Progress has been steady since the last post. Once all the boxes were removed the Hilldrup Company began the task of removing the current shelving. There is a lot of it. Renee has posted some new photos of the operation so check them out. The shelves are being taken to a recycling center of Hilldrup's choosing.
The original timeline called for this part of the project to be completed by the end of November, but the guys at the site say they should finish up by the end of this week, on November 19, 2010. This means we are ahead of schedule and everyone can enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday without worrying about missing a deadline. One more thing I can be grateful for, among many others.
I must admit I was a little nostalgic as I walked the aisles of Ivy Stacks. The thoughtful design and construction of the shelving and the fire suppression and air exchange systems was quite evident. Where just a few weeks ago hundreds of thousands of items were safely housed there is now only empty space. In its former configuration Ivy Stacks served the Library and University well. And it will continue to do so in a 21st Century sort of way. But I took a moment and had a good thought for the facility as it once stood, and it had a good stand. Now onward and forward!
Next on the to-do list is to put in the new fire suppression system, HVAC and lighting. This is definitely in the court of Facilities Management and I am told they have some good companies bidding on the project. That will take us into the New Year when the foundation for the new shelving system can be put in place and construction can begin at a quick pace. We will have some photos of the empty building as soon as all the shelving is removed. Renee is also working on new videos to post.
