The sanctuary windows are clearly visible now.  Also evident is the large window in the pre-school as viewed from the Santa Clara Entrance.  Perspective, Parking Lot and Rotunda Views thru February also enclosed.

Sanctuary, multi-purpose room and youth room  Location of the Jesus Window viewed from Santa Clara Street

Adding grout filling to the third level of CMU on the Back of House Wall

Perspective View

Rotunda View

Parking Lot View

As the third level of CMU construction is completed, you can begin to see the first floor take shape.  The pictures below show the emerging outlines of the sanctuary windows as well as the doors and windows on the North 5th Street side.

The sanctuary art glass windows will be in the shadows most of the time during morning hours.  If you want to see the sun’s progress you can use the Axis NetCam to monitor the shadows during the day.

The five sanctuary windows will provide the only natural  light in the sanctuary.  The lines of sight from the sanctuary to the outside will include City Hall when viewed from the Eastern most windows and the Rotunda when viewed from the front of the sanctuary through the western most windows.

The line of sight from the quiet space at the top of the second floor stairs will include both City Hall and the Rotunda.

These views will become more pronounced as the third level of CMU construction is completed.

This is the view from the center of the sanctuary looking across Santa Clara Street.  Notice the trees that are barren now however will be leafed over soon.

If you walk to the front of the sanctuary, the view through the western windows will look over the rotunda and points west:

The line of sight from the second floor will include City Hall and the Rotunda:

The sequence below shows the sun’s shaddows during the morning hours. These pictures were taken on January 22nd at 8:30, 9:40 and 10:50:

This last picture was taken a week later on January 29th just after 11 am.:

Last week inspection for the second level of CMU’s was completed and the third level was started.  This is a picture of the first section of the third level.  As this level is completed you will begin to see window outlines appear in the sanctuary.

You can also see the framing used in doorways as the constuction moves higher.

With the foundation and slabs complete, scafolding was installed to finish the CMU (concrete masonry unit) walls.  Construction proceeds in up to 5′ increments with inspections at each level.

The pictures below provide an overview of the process curently underway.

The first step was to erect scafold across and around the entire site:

This is the view from the pre-school entrance from north 5th:

The stone masons place each concrete block by hand, check for level in all directions, and use strings and measuring tapes to make ensure correct placement:

Moving tons of blocks requires skill on the part of the “high lift” operator:

The concrete for the sanctuary, multi-purpose room, third pre-school room and youth room was placed on February 1st.

The crew, aided by the multi-story concrete pump, made quick work of the job starting in the morning and finishing by mid-afternoon.

The pictures below capture the sequence of that day.