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Progress or Lack Thereof Report |
 Welcome to my weekly journal of the construction progress (or lack thereof) of my project Eucalyptus at Beaumont. Everything you are reading is the absolute truth, while some of it is pretty embarassing for me personally, other parts exhibit some pretty amazing conquests for which I am very proud of.
If you are considering building something like this, it is a good read into what I have been up against in bringing something like this to market. The time and financial constraints are mind boggling. In looking back at the last three years, I am simply amazed that I have endured this as long as I have.
So sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and be glad it is not you.
Next Page // Skip to the project start // Back to current entries
This page goes from this week to July 21st, 2008.
Be sure to sign up for our Interest Reservations Here. so we can let you know about our Grand Opening and receive your advance
sales literature.
March 23rd, 2009 - My Last Blog Entry
After two weeks of 4:00 AM to 6:00 PM of endless work, the project has finally completed.
The white knuckle schedule went like this-
Wednesday the carpet was installed
Thursday the furniture was delivered
The Mural went up on Thursday
The electricity went on Friday at 4:15 PM
At 7:30 PM on Friday, I walked to my truck across the street to get a broom. At that moment, the exterior lights went on
for the first time. It was a balmy evening, with no wind and buttermilk skies. The sun was below the horizon, with it's final rays
flickering in the west.
The building came alive at that moment. The soft muted flood lights bathed the front of the building with a golden glow, still showing
the muted colors on the front of the building. The blue mural of the lake in Banff was visible through the front glass. The interior
lights shown like stars. The building at that moment was alive and fully animated, like a new born baby, eyes open for the first time.
Welcome to the world.
That moment, 7:30 PM, March 20th, 2009, was the pinnacle of my career. "I pulled it off", I said to myself. "I really pulled it off".
I cannot for a moment take all the credit for this accomplishment. I have to give all the credit to my wife and kids. They have been simply amazing
by enduring all my ups and downs through these years; the most difficult years of my life. I cannot begin to remember how many times my wife Michelle has
picked me up off of the floor when I really felt this entire project was going to collapse. Never for a moment did she ever doubt the eventual success
and completion of this project. She was the strength I needed. I will never be able to express my gratitude and thanks for her support. Without her,
this could have never been done.
At dinner last night, my eight year old son asked me if I was going to make a lot of money on this project. I responded "It does not matter
how much money you make. If you do it just for the money, you are doing it for the wrong reason".
"Do what you love, and the money will follow".
I hope that sticks with him for a long time.
Thank you to all of you for your support all these years. Your e-mails and letters have been appreciated. I have saved all 9,946 of them. It has been
an amazing journey. Thank you for allowing me to share with you.
This concludes my blog on this project.
3 years, 2 months, 23 days.
We are done.
March 8th, 2009 - Recovery!
Well, now that the Grand Opening fire drill is over, most all of us are breathing a collective sigh of relief. We actually could use
the extra week to get things finished up. I guess every cloud does have a silver lining. Lord knows we have had enough clouds!
I have created a page for our Grand Opening March 21st and 22nd. It is Here
The stucco guys worked all weekend long. The stucco is scheduled to be finished this Tuesday. After the scaffolding is taken down, then the 10% remaining
concrete work will start. Some of the trees have been delivered and planted. Lots more to go, but it is actually starting to look like a
finished project. We were going to put off the street improvements until after the Grand Opening, but we now have time to dig up the street, and put in the curb gutter and sidewalks.
The windows in the clubhouse are also all in, except one...oops. It cracked during installation. One out of 30 is not bad.
The weather also looks to be cooperating. No rain anywhere in sight. Could this be it? Could we actually open? Tune in same channel, same time in a few days for
more updates.
March 6th, 2009 - Ready - Set- STOP!!!
The un-imaginable has happened. SCE has put off the installation of
our power until the 19th. That blows our Grand Opening until
March 21st and 22nd.
I am truly sorry to have to do this, but we simply cannot open up without
power. So, everything will be put of to the following weekend, March 21st and 22nd.
March 1st, 2009 - The big push is on!!
Stucco, landscaping, grading, cement, drywall, windows, electrical, security, furniture....It is all going in at warp
speed. I think the stucco guys are working this Sunday.
Frankly, I am freaking out. There is so much to be done and so little time. The contractors don't like me very much right now, but the way I figure it,
this project has to come to an end sometime. We may as well pull out the Big Guns and GIT ER DONE! I will be working today (at home) on some interior
items for the clubhouse. All the furniture is in and waiting for delivery, as is the carpet. The drywall is in and will be taped on Monday after inspection. Granite counter tops will be
built the following week and probably installed on the Friday before the Grand Opening. Many items will be installed the day before the opening. So much
for advance planning!
See you there!!!
February 24th, 2009 - I love the smell of Stucco in the morning!!
I spent the day today at the site, and the progress is amazing. Nothing but hard work and positive attitudes.
Everyone at the site is looking forward to the Grand Opening, but there is a ton of work to be done between now and then. I shudder to think
as to what is ahead and what has to be done.
We have commitments from Giant RV, Marathon Coach and a local RV dealer, RV Discount Centers from Banning and Beaumont. They will be displaying their latest and greatest
RV's during the Grand Opening. This is all too good to be true.
Below is a picture from today of the clubhouse ready for stucco.
February 23rd, 2009- Short Supply-
Our more popular units are just about sold out. Here is what will be available for sale at the Grand Opening on March 14th and 15th.
Sequoia - 26' x 50' One Left
Redwood - 17' x 50' Two Left
Banyon - 24' x 35' Two Left
Redwood (Short) 17' x 40' One Left
Sugar Pine 11' x 38' Two Left
Shasta (Short) 13' x 45' One Left
We have an ample supply of Shasta Units, 13' x 50' our staple size. If you desire one of the above units, be sure to be at our Grand Opening on
March 21st and 22nd, or make an Interest Reservation here. or use the form on the left of this page.
February 23rd, 2009 - Looking Good.
I spent the entire weekend at the site and quite a few people came by to say hi. That was really nice. Progress is moving right along.
The building is ready for stucco, and the street work will begin this week. It is all coming together. More later.
February 20th, 2009-Lots of Progress
I spent the entire day at the site today, and will be on site all weekend long doing some interior cabinet work. We have a $3 bet that I won't finish
the work by Sunday PM. GAME ON!! Feel free to stop by and see the progress. I am taking more bets if you are interested.
February 15th, 2009 - RAIN!!!! *&^%$!!
Well, here I sit in my office waiting for the rain to start. From what I have heard, this one will be a gully washer!!
Our gullies have been washed, thank you very much. Fortunately, the roof is on the clubhouse, so not much will be affected except for the Stucco
guys. There is no way they can work in the rain. So, with luck, on Wednesday they will get started again. Progress overall is going well,
despite the rain. I may be out at the site tomorrow to do some drainage observations to make certain the systems are working well.
February 13th, 2009- STUCCO!!
I spent the day out at the site yesterday. They set up all the scaffolding for the stucco work on the front of the clubhouse that will begin today. This marks the begining of the
beginning of end for the exterior of the clubhouse. All of the window frames are in, with door jams set to go in the middle of next week. The ground is too soggy
to begin the landscaping or the street improvements. It looks like a steady four days of rain ahead of us, so we are expecting some delays (so what else is new).
The pad for the electrical transformer was installed yesterday. Within a week we will have the entire project powered up.
The inspections for our Occupancy Permits begins on Tuesday for all the storage buildings. That will take a few days to complete. Once that task is completed,
escrows will be able to close and our first new owners can move into their units.
All of the concrete has been poured with the exception of about 10' at the front of the project. The remaining 10' will be poured as part of the
street improvements (curb, gutter and sidewalk).
February 6th, 2009 - More Pictures
I was out at the site yesterday. The new paving looks fantastic! It has a nice cross hatch pattern etched into the concrete. It is a really nice look.
Stucco should begin next week if the rain lets up. Window frames are in. Landscaping starts next week, as does the street improvements.
Front view of clubhouse
Future entry gate location
View looking west
Side view of clubhouse showing graceful curve
February 3rd, 2009- We did it!!
We managed to get the concrete poured on Monday. That puts us at 98% complete on all the concrete in the project. We have poured a total of
nearly 180,000 sq ft of concrete. At 94 lbs per sq foot, that equals 16,920,000 pounds of concrete. That is a lot of concrete!
We have rain predicted for Thursday and Friday. We were going to start the curb gutter and side walks then, but it looks like we will be sliglty delayed
until next week. Once the curb etc are put in, the street lamps and street paving begins, along with the landscaping. The window frmaes are being installed this week,
with stucco, insulation and drywall in the next two weeks. The cabinets for the clubhouse will be delivered this Thursday, and will be installed
right after the drywall gets installed. Folks, we are at the bitter end of this project.
February 1st, 2009 - New Addition
We have added a new slide show feature showcasing the project.
 Project Slide Show (Opens in Pop-Up Window)
Yeah, I know - "big deal". Enjoy it anyway.
January 30th, 2009 - Mom Nature Throws us a Curve
Well, the concrete did get poured, about 50% of it. Mom Nature decided to give us nasty Santa Ana winds. We were advised not to try to
pour any more concrete with windy conditions, as the concrete will dry too quickly and cracks become a strong possibility. The winds are supposed to
go away this weekend, so Monday looks to be the day to finish up the concrete.
You may have noticed, that we pushed the Grand Opening date back one more week to March 14th and 15th. The rain and winds have caused us a weeks delay. Sorry,
but it had to be done.
January 28th, 2009- Cement and Roof
Lots going on at the site today. Cement is being poured as I type this, amd the roof is being completed on the clubhouse. Once the windows are put into the
clubhouse, (next week) the weather can do whatever it wants, because at this point, we are pretty much weather proofed. Next steps are the street improvements, (curb gutter and sidewalk), and the
lansdcaping will begin. The clubhouse is being drywalled and the interior finishes will start in about a week. Guess what? We are just about done!!!
I will be onsite tomorrow (Thursday) and will take a series of photos that I will post here so you can see first hand what is being done.
January 27th, 2008 - GO!
With clear weather ahead of us we have scheduled the concrete pour for tomorrow Wednesday. It looks like we have clear weather for the next week, so it is
all hands on deck! Nothing will stop us now!
January 24th, 2009 - A big Thud!!!
Did I say we were going to pour? Well, Mom nature had other thoughts about that one. We had just enought drizzle to stop the concrete work,
thankfully before it started. Things will have to dry out before we can make another attempt. It looks like Tuesday will be the day.
Fingers and toes crossed!!!
January 23rd, 2009 - Ready - Set - POUR!!!
We are going to make an honest attempt to pour concrete today. Seems the rain has gone away sans a few showers here and there. My personal forecast says
it is time to pour!!
I am working on ordering the lighting for the clubhouse. All of the furniture has been ordered and will be delivered to the site (for storage)
next week. Drywall for the interior of the clubhouse will start today as well as the insulation.
Roof Top Meeting
Roof Top View to the north.
January 22nd 2008 - Awww Crap!!! Rain!
There was a time when I loved the rain. It meant new snow, skiing, fun fun fun. Now, after becoming a developer I fear the rain. Clouds are a fearful
feature in the sky. They are colored green with lost revenue and lost construction time. In the past I saw bunnies, face profiles, and rainbows in the cloud formations. Today, all I see
are dollar signs, mud and grief. What a sad state of affairs.
We were going to pour concrete yesterday, but it was drizzling in the AM, but cleared in the afternoon. Today, the skies are cloudy, ready to destroy any concrete
we attempt to pour. Maybe tomorrow we might be able to get it completed. Maybe. I will keep you posted.
January 15th, 2008 - Resales and Rentals
I finished the Resale and Rental Site. This is where if you are more inclined to rent rather than buy a unit,
you can do so from one of the
many owners in this project.
Final grading started today, with the final front entrance concrete is being poured on Tuesday. Yea!! No more mud!!
Once the concrete is finished, (the end of next week) the stucco on the clubhouse will start, assuming the windows get delivered and installed on time. (yeah I know, when has that ever happened)?
At about the same time, the landscaping will start to get installed. That will take about three weeks to finish. Then we will start finishing the
interior of the clubhouse and cleaning up the project. I can actually taste the end of this!!!!!
January 11th, 2009 - A moment of reflection -
It is Sunday, and I got to the office around 5:30AM. It is nice and quiet here, and I can do some real soul searching. Besides, the surf is flat anyway.
The six years I have spent on this project is about to come to a close. I have to tell you, I have mixed feelings. One part of me is glad it is about to be over
however, there is another part of me that is feeling a bit sad. I am not even sure if sad is the correct word. Maybe a bit empty would be more descriptive.
I have met some contractors that are simply amazing with their dedication and hard work they have done on this project. Many of them I am certain will be long time friends.
We have had serious issues that have come up, any they rallied together and helped me solve the many challenges and problems that
raise their ugly head, more frequently than I care to think about.
Joe Gallagher and Shad Mix of MSK Management (our general contractor) have been simply amazing at their dedication
and attention to detail. This project could never have been built without them. I owe them a great debt of gratitude.
Southern California West Coast Electric, Mike Voyles and Son, Mako Steel, RA Hill Construction, Drywall Professionals, Bank Midwest and others that I am certain I am forgetting at the moment, have
all stepped up to the challenge and are helping create a project like none other. To them I say a heartfelt Thank You.
This project will end soon. The new owners I am certain will appreciate everything that has gone into this project.
I for one, feel that once completed, I will have the personal satisfaction of knowing that I did the best I could. There were no shortcuts.
The legacy I will leave behind is something that others will copy, for that I am certain. But they will never be
able to duplicate the effort, pride, and pioneering effort everyone on this project has provided.
I now know, as I move forward with my future projects, like Eucalyptus at Bermuda Dunes, Eucalyptus at Oxnard, Eucalyptus at Mammoth and others
in the pencil stages, I have assembled the ideal team to pull off this monumental task. I have discovered it is not what you know, but more importantly, who you know.
January 10th, 2009 A Really good day
The date for our Grand Opening has been set for March 6th and 7th. Boy, I simply cannot wait for that day.
Despite our weak economy, we still have 50% of the project sold out, with phases 1,2 and 3 all sold. The last phase of
sales will start at the Grand Opening. We have over 2500 people on the waiting list, with phone calls all day long
from interested parties. It really is reassuring that in these challenging times that there is still strong interest
in our project.
I spent the day out at the site and met up with several current owners,
Tony, Oren and their friend Wayne. They brought out their RV and boat for a trial fit to
see if the boat and the RV would fit into the Redwood 17' x 50' unit. Guess what?
It did!!
The was actually enough room for another car, and a flock of ATV's with room
to spare.
Below is a picture demonstrating just how wide the isles are. You could fit two RV's end
to end. Makes it really nice for backing in things like boats and trailers.
Below are pictures of the clubhouse taken yesterday.
This picture illustrates pretty well the graceful curvature of the
front of the building. And no, that is not a fish eye lens. That is
pretty much exactly how it looks in person. Suitable for framing if you ask me!
All of the dirt and mud will be gone by the end of next week and the graders move
in on Tuesday. Their work will take about three days. On Friday of next week
forms for the curbing go in with three days of concrete work to follow. This
will be the completion of all of the concrete work on the project. By then you
will get a better idea of what this project will look like.
The clubhouse framing is done, with just a few pick up items to be completed.
The windows will go in over the next week or so, then Tommy Gun Plastering moves
in to do the stucco work. By the end of January, the exterior of the entire project
will be completed.
Pinch me, please.
Here are my kids up at Mammoth testing our medical insurance
coverage for frost bite. ( It was 15 degrees when that photo was taken).
January 5th,2009 - New Years Resolutions
Traditionally, we all make New Years Resolutions. Can you guess what mine is?
Yep, getting this project done. At least if the current weather charts are correct,
we have a nice window of clear weather for the next 2 weeks, and boy do we need it!!
The next two weeks will see some dramatic changes to the site. Paving, landscaping, grading,
and street improvements will all begin. This are probably the most visible improvements, as most of the
work over the last month has been underground work, i.e., sewer and water. By next week, you will
see some dramatic changes as we move towards completion of this project.
December 29th, 2008 - Rain Rain, Gone Away!!
I am so glad to see our rains have finally ended. Now we can get back to business and get this
project done!
I was at the site on Saturday, and the ground was still really muddy and wet. By today, Monday, things should
be firming up. I will be at the site all day on Tuesday cleaning units getting them ready for move in's in the not too distant future.
The clubhouse framing will be done tomorrow, with the electrical and insulation guys moving in. Then the roof goes on, along with the windows, making things
weather proof so we can move forward no matter what the weather does. Once all the water and soils have drained, the landscapers
will move in and make the place look great!! I will post some pictures late Tuesday.
December 14th, 2008 - Let there be Water!!
Today, as rainy and miserable as it was, we managed to make the connection for
our domestic and fire supply water.
The massive water valve
Making the cut in the 12' water main
Bubba making sure everything is clean and organized, just like his Dad.
Now that the water is hooked up, we can begin the landscaping, provided it stops raining
soon. The clubhouse framing needs only about 3 days of dry weather and we can move
on to insulation and electrical, with stucco exterior right after the first of the
year.
I spent most of the evening on Friday night selecting the furniture for the clubhouse. All
custom, all leather, all really, really nice.
December 9th, 2008 – Coastal Snow???
Some of you may know that in a previous life, I forecasted
surf and weather for my own business and the Orange County
Register and a few other notable news agencies.
I wanted all of you to know that there may be a
rare even next week. Seems there is an area of low pressure over
Siberia, that currently has surface low temperatures of -81
degrees. That same track of very cold weather could invade the
west coast early next week. The bottom line is that it just might
be cold enough to see snow at the coast of southern California.
We still have quite a few days ahead of us, but the possibility
is certainly there. So while we were worried about more rain
at the site, now we are all packing shovels to move the snow.
Does it ever end?
December 4th, 2008 - Lots of Equipment Today
We have more machines on the site today that ever before. We are working on the
rain water retention basins, and finishing up the sewer and water connections. The
street is dug up, the site is dug up with piles of dirt and gravel everywhere. It
is a mess, but a necessary mess. By next Monday, the mess will be cleaned up and
we will start pouring the final concrete.
The clubhouse framing is just about done, with the only thing left are the installion
of the trusses (things that hold up the roof). That will occur Monday / Tuesday of next
week. All in all, I am pleased with the progress. (fresh pictures below). The live cam is an on and off again thing,
since we have only one power outlet in the project and the cam keeps getting unplugged. Little I can do about it.
December 3rd, 2008- Sewer
After watching how involved and complicated the sewer
connection is, I have a new appreciation every time I flush. A salute
might be in order. (How’s that for a mental picture)?
After sinking the truck over the weekend (see below), the trenching continues
to almost the completion point in front of our property. The final sewer connection
to our property will be done this week. Also, the water service will go in late this week or
early next week. Then SCE will show up and bring the power down from the pole into our project and we will have electricity throughout the project. The property fencing
is about 60% completed. Final cement drives will go in immediately after the water and sewer lines are connected next week. I will be at the project on Thursday and will post some updated pictures that afternoon.
December 1st, 2008 - Things that make you say "AWWWW CRAP"!
Just to paint a picture of what we have done to our neighbor at Dura Plastics, last year in December we had a huge mud flow that ran right into their computer room during a serious rain storm.. ( Scroll back in the blog and you can see some pictures of the carnage we caused them).
"No big deal" the owner of Dura Plastics said. Wow, what a nice guy I thought to myself. It was all cleaned up and we remained friends . Fast forward to Thanksgiving day (three days ago) and pictured below is one more insult thrown in the direction of our friends over at Dura Plastics.
Seems after we laid the new sewer line, which went through Dura Plastics parking lot, the asphalt cap (temporary) we placed over the freshly filled trench, didn’t do much to keep the rain water out and turning the compacted dirt in the trench into Oatmeal.
Dura Plastics’ maintenance man on Thanksgiving day, was going to the plant to shut things down for the holiday, and was surprised when his nice truck sunk up to the frame in our trench. Now before you go and blame just us, the filling of the trench was supervised by a soils tech who tests and records this type of compaction. ( his boss got a copy of this picture. :-) Take that Allen!!!!
I met with Dura Plastics this AM to beg their forgiveness, and would you believe, once again, they said, “No big deal”. Where in the world can you find neighbors like that? But then again, maybe behind closed doors, they are saying the same thing about us….”Where in the world can you find neighbors like that"!?! Geez, I feel like an idiot!!
November 24th, 2008 – RAIN??? Say it isn’t so!!
Arrg!!! So there is rain in the forecast. That is not good. We could be
shut down for most of this week. But since it is a holiday week, not
all is lost.
The last permit we have needed for the project, (water) has been
issued. From this point on, no more permits or stinkin’ badges!!! Just
pure hard labor.
Fencing is about 30% done, with sewer about 40% done. Water will go in
next week and the connection done on a Sunday so to avoid any service
problems for our neighbors.
Updated pictures of the clubhouse below.
November 18th, 2008 - Back among the living!!
I am very sorry for the lapse in progress reports. I have been quite sick for the last three weeks. A personal record for me. After the doctor gave me a shot the size of a
Turkey baster in my rear, that seemed to help out quite a bit. I tried to get some work done, but every time I went to work, I ended up in bed for two days. It was just best to shut off the cell phone and rest. As of this Saturday, I turned the corner and am ready to get this project finished.
The clubhouse (pictured below) is well along the path to finishing the framing. The pictures are from early last week. I will be out at the site in a day or two and will post some fresh pictures showing considerable progress. The walls are so big (22' tall), we have to use a crane to move them into place.
Like the isle ways, on paper they don’t look all that big. But once you see them in person,
they are huge! Same deal with the clubhouse. I didn’t think 2700 sq ft was all that big, but once the walls go up, you get an idea of just how immense this thing is. You are really going to like it. The furniture and interior Fu-Fu stuff is being ordered now, along with the washer and dryers, TV’s, couches, chairs, carpet etc etc etc. This is all the fun stuff.
In addition to the clubhouse construction, as of today we have the sewer going in, the fencing, facility water service, and once we have water, the landscaping will go in. There is more activity on the site now than there has ever been. It is something to see.
My son Timmy showing us how it is done!
November 4th, 2008
Had some rain this morning, so the concrete pour was put off until things dry out a bit. Look for another
attempt by Thursday. The clubhouse framing is going well. All of the walls are framed and will be lifted by a crane
on Thursday into place. The walls are 20' high, so to do it by hand is just about impossible. I was at the site
yesterday, and things are looking just great and moving along well. I will be out on site again on Wednesday for the
first half of the day.
October 24th, 2008
The pouring of the clubhouse foundation went off without a hitch!
The security systems are going in on schedule and are looking just great! Pictured is one of the
16 security cameras located in our project.
The lumber will be delivered today and on Monday we will start going vertical next weeek (as they say in the trades).
October 21st, 2008-
The Construction Cam is back up once again.
Grading resumes today to prepare for another 300 yards of concrete. This pour will take the concrete to where the entry gates will be
located near the front of the property. Also, concrete will be poured into the foundation of the clubhouse tomorrow, and the framing will begin on Thursday.
Sewer and water street work will begin in the next day or so and will take about a week to complete, once we find the sewer line. (That is a story for another day). I am pleased with the way things are going...however, there is a looming chance for rain by the end of this month and the first few days of November. We are going as fast a we can to button things up before the rain.
October 18th, 2008
Well, everything went well with City Council and the final map has been approved, so that is that. DONE!
The concrete will continue to be poured along with the framing of the clubhouse. The fencing, gates, landscaping,
irrigation, security, sewer (yuck) and water are all being done at the same time.
It is a very busy time at our project. If you would like a guided tour of the project, simply give me
a call at 714.280.4201 and I would be happy to meet you at the site and explain in great detail about
this project.
October 7th, 2008 - The LAST document to be approved!
Yes it is true. The last document that needs to be approved by City Council goes before
City Concil tonight. Here is
that document. What is ride it has been!!!!!!! 2 1/2 years comes to an end tonight!!
October 2nd, 2008 - Sewer Resolved
The sewer situation has been resolved. The plans have been sitting at the city since March!!! Only to have
them released yesterday. How's that for your tax dollars at work?
Sorry to say, the web cam is down as we have to remove the construction trailer (where the cams were housed)
to make room for more paving and construction. We may be able to remount / relocate the cams later next week. I will
keep you posted.
The order for the day is to get the foundation for the clubhouse poured, but there is more than a hint of rain
for the early weekend. We may play it safe and wait until next week to pour.
September 30th, 2008 - More Challenges ahead of us.
Everytime I flush a toilet, I have gained new appreciation for what is involved into
this marvel of engineering dating back to Roman times. I'll bet the Romans didn't have to
go through 5 layers of City offices just to connect to the sewer. I simply cannot believe
what is involved and "who" is involved in this seemingly simple task.
The attornies have gotten involved, (that is always a treat) and they are really good at turing crap into
gold and they are doing it right now. It is all very frustrating. Couple that with an indifferent city who
could really care less, taking weeks just to sign a set of plans, and then losing them.
We were told this morning to come and pick up the approved plans, only to have the door slammed in our face (literally) telling
us to come back a noon because we (the engineers) have a meeting to attend. So, at noon I will let you know what happens. It is all very frustrating.
September 29th, 5:00 AM
It is 5:00 AM and it has started once again. 400 Yards of concrete, 45 trucks
all rolling into the site. What a BEAU---TI---FUL site it is!!!
Pictured above is Richard and Bernadette from Australia. They reserved a
unit earlier this winter when the site was all dirt. They both said
they were relieved to see the progress we have made.
They are on their way to Baltimore to pick up their band new RV. Their
adventure in the USA begins today!!
September 27th, 2008 - WE DID IT!!
Pouring of the 4600 PSI, fiberglass reinforced concrete went on all day long! Strong stuff.
Smoothing and leveling to a depth of 6" using the "Laser Screed" .
The last of 45 truck loads (400 yards) were poured on Saturday. Another
400 yards to go in on Monday.
September 26th, 2008 - A Bit of a False Start
After a few false starts with the concrete pouring, we are again going great guns. The first driveway will be
poured tomorrow, (Saturday) with the other driveways continuing on Monday and finishing by Tuesday. Watch the
cams for lines of cement trucks rolling onto the site for the next few days.
The clubhouse foundation will be poured on Thursday of next week, with framing starting a few days after that.
I am taking the kids on a camping/surf trip to San Onofre this weekend to give Mom a break. I will be at the site on Monday to
witness the pouring.
September 15th, 2008 - Cement Drives Almost Ready to Pour
If you watch the Construction Cam you will see the graders tearing up the drive isles and re packing the surface, in preparation for the concrete drive isles. We have 6" of 4,000 PSI concrete going down as soon as Wednesday.
The clubhouse foundations are are formed, and the plumbers will be in to install the plumbing in the slab hopefully before the concrete gets poured. :-) With luck, framing on the clubhouse will start next week.
September 9th, 2008 - Clubhouse Foundations
September 8th, 2008, Clubhouse Has Started!
If you look at cam 3 on the CONSTRUCTION CAM you will see the foundations
being formed, with concrete in a day or so. The buildings are for the most part done, with the exception of the electrical service. We are ramping things
up electrical wise to keep on schedule.
Street work, meaning sewer and water will start later this week as well. The color coat of stucco on the outside of buildings will go up this week, and will conclude
by the end of this week.
September 2nd...SEPTEMBER?????? Where did this year go??
I guess it is true what they say - The older you get, the faster time flies by. I could swear I was decorating the
Christmas tree last night.
We have lots going on now, I MEAN LOTS! The buildings are for the most part finished, with just some minor details yet to be sewn up. The drive isles will be poured early next week, as all the temporary power poles are being moved out of the isles tomorrow. Grading of the isles starts on Thursday, and will take about three days to complete.
The clubhouse foundation gets poured at the end of this week, with framing starting a few days after the foundation gets installed.
The fire systems are all in and approved. On site water will begin to flow any day now once the "Tap" in the street is made. Once that is done, we can begin the landscaping.
August 20th, 2008 - Clubhouse Time
All of the storage buildings will be completed in two weeks. This marks the beginning of the
clubhouse construction. We should start the foundations for the clubhouse in about 2 weeks, with framing
just a few days after that. We still have about 40% of the building electrical to be completed, but that is going really
fast as well. All the garage doors are in, as are the openers. The alarm systems starts to be installed right behind
the electrical systems. The fire sprinklers are 80% installed as are the fire hydrants. The stucco on the buildings exterior started about a week
ago, with the "brown coat" (first layer of three) going on today. We are really making up for lost time now!!!
August 19th, 2008 - Characters
Every project has a cast of characters. Here are just a few -
August 18th, 2008- Last Day for Sales!!
Well, today concludes our last pre construction sales release. Most of our inventory is sold out, with a few units still available.
We will be at the RVIA RV show in Pomona this October. We may release a few units there. Stay tuned.
Construction is going just great. The fire systems are in and have passed inspection. We are now covering up all of the trenches on the site, and will
start pouring the concrete drives in the next week or so.
We are all trying to push and push hard for move ins to begin late October. We will keep you posted!!
The seminar on Friday went well. I am pleased to report that I didn't throw up, nor was my zipper down. (What a relief that was).I actually didn't make a huge fool of myself.
Yes, I stammered and wandered off on side topics a little, but overall it went well.
August 12th, 2008 - Seminar -
I will be speaking at a Seminar this Friday in San Diego, all about RV and Boat Storage
Development. The Seminar is hosted by Mako Steel, the company who is constructing our buildings. My part of this is to speak on the Condo aspects RV storage.
Details on the Seminar are Can Be Found Here I am not much of a public speaker, so at the very least, it should be good for a laugh.
Construction on the site continues at a very fast pace. Seems like nothing will stop us now! Sales of the last phase are almost sold out. The last day for sales will be Monday the 18th. You can view the availability and prices Here
August 1st, 2008 - Rollin' along
Lots if trenches and pipe going in all for the fire systems for each unit. The stucco for the units has started, and the alarm systems will start to be installed next week. The roof for buildings B,E, and H will start early next week, followed by the installation of the doors.
Once the fire and water systems are installed, the landscaping starts to go in with the perimeter fencing. Lots going on.
July 28th, 2008- A Nice Surprise!!
Warren Akana from Ohau, Hawaii showed up and really surprised me. I had no idea he was going to be there. He owns two units, and has been very supportive of our efforts on getting this project completed. Mahalo Warren!!! ( He also owns two other storage condos in Oregon and Arizona!) Way to go Warren!! "Geev Um". (Translation - "go for it"
We had about 40 people on the last day of the Open House. I have to tell you, this project, once completed will have a collection of some of the nicest people you could ever want to meet. Some are still wondering about the clubhouse. If you attended the Open House, you would understand what I am trying to create here. In a nutshell, we will have a collection of 108 people, all sharing the same interests and aspirations. When in your life have you had a community of that many people all doing the same thing? During the open houses, we had as many as 20 people in our model unit. All talking RV'ing, traveling, exchanging contact information, talking RV's, cool places to go etc. Mind you, they are simply gathering in a model unit. Once the clubhouse is done, I'll just bet there will be weekly pot lucks, BBQ's, parties, travel clubs, and most of all new friends sharing their lives. The president of a local RV club was here, though I didn't get a chance to talk to him, but I will just bet he sees the potential of the social possibilities in this project. While many question the validity clubhouse, the answer will become evident in a very short time.
To those of you that showed up at the Open House, you have my sincerest thanks. Your support and positive comments will never be forgotten.
Sales start 7:00 AM Monday, July 28th, 2008.
July 25th, 2008 - Project in motion!
We signed the stucco contract on Thursday, so the ugly steel showing on the front of the buildings will go away starting on Monday. Fire system trenching starts on Monday (which is fortunate since ditches don't work well during an Open House). The CC&R's and the Condo mapping is done and will be recorded on Monday (this took one year to complete by the way). The bids for the landscaping are out now, and should be awarded in about two weeks. Once water is on site, then we will start the landscaping installation in about three weeks). Cement drives will be poured in about three weeks, after the trenching is done. Fences will start also in about three weeks, and the framing for the clubhouse will start also in about three weeks. August is going to be a very busy month.
See you at the Dusty Open House this weekend!!
July 23rd, 2008 - Fire Ready to Go!
All of the onsite water systems are ready to start to go in on Friday of this week. There will be lots of trenching going on. Most of the
work is dedicated to the fire sprinkler systems. THis will take about two weeks to complete. After the water systems are in, then we will
pour the concrete drives, making things much less "dusty", and will start the framing of the clubhouse.
Speaking of Dusty, our last "Dusty" open house will be this weekend, Sat and Sun, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Details HERE .
Our last and final pre construction phase three release starts next Monday the 28th. If you are not registered, go HERE to get on the list to receive your sales information.
July 21st, 2008 - Another Open House Report-
Actually it is Sunday night the 20th. Many showed up once again today, but thing didn't really get going until after 11:00 AM.
Many who have already purchased a unit showed up to see what has been built. No complaints thus far. Everyone seems happy and
content with what has been built so far. Many first timers showed up, having been referred to us by friends. They too were
impressed with the building quality and the amenties we are building into the project.
Overall, it was a great weekend and many thanks to all of those who attended. We will see the rest of you next weekend??
I am taking Monday off to kick it at the beach. It has been a hellofa two weeks.
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