Tougher Than it Seems

A brief post....OK...so I think you get the general way I mean to deal the cards...i.e. with the deck stacked so to speak. And, the way you do that is to plan, plan, plan and what that looks like is a ton of material handy...ready for installation.

So......over the past month we have sorted through the many choices involved with the three (!) windows and one sliding door we had to order. Guessing...this took 5-7 hours of my time. Finally....we got what we wanted for the best price I could haggle.

Next....architectural woodwork....OK...say another 10 hours of bidding and then sorting thru 4 versions of shop drawings. Cabinets are being built now.

We bought some of the flooring on sale and it is now...thankfuly...sitting in a warehouse.

The design anticipates some audio visual stuff...so bookcase speakers were selected and ordered.

Now onto light fixtures....done...say 10 hours later.

Anyway.....I'm guessing we will actually start on April 20.

There.....wow...that wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be...The Blog post that is.

Thanks

Getting Ready for Moving Pool Equipment

The photo on the bottom illustrates a storage bin in our driveway/parking area. The photo on the top is where all this "stuff" came from (an area underneath our back porch and adjacent to one area that is about to be renovated). It is also the new home of the pool equipment, which is currently located in the lower level of our house.

Pool Equipment consists of a pump which is needed to circulate the water through a filter and strain out the small particulates. We use a sand filter. Along the way, the water is ionized which allows us to utilize a very small amount of chlorine. So...filtering and sanitizing is the function that is being relocated. Placing the equipment outside means we will have to be a bit more mindful in the winter...as this equipment will all need to be drained down and not allowed to freeze, but we gain a ton of inside conditioned space.

The schedule anticipates relocating the pool equipment beginning in a couple of weeks. This is a task that will likely take a couple of days for the plumber.

By the way...Dave and Laura did all the moving of the stuff...so we had a good workout today too!

Great off topic trivia from Joe Friel's BLOG

This really has zero to do with the subject of this BLOG, but I thought the "coming into form" comment might be of interest to one reader or two!

From Friel's BLOG

4. Fitness and fatigue trend similarly. You may not have thought about this before, but it is important to understand. There is a strong link between fitness and fatigue. If you are fatigued from training then you stressed the body adequately enough to create the potential for fitness. If the workout did not cause any fatigue at all then it also did not produce the potential for fitness. So, when fatigue is rising you can expect the same thing from fitness.

5. In order to race well one must reduce fatigue. This is what tapering before a big race is all about – reducing fatigue. You don’t want to go into important races tired. There is no benefit from doing that. Racing when tired most assuredly will produce less-than-stellar performances.

6. Reducing fatigue is called “coming into form.” The term “form” came from late-nineteenth-century horse racing. Before placing a bet you would check the form (sheet of paper) provided by the bookie which showed how each horse had been racing recently. When a horse was racing well it was said to be “on form.” Bike racing which started in the late nineteenth century adopted this term early on. In recent years other endurance sports have begun using it.

Planning the Project

There are three general areas of focus on concern in a project that hoover around the areas of (1) Time (2) Quality and (3) Money. The above tool is a so-called MindMap. I'm an amateur as far as this program goes, but I've found this program...even at the most basic level, to be very helpful.

This map addresses the issue of (1) time. Again...the idea here is to make the actual installation process as smooth and as quick as is possible. By focusing on time, one logically will make a good impact on money and quality.

Sonos for Distributed Audio

I know just enough about residential audio/visual (a/v) systems to be dangerous. Just how dangerous, I guess the next few months will tell. Our project involves the renovation to our living room where we now have a CD player and a pile of CD's. Both this device (the CD player) and this media source (CDs) are about to be history.

Over the past years, I've migrated all of our audio sources so they are now on our in home server which most notably manages all our e-mail, serves up the prayworks (www.prayworks.com) webpage and is where all our business files live. So, I have our music on the server and it is about to be managed by Sonos. So, I can play music in our living room and access any of the music we own, play different music in our new library and different music while cleaning up in our bath room.

Nice...we'll see how it goes, but the order has been placed and the bundle is on the way, so I'll be setting up the system soon. Too, you can control the Sonos system with one's iPhone. It seems to be easy enough to set up. We'll see...stay tuned.

Of interest...I'm on Twitter and I made a post that I had bought the Sonos system. Within minutes, I was being followed by Sono's marketing and I following them...as they supplied hints and helpful links. Wild.

New Tenant on Floor Three-209 Capitol

I am pleased to announce a substantial portion of the third floor at 209 Capitol Street has been leased by the law firm Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP . The firm is headquartered in Los Angeles, California and employs about 600 lawyers.

Thanks are in order to Melanie at Real Estate Resources who surfaced this client as well as Kent George and his team (Chuck Saffer) at Robinson and McElwee who worked with me through the lease negotiations.

They will begin moving in this weekend.

Think we're in a recession?

A good friend of mine for the last 30 or so years works and lives around Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He works for a high end millwork fabricator and has traditionally had a large backlog...like 4-6 months worth...and a job like ours...well it would never really even be considered.

I called him yesterday and had 2 return calls today. We talked and hell yes he'd like to price this job. Now..mind you, I've got what amounts to seven pieces to build, finish and ship....not a big deal...but he was all over it. Business sucks for them.

Anyway..it's a buyer's market, which is good for this project and others I'm working on. And, it's good to have a large network to tap into.

And the new BLOG is......

OK…..I’m not quite THAT big of an egotist. Or maybe. I’ve decided to morph this BLOG over to a BLOG that mostly has to do with upcoming renovations to our house. We'll still have some stuff on 209, but for the next few months, it's about substantial renovations to our house.

And here is the slant on this new project.

I have always theorized that a residential construction project would really proceed with a much higher probability of success if (1) virtually all of the design decisions were made prior to proceeding with construction and (2) and this is the big point…that most of the “stuff” was already sitting in town in a warehouse prior to construction proceeding; carpet; woodwork; custom casework; hardware; light fixtures; windows; door hardware; tile etc.

So…that’s what we plan on doing….getting incredibly well organized BEFORE firing the starting pistol and then smoke this job.

And the outcomes from this might be:

A project constructed for less $$.
Fewer distractions throughout the construction process.
A faster installation.
Higher Quality.

That’s a lot of good outcomes and I’ll write more about this in the future.

Stay tuned.

Photo Worth Sharing

The boat is called Change Order and the Dingy is Original Contract. Not really relevant to this project but I thought it was worth sharing.

Reflections on Facebook

Last June. I received an invitation to join Facebook from a friend I knew through an organization I have done a lot of work for and with. I really knew nothing about Facebook but pulled the trigger and signed up on July 21. (No…I did not have that date committed to memory…you have a history of all of your updates…click on Profile…scroll to the end of the page and continue to click on show me more updates…the first one will be the date you joined. This is likely an exercise worth performing…not so much to remind you of the date you joined but for you to understand what the “record” reveals about you and for you to understand the picture that you are painting about yourself).

So….I gradually and in spurts added friends which were an interesting group of family, folks I would introduce to you as a friend, and then acquaintances who I really did not know but heck….they asked me to be their friend…how could I say no?

So…..I’m 50 plus years old and my peer group thinks I’m quite tech savvy. I suppose what that means is I know almost as much as the AVERAGE middle class 14 year old, although that might be too strong. They likely know more. So, when I asked my real, lifelong friends to join, they trusted my judgment and signed up. This post is for them.

Facebook is a social networking site. So, when you log onto Facebook, you are in a virtual room with all of your “friends”. Now…you can lurk around and watch and listen. Quite a few folks do this. And why is this their chosen response? (1) Facebook can take a lot of time, particularly if you don’t keep it in its place. So….no time for yet another distraction….makes some sense. (2) Just like the real analog world, people are individuals…some are introverted and some are extroverted. Some are good listeners and some just can’t wait to talk….and you see that reflected in Facebook. (3) Some folks are more conscious than others about “the record”. I have a lot of friends that are lawyers…they…understandably…have a heightened sense of how the “record” can be used. It seems to me like to get the most out of Facebook, you likely want to do some participation….i.e. make a status update entry with some regularity…….and that can be once a week. If you want to paint a more complete picture, perhaps more often is warranted….but I do think some participation only makes sense…..sort of along the line of give what you want to receive…..but be mindful of the “record”.

Most of my immediate family does not live in Charleston…..so I know my nephew is in Puerto Rico, my son is studying some sort of math I don’t have any clue about, and I see my granddaughter on her new bike.

Some of my friends make a habit of posting great articles about national/international events or WVU sports. I read most of them….you get a sense after a while about friends whose perspective you might find interesting or even occasionally compelling……even if you don’t agree with the perspective.

You are building your network in a reasonably cheap manner. This might be good for business or in some way satisfy your need to be connected.

Here’s an interesting link for beginners.

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/facebook.htm

There’s way more about all of this I could reflect upon but I think BLOG entries need to be quick reads. I have thoughts about mobile devices and Facebook, Twitter, the topic of “unfriending”, (I think this might become a legitimate verb), the topic of not having your friend request acknowledged but for right now, I think I need to clean up the house…that’s today’s status update.

What the hell has happened with Pray’s BLOG?

Fundamentally, the renovation of 209 Capitol is complete. There are still a few issues going on…..the art work piece is still in design….we are about to aggressively begin leasing the third floor…the part 3 submission to the Department of Interior needs to be submitted…there’s probably a few more reflections I can dig around for….but the bottom line is the topic of this BLOG is winding down.

So….I’m all over starting the new one and would be interested if there is any energy around the following topics that have been rolling around……

1) I am preparing to execute a significant renovation at my house. I get tons of questions every year from folks anticipating or in the middle of (or maybe involved in a law suit over)residential work…..so I thought I’d tell it all in a BLOG about my residential renovation project? Daily or multiple daily entries.

2) Mid Life Transition. This is a little different concept. 10 years ago I began on a life adventure….a real shaking up the deck if you will….and decided to sell my company. There’s a lot going on with that topic in my life particularly as I begin to explore other uses for my time beyond the traditional type time applications of what constructive development psychologists would call “meaning making systems”. Change Baby! BLOG it???

3) Getting Super Fit. A few years ago, I won the 50 and over State Road Race Championship….several years and several accidents later, I’m 10 pounds heavier and in way worse shape. This is a way too self centered BLOG (but aren’t they all), but I thought I’d throw that out there.

I’m leaning towards # 1 but thinking # 2 would be more of an adventure.

Let me know......

Happy New Year!

Dave

Torturing the property manager and guys over 50??

OK...I admit it. I thought having a urinal 18" from the floor was a challenge...I mean it's a challenge for me with my 56 year old prostate! (I know too much information). Anyway....I was thinking it was put this low for the occasional 5 year old that might show up once every year or so.

Wrong....and I thank Tony Yunker with GBBN for changing my paradigm. The reason the urinal is like this is it accommodates someone in a wheelchair....and I honestly had just not thought about that. In 2002, I was in a bad bike wreck and drove my femur thru my pelvis. This was a BIG DEAL and after it was miraculously repaired by the best orthopedic trauma surgeon in West Virginia (Dave Hubbard...Ruby Memorial), I was confined to a wheel chair for a month or so.

I really learned what barrier free means and committed to always have my projects respond to folks with disabilities. It might be a very small percentage of the population...but if it's you, it's a big deal.

I'm glad this project was built to be responsive and I'm glad GBBN kept us on track. The American with Disabilties Act might seem like a pain sometimes, but one needs to get out of their own skin from time to time and take a view from the other side of the street, so to speak. This is a law we should all embrace.

Bailey (Ben) & Glasser (Brian)

In a way, this is what the entire team strives for...a happy client at the end of the engagement. Above is an iPhone photo (not bad) in front of the new bar.....i.e. transaction counter at reception (Brian christened it a bar). B&G hosted a holiday party at their new digs last night...and it was great to see the "place" in action.

We all build/design/develop "places"....and they are 100 percent incomplete without their market/occupants using them. (Thus the term placemaking which is prevalent in the industry). A place can look real cool but just not work...yes?

This one seems to definitely be working well.

Great....

The Pains of Moving In...the next phase

Ben Bailey's Office (Before)

I had a good visit today with Mark Grigsby, the president of Pray Construction Co. As we bring this project to conclusion and wrap up a few details, I asked a probing question....what are your desired outcomes from this project? He had several good thoughts and then mentioned...he hoped the lawyers (of B&G) would realize (and appreciate) how much better their personal and professional life was due to the involvement of PrayWorks, Pray Construction, and GBBN. I personally think mission accomplished.

And so...what the hell does the above picture have to do with any of this? Thanks for asking. Recently GBBN/PrayWorks was hired to provide the last finishing touches on this project and we are dealing with artwork, accessories, minor architectural changes (yes Brian...in the fitness room), and operational issues with how the building is used. This is a piece frequently omitted and so the intent of the design (and construct) team is never fully realized.

This is a small piece of work...but very exciting to be moving forward. I'm not sure if I have shared this, but I have moved into 209, so this is a very intimate look into how the facility actually fulfills the design intent.

Hope I don't get kicked out!

Tools of the Trade

So.....a whole lot of "what I do" revolves around numbers...the projection of....say as in a statement of prospective cash flows....and then the management of.....as in the crafting and administration of an agreement (i.e. contract)...and then the reporting of results. Many times the scenarios are modestly complex and the interaction of the various "cells" not apparent. Because I'm involved in development projects from the ground up, I tend to learn the interaction of all of the cells early and then the challenge is to get the owners or investors to "get it"....i.e. understand the risk, the rewards, and the progress.

So, my subcontractors...which used to be plumbers and electricians...are now lawyers and accountants....so clearly my quality of life has degraded!

Right now, I'm working with Gibbons and Kawash (209's accounting firm) on a report to the investors on this project and there has been a lot of number chasing going on. I enjoy this aspect and enjoy making the projections come to life.

BLOG within a BLOG

Crestron Controller

Plasma Monitor in Conference Room

We designed a large, flexible conference area that is located on Capitol Street. The street exposure is beneficial because of the natural light that fills the room, but creates challenges for the use of the room. Confidentiality is of highest concern in a law firm and so the design needs to be responsive.

To help aid in the management of bypassing eyes on the street, we installed an electric blind system and these are controlled by a touch screen system manufactured by Crestron. So, a user touches the screen where it says lower blinds, and the blinds all lower in unison. The standard blinds basically provide visual privacy when looking in from outside during the day. Additionally, there is a blackout blind which is activated by another switch on the Crestron unit that will make the room completely private day or night.

The room has a phone system with wireless microphones which can be spread around the room, 63” plasma for the review of items either on one’s laptop or the C-room computer, DVD player, and VCR player.

The room is still being tweaked, but it will prove to be a real benefit to the firm.

The Punchlist Process

Projects (and the associated relationships) can be enhanced (or they can deteriorate) during the execution of the work associated with the punchlist.

To start, the punchlist is the list of either incomplete or defective work that is attached to the certificate of substantial completion which list is issued by the architect. A project is substantially complete essentially when a project can be used for its intended results. It is finally complete...and a certificate of Final Completion is issued...when all of the items attached to the certificate are complete.

Other items that reveal themselves that are in need or improvement, generally are repaired but are seen as warranty items.

There were a handful of items at 209 that were substantial and were not complete because Pray Construction did not have the material available to complete the work.

Last night, a substantial uncompleted piece was (almost) completed which involved the lobby ceiling....see the above photos.

And Life Goes On....

All of us have a lot of incoming stimulus that we are involved with on a day to day basis. For the most part, it’s hard to see the whole picture of a co-worker, vendor, or associate. And that’s understandable yes? I guess some of the power of a blog or a social network is that one has the opportunity to paint a more complete picture and/or use the medium as a canvas of sorts for self expression.

I have had a lot to do with my Mother over the past years including moving her to Charleston from her home in Florida, helping her adjust to her new community, coaching her out of driving her car, encouraging her on her weekly trips to Innovative Fitness, taking her to the Doctor, listening to her stories, moving her to Edgewood Summit, keeping her walking and socializing, dealing with her insurance company, managing her money, hiring caregivers, taking her to the Emergency room, listening, engaging Hospice, and ultimately helping her transition to another, better place.

My Mom passed away last Tuesday afternoon.

Here is the obituary: (i.e. Charleston Gazette, Sunday, Gertrude Malasky).

And the point of all of this is to (1) Create a more intimate environment….i.e. in..to..me..see and (2) Reflect out loud about all the things we just don’t know about our family and friends that might be having an impact on them. Very sick children or other family members, personal health matters that are really big deals ( cancer, heart disease, fill in the blank), family members that are the victims of or even the perpetrators of serious crimes….we’ve heard it all and it is all happening around us every day). Mind you I come form the old school…stiff upper lip and so forth, but it is worthy to reflect upon the old Covey matter of paradigms. We sometimes just don't see the whole deal and if we did, we might see the young woman not the old woman.

Anyway…..my Mom was an elegant, charming, loving person and she will be missed.

But as the saying goes, life goes on and so does life at 209 Capitol Street. I’ll be back with more tidbits relative to this project in the not to distant future.

Thanks for reading.

Phones and Computers (aka Voice and Data)

Employees of Advantage Technology and Black Box worked most of the night and all day to get the phones and computers completed...up and operating....and they are! This BLOG is being written from the new space over a very fast Internet connection.

Move Day

Man..What a week! More on that to follow, but the project is now substantially complete and the move is in progress! See the above photos of signage for the movers.

Great job!