Ready for exhibits

The exhibit area space is complete and ready for exhibits which are currently being fabricated offsite by Exhibit Concepts.  They'll come in over the winter, in time for the Visitor Center opening in Spring.

Signs

The signs identifying the building have been installed on the front and rear walls.  Temporary signs on the doors (and soon, banners on the walls) indicate that the Visitor Center will move to this site in Spring 2011, and that the Grand opening is scheduled for April 2.

Old building lights reused

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Two of the pendant fixtures used in the building while it was a warehouse for the Monocacy Valley Canning Company have been put back in service.  They hang over the area that will house the new visitor reception desk.

Projection screen installed

The motorized projection screen has been installed in the theater to add to the versatility of the space.  The regular 4-screen orientation video will show on an array of four LCD flat screen monitors (to be installed behind the screen), however this screen will permit other presentations to be projected.

Tourism Council office area complete

Just waiting for the contractor's cleaning crew, and the installation of office furniture in early 2011.

Landscaping

As the general contractor, Rockwell Construction, begins to close out the building rehabilitation project, landscaping has been installed at the site.

Exhibit fabricator site visit

(Photo courtesy of Ed Chambers)

Exhibit Concepts, Inc. has been hired to fabricate and install the exhibits in the new Visitor Center.  Here Exhibits Concepts staff meets in the building's future exhibit area with individuals from the Tourism Council, Jackson Brady Design Group (exhibit designers) and local photography/videography professionals to examine test prints of sections of the photo murals and other exhibit images.  Exhibits will be fabricated over the winter and installed by spring.   

Paver walkway completed

The remainder of the interlocking permeable pavers that create the entrance walkway and pedestrian plaza area have been installed.

Lighting fixtures installed

The final steps of electrical work are underway, including installation of track lights for the future exhibits, and the uplights that reflect light off of the exposed tongue & groove wood ceiling.

Office floors finished

As Rockwell Construction heads into the home stetch on the building rehabiltation, the reclaimed industrial maple flooring in the Tourism Council office area of the new Frederick Visitor Center received the final coats of finish this week.  Baseboard will be installed next.

Vestibule roof

The flat roof over the entrance vestibule has been installed.

Reclaimed wood floor ready for sanding

The reclaimed industrial maple tongue & groove flooring has all been laid and is ready for a light sanding and refinishing.  This is the Tourism Council of Frederick County office area of the building.

Sidewalks poured

Concrete sidewalks have been poured along East Street, Commerce Street, and the service alley to the west of the building.  A ribbon of brick pavers will separate the East Street and Commerce Street sidewalks from the curb.  The main entrance to the building is reached via a pedestrian plaza of non permeable pavers.

Theater seats installed

The fixed theater seats have been installed in the new Frederick Visitor Center.  Two rows of additional movable seats can be set up on the flat floor area in front of the theater.  The four rows of fixed seats are on a sloped floor.  The normal use of the space will be to continuously show the new 4-screen visitor orientation film, "A Turn of the Wheel," however the room was designed to accommodate occasional meetings up front.

Pavers going in

Pavers are being installed along the south side of the building, and in the pedestrian plaza outside of the front door.

Sidewalks to be poured

Forms and gravel base are in place for the Commerce Street and East Street sidewalks on the site.

Carpet in theater

Carpet has been installed in the Visitor Center's theater, and acoustical ceiling tile installation is underway.  The large opening in the front wall will have an array of four LCD monitors to show the new multi-screen visitor orientation film.

Reclaimed wood flooring

The Tourism Council of Frederick County offices will be in one wing of the Frederick Visitor Center building, and feature a reclaimed industrial maple strip floor that has just been installed.

Circuits, circuits!

Installation of light fixtures is underway as the electric room components are wired to respective areas of the building.

Staining & polishing concrete floor

After several days of prepration, acid staining & polishing of the concrete floor for the exhibit area and hallway is now underway.

Tiled

Ceramic tile has been set and grouted in the Visitor Center's restrooms, with plumbing fixture installation soon to follow.

Wired

Installation of tracks for exhibit lighting is underway along the bottom chords of the trusses over the future exhibit area.  Careful observers will note that remnants of the former cannery warehouse building's original knob & tube wiring were left in place on the trusses in contrast to the up-to-date system now being installed.  Two of the old warehouse's light fixtures will be refurbished and installed over the welcome desk.

Board Tour

The Board of Directors of the Tourism Council of Frederick County takes a tour of the project as part of the September Board retreat.  Mike Irons, Board Treasurer and Chair of the New Visitor Center Committee led the tour, with TCFC staffer Liz Shatto describing the planned interior exhibits. In the top photo, Board members Carroll Jones - Mayor of Brunswick, Mike Irons of Ole Mink Farm, Susan Trail - Superintendent of Monocacy National Battlefield, Frederick County Commissioner Kai Hagen, Frederick Mayor Randy McClement,  Frederick County Public Library Director Darrell Batson and Frederick Keys General Manager Dave Ziedelis - TCFC Board Secretary, were among the members on hand.  In the second photo, TCFC Board President George Wunderlich - Executive Director of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine (right), checks out the exposed trusswork over the future exhibit area. 

More vestibule siding

Installation of vertical tongue & groove cedar siding boards continues across the new front vestibule of the Visitor Center.

Cedar boards go up

Tongue & groove cedar plank vertical siding is now being installed on the Visitor Center's entry vestibule.

Doors

Installation of exterior doors on the new Frederick Visitor Center is underway.

From above

Thanks to photographer Ed Chambers for these updated aerial shots.  The motorcoach drop-off lane for tour groups has been paved in front of the building along S. East St.  In the second photo, work on the new surface parking lot behind the Visitor Center continues as City of Frederick crews prepare the area for paving.  A walkway will connect this lot to the rear door of the Visitor Center.

Staining joists

The painters get underway with the staining of the parallam (parallel strand lumber) joists in areas where the ceiling is exposed tongue & groove planks.  The tongue & groove boards will receive a clear coat finish.

Drywall finishing

Finishing of drywall nears completion on the curved exhibit area wall that will feature murals, and in the Tourism Council office area of the building.