July 2010 Progress Repor

We can really see the Center, Caretakers/Guest Quarters and Art studio taking further shape as we enter the home stretch towards completion. The finish plaster is already on many walls with a hand trowel diamond plaster white on white finish. The natural light cast off the walls creates beautiful effects and bright inspiring spaces.

More energy efficient LED light fixtures have been installed and the conduit throughout the building now been pulled with wire for computer, data and AV. Cantilevered shelves are being installed in some rooms and some of our office furniture has been delivered and ready to be installed.

The sub flooring systems for acoustics are almost finished and soon we will be ready for the sustainable Mesquite hardwood flooring. And our earthen floors in the chapel and one group room called the Living Room are being prepped for installation.

Most Interior and Exterior doors have been hung and many ceilings have been painted.

Outside, our landscape Designer Christie Green has laid out a series of swales and berms, or small rises and depressions in the landscape to prevent erosion and to hold water in some areas for plantings. We had some heavy rains some weeks ago and initial reviews are that the erosion system Christie set up seems to have worked beautifully. We are built into a hillside, so we need to attend to runoff and soil erosion during rains.

Under the swales and berms created in the landscape, we planted a variety of native grasses and wildflowers that with natural rainfall will seed the landscape disturbed during construction.

The feel and look of the buildings and landscape is restful and inspiring.

Stay tuned to our next progress report!

View from the Art Studio looking north to the Center and Seton Castle.
The flagstone patio has been set in front of the Art Studio.

View from the balcony of the Center looking east towards the Caretakers'/Guest quarters.

Views of the Caretakers'/Guest Quarters and Art Studio looking south from the Center.

Another view looking east to the Caretakers'/Guest Quarters.

Working on the flagstone patios at the Art Studio.

Inside the Academy offices in the Center.

View of the Caretakers' sitting area with fireplace.

Setting flagstone at the Caretakers'/ Guest quarters.

Inside the Art Studio.

Plastering the Seton Gallery in the Center.

Our Berms and swales outside the buildings being laid. We have an erosion fabric set on top of the berms and swales that have been seeded with wildflowers and native grasses. With natural rainfall, we will have beautifully vegetated rolling hills around us.