Quelab New Building Update

December 15, 2024

Hello Everyone

Weekly update on the status of Quelab 3.0 at 1511 Central NE.

CURRENT STATUS

QUELAB IS OPEN: (web editor's note: Sort of.  Well, kinda.  Read on for more details)

We want to send a real big THANK YOU to all you members who have stuck with us and paid dues throughout the move and renovations. Without your steadfast support we would not have been able to accomplish everything. Because of your support we 

have accomplished in just over 4 months what all the experts said would take 18 months to 2 years. THANK YOU ALL. Stewards are being given orientation and access and are putting the various areas together. As rooms become available the stewards will announce it. Adric and the registrars are developing the building orientation and very shortly they will be announcing schedules for re-orienting existing members.

1. INSURANCE: We now have Liability insurance coverage. This allows us to open up Quelab to more than construction people. We are still waiting for property coverage for our inventory and the 1511 Central LLC is waiting for its building coverage.
2. ELECTRICAL: Progress continues in the overall building. They have almost completed wiring the fire and exit signs and will finish this week. Interim lighting has been put up in the donations area and they will be working on more permanent solutions.
3. HVAC: The situation remains the same. All the HVAC equipment is still on order. It still should be in this next week. Doug expects them to install a few days after all the equipment arrive so they only have to hire a crane once. Once all units are on the roof, they will start installing all the duct work. Expect heating and cooling for a portion of the building (east wing) withing a week or so. 
4. SECURITY: Adam Ivey has almost completed doing the major low-voltage wiring required by safety and security. He is still working on video and access controls and is making great progress. 
5. CONSTRUCTION: The north side of the building has been painted. Most of the wall holes have been filled and painted but the electricians keep cutting new ones. We are still painting the newly patched areas and working on the trim. We still have a lot of little things that need doing but the construction crew is quickly working themselves out of a job. The initial intensive cleanup is almost completed and now a shift toward a regular weekly cleanup will soon be made. 
6. OVERCROWDING: Most of the overcrowding has been taken care of. The wood and machine shop have been sorted out and progress will start toward their organization and reopening. 
7. FINANCES: This continues to a closely watched constraint on our activities but at the moment seems to be under control.  

PROJECTIONS

1. As stated above, the officers and stewards are being oriented and given full access to set up their areas. As soon as President Adric and the registrars develop a member orientation plan, they will announce a schedule. This orientation, as soon as it occurs, will be for building access. Each of the stewards will have to determine what their special area reorientations will require and will be announcing that.
2. Last minute objections and demands by the steward have pushed back the opening of the laser room. We are in the process of reengineering the overall flow requirements and how best to obtain it. I do not expect a quick resolution. 
3. This week we will continue the intensive clean-up of all areas. We will be doing more security work and will install propanel fencing on the back lot off Central Ave. We should be able to start installing bars on windows this week or next and taking down wood coverings. We will also be using our construction workers to help sort out the wood and machine shops and donation area. We will also start the wiring for the CNC router. 

If anyone has questions, I am available at any time via phone or email.

Darrel Knutson

Chief Cat Herder

darrel@quelab.net