iSWD Programming — Inside Southwest Detroit

Closing Weeks Before Opening The Construction Meetings

As we enter the closing weeks before opening the construction meetings are much about timelines, complications, final decisions, and finishings. With the plywood off the windows there is a revealing look at the tenant side space. The natural light that enters the space intensifies later in the day.

With the plywood off the windows there is a revealing look at the tenant side space. The natural light that enters the space intensifies later in the day.

Decisions are being made about window sills and about the wrought iron treatments for the interior of the windows, the rear facing building windows, and the doors.

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitAugust 24, 2017tap869, thealleyproject, ElsmereAndAvis, southwestdetroitComment

Beginning Discussions About Mural With Freddy

We are excited to announce that Freddy Diaz, former participant and longtime mentor at TAP, will be leading the development and installation of the mural that will cover three sides of the building at Elsmere and Avis.

Freddy, who is also a board member of Young Nation, quickly responded to the opportunity to install the mural after our good friend and mentor, Tead, tragically passed away this summer. Tead was Freddy’s mentor and close friend and he is honored to create a work inspired by the decisions that Tead had already made together with the Young Nation team.

Diseños Ironworks, Young Nation, et al architecture firm, and Freddy met at today’s construction meeting to go over where things are currently in the coordination between the building, the wrought iron design, and the mural.

Today Diseños responded to feedback to the sample frame that was installed a few weeks ago and Freddy is working to prepare a palette and initial designs for the mural together with the architects. There should be updates in the coming weeks for each to share.

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitAugust 17, 2017tap869, ElsmereAndAvis, southwestdetroit, thealleyprojectComment

Panel Design Begins

Diseños Ornamental Iron designed, fabricated, and installed a sample panel in the patio space yesterday. They wanted to show us something that complements the design of the building and will also work well with the mural that will eventually wrap three sides of the building.

This morning they came by to meet with the design team. We had conversations about design, function, and how to address some of the trickier spaces around the building–tall doors, unique windows, the patio gates and so on.

Soon a final design will be determined and work will begin on creating and installing it so stay tuned!

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitAugust 3, 2017tap869, thealleyproject, disenosornamentaliron, swdetroit, southwestdetroit, ElsmereAndAvisComment

Windows are Set Into Frames

The plywood was off and windows were set into the frames that were installed last month.

For a few hours today we were able to see just how much light will be let into the space daily once the building is done.

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitJuly 18, 2017tap869, thealleyproject, ElsmereAndAvisComment

Drywall Installation

Drywall installation started a couple weeks back. In the tenant space you can see the insulation in the interior walls and the framing around interior windows coming together.

Today all of the drywall is hung and mudding and sanding has started in several of the spaces throughout the building. Its really starting to paint a picture of how the inside will feel when complete.

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitJuly 8, 2017tap869, thealleyproject, ElsmereAndAvisComment

Primer Applied

Primer is being applied to the back of the building. Eventually the wall will be one solid color. The rest of the building will also be primed in preparation for the mural that will be installed.

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitJune 23, 2017tap869, thealleyproject, ElsmereAndAvisComment

Updates and Changes with Architects Et Al

Architects Kristen and Tadd from Et Al go over updates and changes with us at the construction meetings.

Today we were able to start reviewing samples for interior finishes including ceiling materials, plywood panels, and white board walls!

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitJune 16, 2017tap869, elsmereandavis, thealleyprojectComment

Concrete Pour

The thickened concrete slab for the front porch/patio was prepped, poured, floated, and trowled today.

Even the small details of the construction can be quite involved. Here’s a link to some step-by-step about how a concrete is poured: https://www.familyhandyman.com/masonry/pouring-concrete/form-and-pour-a-concrete-slab/step-by-step#step3

If you live down the street you probably already noticed that the street was blocked. Please pardon our dust during construction. :)

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitJune 13, 2017tap869, ElsmereAndAvis, thealleyprojectComment

Window Frames Installed

The plywood came down and the frames for the windows were installed. For the first time we’ve been able to see through the back of the building out to the street in the tenant space.

In a few weeks the windows will arrive and be set into the frames.

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitJune 9, 2017tap869, thealleyproject, ElsmereAndAvisComment

Some Windows Installed

Today the Avis side of the building was opened up and the retractable glass wall panels were installed. Also the doors on Elsmere are now in place and operational.

Tomorrow the frames for the windows around the rest of the building will be here.

With the plywood off and the glass up we are starting to get an idea of how open the space will feel on the Avis side. Looking forward to time spent on the porch with neighbors in the near future.

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitJune 8, 2017tap869, thealleyproject, ElsmereAndAvisComment

Removal of Debris from Lot

Local contractor Lopez Construction removed the debris from the lot today.

For the past couple months the materials have been being stored neatly on the lot as many materials were reused throughout construction and also available to neighbors who needed them.

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitJune 8, 2017tap869, elsmereandavis, thealleyprojectComment

Preparing the Walls

Scraping, power-washing, and tuck pointing is part of preparing the walls before primer for the mural that will eventually be installed.

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitMay 26, 2017tap869, thealleyproject, ElsmereAndAvisComment

Tenant Window Frames Exposed

The tenant space and its window frames are now also exposed. The shape of the windows is now starting to show, including where the butt joint glazed windows will be. This is where two panes come together at a corner without a pane.

The brow (overhang) extends along the broad side of the building and tucks over the glass at its widest extension. A sill under the windows will give the appearance that they are floating over the sidewalk.

The brow will be clad in steel and will conceal lighting along the outside of the building.

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitMay 23, 2017tap869, thealleyproject, southwestdetroit, swdetroit, ElsmereAndAvisComment

Revealing the Building's Exterior

The temporary plywood wall around the facade’s construction area was removed today revealing the building’s exterior. The light coming into the building here the same that will come in when the building is finished.

Window framing, brick work, the building’s brow (overhang), and knee walls are now visible from Elsmere. We are now also starting to see the windows’ and building entrances’ location and shape.

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitMay 11, 2017tap869, ElsmereAndAvis, southwestdetroit, swdetroit, thealleyprojectComment

Laying Community Legends to Rest

Tomorrow we lay two legends to rest.

Two friends. Two mentors. In some ways our relationships with each of you couldn’t be more different, and in other ways they are so much the same in ways other folks just couldn’t understand.

You were both critical to creating, building, and sustaining The Alley Project.

Thank you both for the moments teaching, learning, sharing, and building. You are irreplaceable.

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitMay 5, 2017thealleyproject, southwestdetroit, swdetroit, elsmereandavis, tap869, riptead, riploafComment

Tead and Freddy Begin Mural Plans

Tead, local artist and mentor, came by to measure and discuss more details about the mural he will install on the exterior of the building. Part of the mural will continue to the inside of the space and will be visible through the windows on Elsmere.

On the way in he stopped to pose for a pic near a photo of Freddy, another local artist, who he has been a mentor and friend to over the years. Freddy has been coming to The Alley Project since he was a youth and has grown as an artist and a mentor to young artists in Southwest Detroit passing on all that he has picked up along the way.

We are excited for the full circle mentee-mentor cycle to unfold in real time as it becomes a tangible work of art/mural for the whole community to enjoy.

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitApril 27, 2017TAP869, thealleyproject, southwestdetroit, swdetroit, elsmereandavis, tst, teadoner, mentoringComment

Finishing the Roof

Work on the roof is wrapping up with the final portion over the addition being installed today.

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitMarch 29, 2017tap869, ElsmereAndAvis, insidesouthwestdetroit, swdetroit, thealleyprojectComment

Showing Layers

Layers are showing. Concrete, terrazzo, wood, blocks, bricks, and steel. A stroll around the inside of the building right now shows the foundations that everything we will touch and see in the new space will be built on.

The last parts of the floor have been cut and broken up and the new floor will be poured and smoothed in the next few days.

The knee wall where the windows will rest has been completed. The aluminum framing on top of it will hold the butt joint glazed windows–where two panes come together at a corner without a pane. Floor to ceiling windows will run up to the end of the knee wall and expand across the rest of the front and side of the space allowing a lot of natural light into the space throughout the day.

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitMarch 21, 2017tap869, thealleyproject, insidesouthwestdetroit, swdetroit, southwestdetroit, ElsmereAndAvisComment

Plywood Touch Ups

Performing some maintenance/touch ups to the plywood along the exterior. The murals were installed in 2011 to beautify the then-vacant commercial building. They will be there for another few months before 3 sides of the building is wrapped in a single mural by Tead, a local artist and mentor at The Alley Project.

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitMarch 14, 2017tap869, southwestdetroit, insidesouthwestdetroit, swdetroit, ElsmereAndAvis, thealleyprojectComment

Tenant Space Progress

The tenant space is moving along as well. Since it will not be finished on the same level as the community space and office, it is perhaps moving along “faster” toward completion.

The tenant space’s entry will be on Elsmere just behind where the temporary door currently sits and the unit is adjacent to the alley.

Areas that will contain the large windows letting in lots of natural light are now visible. Framing for the windows, an interesting process, is beginning soon. There are still some decisions to be made but weekly conversations and meetings are moving much of that along quickly.

Before we know it all the decisions will be behind us and we will all be inside together.

OrganizationInside Southwest DetroitMarch 7, 2017tap869, thealleyproject, ElsmereAndAvis, southwestdetroit, swdetroit, insidesouthwestdetroitComment