You’ll be pleased to know our Health & Wellness Annex has not been forgotten, and is still in the works! There have been some unexpected obstacles … and highlights!

Civil Engineering: Unfortunately, the first engineering firm hired never started on our project, and released us from our contract after 70 days. We have selected a new civil engineering company, Northwest Territories of Port Angeles. By the time you read this, they will have dug test pits on the property to do soil analysis for the drainage system and be well underway with their drawings.

Structural Engineering: For the engineering of the building itself, Pacific Northwest Structural Group of Kingston has been hired, and have promised to get started right away. Both companies have provided very reasonable pricing for their services, below what was budgeted. The results of both engineers’ work are needed before the City of Sequim building permit can be applied for.

Change in Construction: Originally planning to go with a steel building, we found bids for that kind of construction to be high and decide to do further research. We explored three types of construction: steel, cross-laminated timber, and traditional wood framing and trusses. Our building is not large enough to make steel or cross-laminated timber construction cost-effective or practical. Your Health & Wellness Annex, at 4,640 square feet, is only about half the size needed to make steel construction a good choice, and our largest span of 36 feet can easily be built the traditional way. So the Board has voted to move ahead  with the more affordable method of wood framing and trusses, using glue-laminated beams when needed, Our budget for the wood construction method, based on our best estimates so far, is $496,000, or $107 per square foot, including the parking log and outside patio area, which is a very good price.

Good News! Tracy’s Insulation has already said they will charge us for materials only, donating the labor and their usual profit on the job, which will save us 2/3 of the cost of insulation and gutters and downspouts. Thank you Tracy’s!

In-Kind Donations: We are seeking similar in-kind donations or discounts from other subcontractors and suppliers. Monetary donations are also still needed for the project. The chart here shows where we stand to date. To double their efforts, any amounts given are being matched with reserve funds on hand. Grants are being applied for, but will not be included in the chart until received. I will keep you posted by having an updated chart kept in the front office for you to view whenever you come in.

One Final Note: With all the excitement about the Health & Wellness Annex project, our donations for the General Fund to operate the Center are way behind previous years at this point. Please consider a generous gift this month to help us “keep the lights on” without again dipping into our savings. Thanks again for your understanding of the delays in our construction process, and for your continued support of the project and of your Center’s financial needs.

Sincerely,

– Michael