Grace Baptist Church Restroom Remodel

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Existing Womens Restroom
Existing Women's Restroom

The restrooms at Grace Baptist Church in Plymouth have been an issue for a number of years.  They were small and the decor had become dated.  Off and on for almost 10 years we have visited this subject with the Church, but we had been unable to find a suitable solution.  The restrooms were block wall construction built between the Sanctuary and the classrooms and were surrounded by mechanical infrastructure.  The quandary resurfaced last year when Pastor Elliott asked that we take a fresh look at the restrooms.

Existing Mens Room
Existing Men's Room

The Church was also experiencing some mechanical problems with two of their five air handling units at that time.  The two units in question were in the mechanical space between the restrooms.  By including the replacement of those two units in the project, we were able to open up new possibilities.

Even with this, we went through 11 new floor plans before we found one that pleased the Church Building Committee.  The final plan gutted both restrooms and the mechanical room between them.  A second floor mechanical room was added allowing infrastructure to be moved up, freeing additional floor space.  This also provided some additional storage for the Church. 

GBC Restroom Remodel
GBC Restroom Remodel

Over the years, the original galvanized water pipe from the street had become corroded and water pressure was insufficient to serve multiple fixtures simultaneously, so new water lines were installed from the street to correct this problem.  We updated the electrical circuits in this portion of the building and we installed a new in-line water heater to increase capacity while reducing energy consumption.

New Mens Room
New Men's Room

The men’s room was widened slightly to allow ADA standards to be met.  There is now a full 5′ turning radius in the room.  It was also lengthened, closing an existing exterior door and allowing room for a larger sink and an additional urinal.

New Womens Room
New Women's Room

The women’s room benefited the most, not only gaining additional space to meet ADA standards, but by taking most of the former mechanical room space into the women’s room, there is now generous floor space, full size stalls and a larger counter with two sinks.  There was  even room to put a small table and a couple of chairs.

New Womens Room Chairs
New Women's Room Chairs

Pam Clay of Clay’s Flooring & Interiors, Inc. in Rochester helped with the tile design.  She provided color boards that included different tile, tile patterns and tile borders for each room.  Using that as a basis, the Church chose colors for walls and toilet partitions.  A last minute upgrade to solid surface sinks and countertops was made.  The Church found a source for designer faucets which allowed them to upgrade those fixtures at no additional cost.  They also found baby changing stations which we installed.

Exterior View from South
Exterior View from South

To create the second floor space without detracting from the  existing building, a shed roof was employed using a 1/2:12 slope and standing seam roof.  This allowed the second floor addition to remain hidden behind the existing trusses and invisible from the front entrance on the north side of the building.  Butler Manufacturing Company metal wall panels were used to match those used on the Grace Baptist School just across the creek.  This was an economical solution that blended well with the existing brick and emphasizes the ties between the Church and School.  An access door was included at the second floor for equipment maintenance.

Men's Room Sinks & Counter
Men's Room Sinks & Counter

The final kicker to this was that we had a two month window in which to work as there was a wedding scheduled in the Church and we had to be substantially complete in time for that event.  Sometimes the smaller projects are the most difficult under these conditions.  There were many trades required to work over the top of each other to meet this schedule, some of which were interdependent, requiring a portion of one contract to be completed before the next could begin.  Through it all the team we assembled worked well together and while we were not 100% complete for the wedding, we were substantially complete and the restrooms, including the plumbing and HVAC were operational for that day.  Thanks to Espich Siddall Plumbing, Matt Peregrine Heating & Air Conditioning, Michiana Contracting, McKinley Painting, Inc. and H&D Creamer.

Brent Martin talks about his Dad

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Below is an email I received from Brent Martin.  I thought it was a positive story about his dad, Hobart Martin, that was  worth sharing.  Brent Martin is an Architect in Plymouth, IN that I have worked with on multiple projects including public, private and design-build work.  I consider him a friend as well as a respected colleague. – Kevin

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To All:

This spring I spoke with my Dad about finding a fund-raiser for the American Legion in Hamlet, Indiana (where I was born and raised). This led to some conversations with Congressman Donnelly’s staff about doing a veterans affairs speech and dinner at the Legion, but we never really got things coordinated. Along the way, I briefly described my Dad’s service to the staff and last Friday I got a call asking if I thought my Dad would participate in a living history interview for the Library of Congress. I gave Dan, the guy who called, the contact information and about 20 minutes later Dad called to say: “Did you know Congressman Donnelly is going to come over to my house next Tuesday to interview me?”

Congressman Joe Donnelly and Brent Martin's Dad
Congressman Joe Donnelly and Brent Martin's Dad

No – I did not. Anyway, I participated – or more accurately I listened while the Congressman led my Dad through his WW II service history and his reminiscences. For about an hour, Dad recalled those days, nearly 70 years ago. Drafted at 19, he served until he was 22 in both the European and Pacific Theaters, including flying with Secretary of War Patterson to Hiroshima. I’m thinking back to the time when I was 19-22 – in college at Ball State – a somewhat typical hippie radical – and at that same age my Dad was defending the free world against tyranny. Really puts things into perspective.

So to all you veterans on my email contact list, allow me to paraphrase Congressman Donnelly: I thank you for your service to our county. You are truly American heroes. And to everyone else, let us never forget their sacrifice.

Brent

A Big Week for Culver Garden Court

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Real Estate Management Flyer describing Culver Garden Court Amenities

The week of 8/16/10 was a big week for the planned Culver Garden Court project.  On Tuesday, August 17th, I presented the Minor Subdivision plan for the Wade & Claudia McGee Subdivision to the Culver Plan Commission for approval.  Culver allows Minor Subdivisions  of property consisting of three or less parcels to be completed with a single presentation.  This presentation went smoothly and was accepted by unanimous vote.  All members of the Plan Commission seemed pleased that the project was moving forward.

On Thursday, August 19th, Brent Martin, Project Architect, and I presented the Special Use Permit request to to the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA).  The BZA had a full schedule and we were fifth of five on the agenda.  Brent had the opportunity, whether he wanted it or not, to observe the Culver BZA in action on several things before we presented. 

The Special Use Permit covered several items:  1)  We applied for the Culver Garden Court project as Apartments which are allowed, but require a Special Use Permit under the existing S-1, Suburban Residential, Zoning District.  2)  The 535 sf units are smaller than is generally allowed under Culver’s multi-family housing requirements.  Since this is a HUD project and the 535 sf size is a HUD maximum square footage under 202 projects, the BZA agreed to this change and allowed the project to move forward.  3)  Culver’s parking space standards require 2 spaces per unit.  We were granted a change from the required 26 spaces to 16 spaces.  This has proven to be an adequate ratio on previous Garden Court projects.

Culver’s Board of Zoning Appeals is operating with one vacant seat.  Fortunately this wasn’t an issue and the Special Use Permit was granted unanimously, 4-0.

Dr. Ronald Liechty and Brent Martin presenting highlights of the Culver Garden Court Plan

On Friday, August 20th, there was a press conference at the Culver Union Township Public Library officially announcing the planned Culver Garden Court.  Dr. Ronald Liechty, President of Garden Court, Inc., gave a speech congratulating all involved.  Congressman Joe Donnelly spoke as well, giving accolades to Garden Court, Inc. and his assurances that he did all he could to make this project possible and that he knew that it would be a positive addition to the Culver Community.

Congressman Joe Donnelly speaking at the Culver Garden Court press conference

There was a fair turnout for the event.  Culver Town Council board members Ed Pinder, Lynn Overmyer and Ralph Winters all attended.  Greg Fassett was there representing both Miller’s Merry Manor and also wearing his hat as Culver Chamber of Commerce President.  Representatives from the Garden Court, Inc. Board were there as well as several representatives from Real Estate Management Corp.  Jeff Kenney, Editor of the Culver Citizen, was there reporting for the Culver Citizen/Pilot News.  We ended up with a front page picture and article in the Pilot News, but it didn’t make the website, so I can’t provide a link.  There were citizens there as well and Dr. Liechty fielded several questions from the audience regarding this project specifically and Garden Court in general.

We are currently waiting on plans from B.A. Martin Archtects, P.C. in order to begin pricing.  We hope to have things together for a closing on this project prior to September 30, 2010 which is HUD’s year end.  Unfortunately, we are also waiting on release of the 501(c)3 designation for this project.  We cannot close without that.  Despite all the talk about efforts to expedite projects, Washington still moves slowly on most of these things…  We will be breaking ground on this project as soon as we can get the release.

Justice Moment

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Highway 17 between Plymouth and Culver can be frustrating.  There are a number of hills and curves allowing very few places to pass.  There is also a significant amount of traffic in both directions making it difficult to pass when you do reach the few available passing zones.  Add Burr Oak to that, with its inordinately long reduced speed zone and the bypass train stop across the highway.  There have been more than a few times when I’ve come close to a collision with a frustrated (and possibly psychotic) driver coming from the other direction that has chosen to pass on a double yellow with no visibility.  I’ve also been made late by his counterpart, the driver that choses to putt along at 40-45 mph with a line of 15 cars behind him, oblivious to (or again, possibly they’re psychotic) the waves of hate coming from the motorists behind him.

My wife, Becky, had a Justice Moment coming into town last night.  She was coming into Culver to meet me, running late (my fault, not hers), and got stuck behind one of the slow drivers, driving around 40, maxing out at 45, and oblivious to the line of cars behind him and the choice words coming from my sweet wife in car number 6.

She followed him from our house to Burr Oak, but when he got to Burr Oak, he continued into town at 45mph… through the 35mph zone… and met a nice State Trooper waiting for him.  I can picture Becky’s seat dance and fist pump “Yes!” as she and her fellow friends in line paraded by him.  Sometimes it’s the little things that lift our spirits.