Holding the Vision Steady as It Becomes Reality
In January 2020, SOS Children’s Villages Illinois saw the vision created for the Community Center project at 13th Street and Blue Island Avenue take another giant step forward in the process of its realization. As the 12-month long project continues, the last few weeks’ activities have focused on all things underground. What will eventually be invisible to others, at this point in time, is understood to be the essential inner workings of the community center.
The construction project saw a great deal of works hours this month dedicated to the crews’ ongoing work of the installation of the underground plumbing and electricity for the building. Specifically, the teams spent a significant amount of their work on the cutting and capping of existing water lines along 13th Street.
Additionally, the installation of base stone took place as part of the sub-base for the slab on grade (flooring of the building). Along the same lines, the center saw the haul road and crane pad put in for use during construction.
In terms of electrical work, safety is an important component when it comes to wiring installation. Conduit is used to protect electrical wire and cabling from the outside elements. Work began on the installation of the raceway for the center’s exterior lighting.
An exciting feature of the Roosevelt Square Community Center is the use of cross-laminated timber, which as shared in October with our interview with architect JGMA, is the first time this an entire building in Chicago will be constructed from this sustainable building material. As construction continues, the initial stages of this feature began with the drilling and applying of epoxy on the anchor bolts of the glulam columns.
Glulam Basics
Glued laminated timber, or glulam (glue-lam), is a highly innovative construction material. Pound for pound, glulam is stronger than steel and has greater strength and stiffness than comparably sized dimensional lumber. Increased design values, improved product performance, and cost competitiveness make glulam a choice used more and more for projects from simple beams and headers in residential construction to soaring arches for domed roofs spanning more than 500 feet.
Glulam is a stress-rated engineered wood beam composed of wood laminations, or “lams”, that are bonded together with durable, moisture-resistant adhesives. The grain of the laminations runs parallel with the length of the member. Glulam is versatile, ranging from simple, straight beams to complex, curved members.
With the use of these sustainable materials, we are confident that the Roosevelt Square Community Center will not only stand as a resource for SOS Illinois families and the surrounding neighborhoods, but also as a beacon of responsible development for many years to come.
Construction Timetable
The leadership of our friends at Lendlease have done an amazing job of capitalizing on the good weather this winter; thus, we are right on schedule with the construction project. As the vision of the Roosevelt Square Community Center continues taking shape, those watching are eagerly anticipating the services it will provide to our families and the surrounding community. Below is a timetable of the center construction:
Construction Began – October 2019
Foundation Complete – December 2019
Structure Complete – Anticipated Early March 2020
Structure Enclosed – Anticipated Late April 2020
Occupancy of Center – Anticipated Late September 2020
The Roosevelt Square Community Center
This center, an 11,000 square foot space, will serve the children and families at our Roosevelt Square Village and surrounding communities. Programs will include academic, therapeutic, social, and recreational support; multi-use spaces for community members to connect to public resources and engage in training, activities, and events; as well as a signature culinary kitchen providing food and nutrition education, and jobs-skills training for the hospitality industry. In addition to the over one hundred children and families cared for by SOS Illinois, more than 5,000 people from the surrounding neighborhoods will be served by the center.
Ongoing Updates
Throughout the course of the construction project, visit the SOS Illinois blog to see videos, pictures, and updates on the progress of the building. We look forward to sharing each milestone reached in the development of this important community resource.
Ways to Support the Community Center Project
Through the generous commitment of time, resources, and financial support of many, SOS Illinois is determined to raise the necessary investments to build the Community Center and provide a beacon for the Village residents and surrounding neighborhoods. For ways to invest or learn more about the Community Center, visit here.
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