May 2022: Library Building Update
Gillian’s Building Update
May 2022
The new library is going up right before our very eyes and Gillian Zinser is on the ground, bringing us the latest building updates each month. Gillian is the Project Manager at Turner Construction — responsible for managing the building of the NEW New Canaan Library. The construction team has made A LOT of progress since her last update. Here’s what she shared:
How is the project going?
Gillian: The project is on track for phase 1 completion of the new building, which is scheduled for opening early in 2023.
Who are the key people working on this job?
Bob Buckley
Bob Buckley, the Project Superintendent, manages the day to day field operations of the project, including coordination of all trades, town officials, testing agencies & inspectors. He regularly updates the logistics on the project site and is responsible for ensuring the subcontractors and all personnel on site are adhering to safety protocols. Bob controls deliveries to the site and coordinates any work that may impact surrounding streets or library access itself. He also manages and updates the schedule on a weekly basis based on field progress and delivery dates, and is responsible for reviewing billing to ensure that subcontractor payment applications concur with progress in the field.
Ralph Edouard
Ralph Edouard, the Project Engineer, wears many hats. He controls the submittal process, which is when subcontractors send us product information and drawings on the materials they plan to purchase for the building to ensure they meet architect and engineer specifications. He also controls the MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) coordination process (each component of the mechanical systems like ductwork, water piping, heating and cooling systems and conduit are drawn in a 3D model of the building to make sure they all fit above the ceilings, in the walls and under the slabs and are in the right locations per the drawings). Finally, Ralph assists with budget and change management on the financial side. He also keeps the contract drawings up to date with any architectural or engineering changes.
What has made you most proud so far?
We are the first Turner project in the country to utilize a new technology for our interior framing layout for walls, doors & ceiling soffits! Dusty Robotics from California came to the project for three days in April to print the layout on the interior concrete slabs for our carpenters to utilize to build the interior framing. This approach saves us many man hours and gets the layout done much more quickly so work can progress.
What types of equipment are on the site right now?
Scroll through the photos to see some of the equipment on the grounds right now!
What are the biggest highlights from the past month?
Fun with concrete
We had our first slab pour to create the floors for the new building.
Topping out
The final beam gets set into place.
Creating the layout
Robots lay out the interior walls and soffits.
Who is on the site right now?
Right now, we have a very busy site! We have numerous contractors, including sitework, concrete, steel, carpenters (exterior wall), water proofers, electricians, plumbers and insulators.
Have you had any visitors to the job site?
Yes! In April, we had two events that involved library staff members, the building committee, and members of the community. The library held both a community beam signing and an opportunity for children to tour the site:
Making their mark
On Saturday, April 2, 71 very enthusiastic people stopped by the Library for our Whole-Family Topping Beam Signing. Families decorated the beam with signatures, handprints, and small drawings. Many multigenerational families were present, with new babies, older siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles all gathering for family signatures and photos. Everyone was so excited to be part of library history in this way! In the following weeks, classes and individual families stopped by to add their names to the beam. By the time we held our Topping Off Ceremony, we had hundreds of signatures on the beam. Scroll through the photos below to see how much fun our community members had at the beam signing!
Vacation at the library!
What better way to celebrate April Vacation than with a tour of the New Library? Construction Superintendent Bob Buckley led families with children 1 to 10 years old on a walk around the construction site and answered all their construction-related questions as they went. Kids loved seeing the cranes in action on this beautiful spring day. Scroll through the photos below to see the tour in action!
