The Pinnacle of the Project
March has brought with it beautiful sights at one of our construction projects. On March 1, crews at Lighthouse Lofts began working on assembling the “lantern room.” Once complete, the tower will exude light to be seen from great distances. This will be the clubroom for Residents.
For more information on Lighthouse Lofts, visit www.LighthouseLoftsMN.com.
Precast Construction at Lighthouse Lofts
“You can’t build a great building on a weak foundation. You must have a solid foundation if you’re going to have a strong superstructure.” – Gordon B. Hinckley
The next step in the construction at Lighthouse Lofts Luxury Apartments has begun! Materials arrived on site at the end of August to begin placement of precast columns, beams and planks. Once precast is complete, metal framing will begin at street level and wood panel construction will be installed on levels two through five.
Thank you to Molin Concrete Products for their hard work on the precast products.
Check out the construction progress everyday at http://www.lighthouseloftsmn.com.
Blessings are Felt Helping Those in Need
At the end of December, we had another team from Gaughan Companies head out to Sharing and Caring Hands to help prepare and serve the lunch meal. (Our first team went in November.) They had a blast, and a few reported that they were blessed to be able to serve others in this way. This season, of course, reminds us to donate our time, talents and means to those that need help. We look forward to the possibility of making these trips an annual tradition.
-Patrick Gaughan
Demolition Begins for Lakes Area Youth Service Bureau’s New Home
On Saturday, December 3, a group of volunteers from Gaughan Companies, the Forest Lake community and area youth gathered together to begin demolition at the site of the Lakes Area Youth Service Bureau’s new space. LAYSB is moving from their current building to the Town Center building in the heart of downtown Forest Lake. The plans for the new space include an education center, group rooms, counseling room, office spaces, reception and staff areas. Gaughan Companies is excited to help LAYSB be able to continue their mission to help the youth in our area.
LAYSB began in 1976 by local law enforcement, teachers and concerned citizens in the Forest Lake, Minnesota community in an effort to help young first time offenders from violating the law again. Since its creation, “the programs have evolved to include Youth Enrichment & leadership, Jobs Plus Programs, Mentoring and Family Support in addition to early intervention for youth, ages 9 to 18 years.” The bureau serves the Forest Lake School District and all of Chisago County.
The Commercial Construction Process – Part Three
This concludes the series on the commercial construction process. When we left off a few weeks ago, the HVAC, plumbing, electrical systems, drywall and doors had all been completed. (You can read part one here and part two here.) Now let’s turn our attention to finishing up and moving in.
After the building’s main systems have been installed, it’s time for the cosmetic details to be applied. Flooring, painting, light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, door hardware, electrical device covers, trim and cabinets are installed as the last step of the building process.
Landscaping and final site improvements are completed. HVAC, electric and water systems are turned on. All required inspections are completed to assure that construction has been performed in accordance with the plans and specifications and that the building is safe to occupy. Once all inspections have been satisfactorily completed, a Certificate of Occupancy is granted deeming the building safe to begin business.
As the building was being built, it was inspected by professionals at every step of the process. After the final inspections, most general contractors will call a meeting with their team to discuss how the project went. This provides them a chance to discuss any problems that may have occurred along the way and develop a plan for their next project. It’s also a good time to review the budget and verify that everything has been completed as budgeted.
As the contractors walk through the building, they create a punch list of any items that need immediate repair. These normally relate to defects in finishes and typically include repairing nicks in walls, repairing a crack in the floor, or changing light fixtures.
If a formal closing has not already been established by the lender, the building owner will need to complete this step before anything else can be done.
Lastly, if not already on site, curtains, blinds, cabinets, furniture, office equipment, desks, chairs, phone lines and appliances (such as microwaves and refrigerators for breakrooms) will be installed.
Depending on the size and planned use of the new building, the business owner may arrange for the press to come out for a grand opening. Often, a ribbon cutting ceremony is accompanied by a festival-like atmosphere as employees and members of the community are brought in to tour the building. A start date for operations is determined and staff are given a report date. Generally, within a few days or weeks of taking occupancy of the building, the business is ready to open its doors, and the process is complete.
-Dan Hebert
Village Apartments in Forest Lake Introduces Its New Website
The Village Apartments in Forest Lake, Minnesota is pleased to announce the completion of its brand new website. The website brings a modern feel along with an easy to navigate format. Potential residents will be able view floor plans, look at interior photos of units as well as have the ability fill out and submit their applications directly from the website. If you are a current resident of the Village Apartments, the resident login portal is front as center as you land on the page, making it convenient to access your online account.
The Village Apartments website can be found at:
