So much news to report this time!

First, please extend congratulations to Gordon Stewart, President of BRAVA, who was just selected as Bowie's Outstanding Citizen! Now the entire community will know what those of us who have worked with Gordon have known all these years and that is his deep commitment to making this a quality auditorium for everyone in Bowie and his dedication to his family and his children's school.

Second, on Monday November 5th, the Bowie City Council will vote on a supplemental budget request to provide BRAVA $1.5M in additional funding. This amount, at this time, is critical. We'll be at the 8pm council hearing to get the results of the vote and hopefully will cheer in the news!

If the vote comes through for us, we will be re-bidding those trades as soon as possible to complete Phases 3 and 4. As you may recall, we originally bid both Phases 2 and 3 together to hedge against inflation and in hopes that funding would have been continuous. That's why we worked so hard to secure funding last spring. However, after the fiscal year 2002 budget processes were completed, there was not sufficient funding in place to accept Phase 3 bids. Of course, the prices went sky high during that incredible economic boom we experienced. Keep your fingers crossed that construction inflation has subsided and more reasonable prices are attained in the bidding.

We are also waiting for a vote in the federal government for the $500,000 which made it through the conference committee. We'll let you know!

Upcoming BRAVA events include the children's play "Bugsy Malone" produced by Eleanor Minor and directed by Tim Albritton and assisted by Domenica Paish. All three are BRAVA board members. Shows will be on November 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, & 18 at Bowie High School's cafeteria. Friday and Saturday plays start at 8pm while Sunday matinees start at 3pm.

Mary Nusser
24 October 2001

The windows have been installed at the second level of the main lobby and can be seen from Rt 450. The front window/door system installation will begin late this week which should make the front of the building closed in by the end of next week at least on the first level.

The mason is finishing the column wraps on the stage and has only the piano storage room and some punch list items to complete. Interior lobby walls are complete. The truck was loaded today with scaffolding so the bulk of the mason's equipment is soon departing. Exterior masonry is holding for a few bags of mortar to complete the brick at the recital hall which should finish next week.

The plumber is insulating roof drain piping and the sprinkler installer is hanging pipes.

The catwalk is effectively complete with the light bars being added now. The steel erector has modified the fly gallery platform to receive the spiral stairs and is installing the hand rails there.

The two interior stairways have arrived and are being installed. The concrete step treads should be cast in the next ten days or so which will allow for their use. No more climbing scaffolding to the second floor when completed. Spiral stairs ship from Hagerstown tomorrow.

The elevator parts are on site and installation will occur over the next three weeks. The elevator will be completed and checked for operation then secured until the end of phase three. Without the floor finishes, ceilings in the lobbies, and permanent lighting we won't get an operating certificate for the elevator but the installation short of the certification will be complete.

The electrician has the switchgear ready for BGE and we have requested an installation date for the power cutover. New power feeds to the existing school will be installed this week in advance of the power shift. The power shift will have to occur on a weekend since the school will have to be out for 8-10 hours.

The roof top air handling units (heaters and air conditioners) arrived on site last week and have been set on the roof. The HVAC contractor is connecting them and will soon start ducting them into their designated spaces.

The roof is over half installed with the only large remaining areas being the fly tower and the rear roof over the shop.

The roll up door for the shop has been installed. As soon as the front windows/doors are installed the building will be complete enough to be able to be locked.

Exterior metal panels are shipping late next week and should begin installation the first week of November.

Hugh Reams
10-24-2001

BRAVA@onebridgeHome.com
Revised: 21 February 2002