Research Kitchen Remodel

Kitchen Ribbon Cutting - Nov. 5, 2009

2009-11-11T14:40:00.001-08:00

remodel video

2009-10-26T09:42:00.000-07:00

First Use

2009-10-14T16:41:00.000-07:00

2009-10-05T09:49:00.000-07:00

The Loma Linda University School of Allied Health Professions invites you to the celebration of the newly remodeled research kitchen in the Department of Nutrition & Dietetics. Join us for this highly anticipated event! A light reception and tour through the new facility will be provided.

Who is invited? Anyone who would like to see the new state-of-the-art Research Kitchen.
When is it? November 5, 2009 at 6pm
Where is it? Nichol Hall on the Loma Linda campus in the Nutrition & Dietetics Dept.

PARKING: Visitor parking spots are located directly across from the front steps leading up to Nichol Hall (proceed to your desired department within Nichol Hall to acquire a visitors parking permit - if before 4:00 p.m. Cars will be ticketed that do not have a permit even in the visitors lot). Handicapped parking is available behind Nichol Hall. Please note: parking is limited and you may experience difficulty during daytime school hours. Visitors may park without a permit in the student lots (Brown Lots) after 4:00 p.m. There are department signs and directions to desired departments located inside Nichol Hall.

DIRECTIONS to NICHOL HALL: Visit http://www.llu.edu/map/ for a campus map. For more detailed directions to Loma Linda, visit http://www.llu.edu/allied-health/sahp/directions.page

For more information please contact Kisha Norris at 909-558-7790 or by emailing knorris@llu.edu.

Cabinet Doors

2009-09-18T12:23:00.001-07:00

Getting there

2009-09-11T10:45:00.000-07:00

with the finishing date coming up very soon, we are in the final details mode. the refrigeration has finally been delivered and will be installed today. the plumbers are here doing their final connections. the computer installers are putting in all the A/V equipment. and the cabinet guys are finally working on their last details. it is all coming together and looking great! i can't wait to show off this new space to our new and returning students in another few weeks!

Equipment Install

2009-08-28T16:04:00.001-07:00

Tile Installation

2009-08-27T11:44:00.000-07:00

Big Changes!

2009-08-24T16:13:00.001-07:00

As you can see this last week has seen the inclusion of a host of new equipment being installed in the kitchen. Our hood is nearing completion, the cooking island is almost done, and the student station ranges and microwaves are ready for installation. These are fast moving times here in our kitchen and this week looks to be more of the same. Check back this Friday for the next update!

cabinets

2009-08-13T22:18:00.001-07:00

Lights On!

2009-08-04T15:58:00.000-07:00

We now have power to our little kitchen! This is a wonderful thing since we also have lights installed and now can have actual light in the work space.

All the ceiling tiles are now in place and adjusted correctly. The electrition is working on power plugs and switches. The casework is set and waiting for its countertop. The cabinets should be delivered tomorrow. And all the equipment for the cooking island and the hood will be delivered in the next few days. These are exciting times!

Floor Fnished

2009-07-31T12:58:00.000-07:00

Just some pics today of our finished Epoxy floor in the commercial kitchen!

Epoxy Floor

2009-07-29T09:08:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of pictures of the epoxy floor being layed down in the commercial side of the kitchen. This is after the second of three steps in the application process. First is a sealant that was applied yesterday. Then today they used a thickened epoxy paste to create the rounded coveing at the baseboard as well as create a thickened buildup in the floor. Tomorrow a clearcoat topping will be applied.

I was told today that all of our equipment is ready to be delivered and that we will start to have that installed beginning next week.

July update

2009-07-27T08:53:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

In the three weeks since my last post we have seen some great progress, but we are at the stage where the progress is less noticeable, so I'll just have to tell you about it instead of just showing pictures (but don't worry, I have pictures as well!).

So we have some walls painted and can now see the painting plan a bit better. The electricians have been in and are completing the pulling of wires through the conduit. The bases for the cabinets are installed and awaiting the cabinets to be placed on top. The T-bar grid for the ceiling tiles has been installed and the light fixtures put in. The HVAC has all been installed and the vents put in.

This week we expect the floor coverings to be installed, the commercial hood to be delivered, and the remaining electrical to be completed. We have received word that the commercial cooking island components have been fabricated, shipped, and are now awaiting pickup in LA. This is very good because we were expecting that the fabrication time was going to be longer and that we were going to be waiting for this component at the end of the project.

Check back again at the end of this week for pictures of the new floor!

finish framing

2009-07-02T10:59:00.000-07:00

Well, we now have the drywall finished and taped. The track for the A/V is installed in the ceiling and the floor drains for the Montigue Island are cut in. A few minor issues have been caught and taken care of (thanks Carl). Wires are being pulled for the electrical. Now its time to start focusing on the fixtures and wall and floor finishes. The hood over the island has run into a manufacturing glitch but we have a solution for that.

This will be my last post for a few weeks as I will be away from the job site for a while. I have been assured however that others will continue with the posts, so please check back again soon for updates!

Chef Cory

Taping the Drywall

2009-06-26T13:00:00.000-07:00

Drywall

2009-06-24T09:58:00.001-07:00

The insulation is done and now the drywall is being hung. As you can see from the pictures, the process is only half complete. By the end of the day the drywall hanging should be done and we will have actual walls! The ceiling will be the last part that will complete the interior space but it won't be installed until much later in the project.

insulation

2009-06-22T13:05:00.000-07:00

The framing is mostly done and now the insulation is being installed. In the next day or two we will begin covering the walls with drywall and then the room will start to take shape. This is a very exciting time as the changes that are taking place are substantial and show progress quickly.

New Floor!!!

2009-06-12T13:34:00.001-07:00

working on the floor

2009-06-11T10:11:00.000-07:00

With the end of finals week upon us, the kitchen has also been going through some major changes. This week has seen a steady push to get the framing and all the rough-in of the electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and fire safety systems done. The major push for today and tomorrow is the floor. Floor drains have been located, the elevations have been shot and patching is almost done. Now comes pouring some concrete patches, then covering with wire mesh in preparation for a layer of self leveling compound that will be poured to cover the entire floor sometime tomorrow.

Beams Installed

2009-06-05T15:43:00.000-07:00

At the end of this week of construction we have the beams installed, the footings poured and the wall around the footings nearly framed in. The rough-in of the electrical and plumbing is continuing and the ramp at the exterior door is poured. By the end of next week we expect that the framing will be substantially completed, the rough-in done, and the floor leveling compound applied. Progress is being made and our new kitchen is taking shape!

Look for your copy of the funding brochure in the mail or contact Kisha at knorris@llu.edu to get a copy today!

2009-06-05T12:20:00.001-07:00

Sent from my iPhone by: Gyasi Haynes

Carpenter installing new header/beam

2009-06-05T12:17:00.001-07:00

Sent from my iPhone by: Gyasi Haynes

Rough-in stuff

2009-06-03T14:35:00.000-07:00

Ramp

2009-06-03T14:13:00.000-07:00

Pouring the exterior door ramp
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Shoring up the main post

2009-05-27T12:40:00.000-07:00

During demolition it was discovered that one of the main posts holding up the wall/ceiling structure was insufficiently supported by a proper footing. To correct this it was determined that a post extension needed to be added for support. Unfortunately, this post extension would go right through the center of a hallway on its way to a new footing on first floor. This problem was solved by putting a header into the ceiling of the hall spanning the distance between two posts that are each supported by separate footings on either side of the hall. To accomplish this the walls/ceiling/floor will be opened up and the necessary support structure installed. As you can imaging, this process will be invasive and require the complete closure of the hallway in this area. Our construction team has assured us that they will keep the impact as minimal as possible and have the hall reopened ASAP.

Floor Demolition

2009-05-21T13:58:00.000-07:00

This week has been challenging with changes and structural issues causing a slight stall to the project on Wednesday as well as a lot of paperwork and planning meetings. The issues continue to be the floor (three types of flooring, and many different elevations that need to be leveled out), the move of the post that holds up the ceiling (providing sufficient support under the post and jacking it back up to its proper elevation), as well as some smaller concerns.

Thank You to everyone who has had to deal with the excess noise for the last couple of days. The jackhammering was to remove two inches of concrete from the surface of the floor so that we can lay a new floor without exceeding the weight limits of the superstructure. That demolition is completed as of this afternoon (Thurs). Yeah!

The location of the cooking island was revisited as the changes to the ceiling structure have made its positioning more flexible. All these changes, as well as some seismic upgrades, are pushing the budget slightly higher and the completion date has been extended to mid September, hopefully in time for the fall semester.

Kisha tells me that the Catalogue mailer is almost ready, so watch your mail box for that to be delivered soon!

Post floor tile removal

2009-05-14T11:07:00.000-07:00

With the floor tiles removed the sub floor has been revealed to be of varying materials and elevations. In one part of the floor there is even evidence of the origional tile floor which has been covered by a cement leveling compound. Lots of history in this space is being uncovered with each layer removed.

The plumbers are continuing their work of bringing in new pipes and taking out abandoned lines. This weekend the pest control company will treat the space to prevent continued infestation by termites.

Dean Jackson and Chef Cory Gheen

2009-05-13T15:53:00.000-07:00

Structural Update

2009-05-13T14:47:00.000-07:00

Although I have not been able to get into the space to take any current pictures, not much has changed from the previous pics. The electricians and plumbers are here doing their rough-ins getting ready for the changes to the interior structure of walls and ceiling.

The architects and engineers have reviewed the interior structure and determined that we will be able to raise the ceiling to twelve feet across the entire space. This is a great change from the original plan of having two different ceiling heights with a soffit. Also we will still have a post right in the middle of the room, but it has been made smaller and moved 3 feet to the side so it is out of the way of the lecturing instructor.

Meetings yesterday with the cabinetry and equipment contractors went well with only minor changes and updates needed. Shop drawings are expected within the week. The plan for the Montigue island has been reviewed and signed off so that the construction of that equipment can begin, as this is the piece of equipment with the longest lead time.

2009-05-04T14:30:00.000-07:00

Demo stage one complete, waiting for asbestos abatement to begin. Some anticipated questions have come up regarding the framing structure that are causing a change in the design. The architect and structural engineer are working on a solution.

Demo Day 3

2009-04-30T17:02:00.000-07:00

With most of the walls and ceilings uncovered its time for the structural engineer to come in and see what we are really dealing with in this older building. Three full trash bins later and we are still removing debris from the space. The demo crew has been very good about controling the dust and, although there is noise, the amount is manageable.

Demo Begins

2009-04-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of the demolition phase. The interior walls are being uncovered and the ceiling is completely removed. Lots of the old interior is evident above the ceiling line. These pictures were taken earler in the day, but a lot of the work is evident still.

Set to begin

2009-04-22T15:10:00.000-07:00

The final plans have been drawn up and the contractor selected. We are ready to go. Monday is the big day. Demolition is scheduled to begin and then the project will be officially begun! Keep an eye on this blog for updates. I will try to keep daily updates posted with pictures as often as possible.

Blog Creation

2009-04-01T12:47:00.001-07:00

this is a blog for the Allied Health Research Kitchen Remodel Project.