels needed by the HVAC. They also cleaned up the old electrical mess on the roof in prep to mount the new panel when it arrives next week. 
3. HVAC: Hurray, the engineers finally gave us the numbers needed for the HVAC. Doug went to order the needed units, but all the local yards were out. New units have been ordered and should be in next week. Expect heating and cooling by the end of the first week of December. 
4. SECURITY: Adam Ivey is continuing to replace and rebuild the low voltage system. He has finished the Fire Monitoring/alarm system downstairs has made great strides upstairs. With luck we may get our fire alarm permit the first week of December.
5. CONSTRUCTION: Illness and other conflicts slowed the construction efforts but most of the electrician’s holes have been patched and are waiting texturing. Painting has been done on a lot of the old patches. 
6. OVERCROWDING: We have been clearing rooms of all extraneous items as we work to clean up the building. The ladies we hired to do the cleanup have started waxing the floors in the cleaned areas. The de-cluttering committee is awaiting a Stewards meeting to make final room determinations and just what is clutter.
7. FINANCES: This continues to be a closely watched constraint on our activities. Some more members have stepped up with loans to Quelab that give us a lot more flexibility and relief.

PROJECTIONS

1. We still cannot make a projection as to full opening of Quelab because of the insurance and HVAC issues. We are working these issues as aggressively as possible. 
2. The ventilation issue for the laser cutter has been solved We will be cutting a vent hole this week and Craig is back and hopefully can connect the venting. We are still waiting for a dedicated switched outlet for the blower and cooler.
3. This week the emphasis will be on continuing the intensive clean-up of all areas. Workers will continue to scrub floors, wipe off tables and clean each room as much as possible. Work will proceed finish the 2nd floor with the exception of the wood and machine shops. The workers will be concentrating on patching holes left by the electricians and finish painting other patches. More clean up including recycling runs will be done on the parking lots. We also intend to start manufacturing and installing steel security bars on doors and windows. Weather permitting, we will power wash the north side of the building and start repainting the stucco.
4. For security, insurance and access issues the board will be enforcing our by-laws requirement to have a current photo (not avatar), address, phone number and emergency contact on file. Everyone will also be required to annually SIGN a copy of our waiver. We will start documenting these within the next couple of weeks. 
5. Depending on #1 above we hope to start orientations for stewards and existing members prior to Thanksgiving Day and for new members around the first of December. 

If anyone has questions, I am available at any time via phone or email.

Darrel Knutson

Chief Cat Herder

darrel@quelab.net