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New Clubhouse Views:
UPDATES:
January 27, 2012
Website & Phone Construction Update
If you have been by the Clubhouse lately you have seen that the exterior on the main building is almost complete and ready for final painting. The windows have been installed, and the roof is finished. The interior is beginning to take shape. The floor to ceiling fireplace is almost complete with the exception of title and stonework. Most walls are up and rooms are being prepped for painting and final finishes. Elevator installation will begin within the next 10 days. You will notice landscaping projects starting within the next few weeks.
The restaurant and golf shop are currently buttoned up for asbestos abatement. The abatement should be completed shortly and the remodel will begin on that phase of the project.
It is important to know that in the main front parking lot all handicap slots and several regular parking slot will be fenced off beginning Monday, February 6th. These slots will not be available again until sometime in March. The parking in front of the current building near the flagpole will be designated for handicap parking during this closure period
Date of completion is projected to be early April.
Thanks for all your patience we will be in our new Clubhouse soon.
December 2, 2011
Website & Phone Construction Update:
The exterior portion of the new Clubhouse will soon be enclosed and work is well underway on the interior. The exterior wall sheathing is still in the process of being installed and the south swimming pool room window openings are being finished. Exterior foam insulation and weather barrier wrap are being installed at the two north elevation corners in preparation for the exterior stone installation.
The storm drain work has been completed at the golf course and the flow spreader installation is complete along with the final grading and turf replacement.
The golf cart path and fire lane paving at the south and west of the building is complete. The V-pan installation at the north parking lot and the new west entry drive is complete. Installation of curb and gutter around the west parking area is being installed
The elevator jack installation has begun.
Interior metal partition and soffit framing work is ongoing.
The changes will become less obvious now that a good portion on the exterior is complete and the interior work has begun. Be patient Spring is just around the corner.
November 3, 2011
What a difference a month makes; if you haven't had a chance to drive by the new Clubhouse please do so; the changes are happening quickly and you will see tremendous visual changes.
There is one VERY IMPORTANT CLOSURE IN NOBEMBER. Starting November 8th work to upgrade the main parking area South of the current Clubhouse all the way to the 201 Parking Structure I, will begin so that the parking area will be closed for several weeks. The Handicap area in front of the Clubhouse will remain open. The plan is to have this work completed by December 1st so we will have ample parking during the busy Holiday Season.
The Golf Course work will continue through the month of November.
The weather has caused some minor delays in getting the structure enclosed, but we are still on schedule to move during the March/April time frame.
Please be patient and plan to leave a few minutes early if you are going to drive and park at the Clubhouse for an event.
October 6, 2011
It’s exciting to see the steel going up on the new Clubhouse; this is giving us a good ideal of how the final structure will look.
During the month of October we will continue to see structural steel installed, more concrete being poured for slabs and continued development of the pool and spa area.
Expect one-way traffic in front of the Clubhouse off and on during October as crews continue to work on the water and storm lines. There will always be flagmen there to assist as you make your way around Heather Gardens Way.
During October you will see roof trusses and exterior wall framing go up. They will also begin the final grade process. The completion date is still on track for late March, early April however the weather will play a big part in the completion date.
The Golf Course work will continue through the month of October. If everything goes according to plan it should be finished by the end of the month.
Please be patient and plan to leave a few minutes early if you are going to drive & park at the Clubhouse for an event.
9/06/2011
Progress on the new Clubhouse continues to evolve fairly quickly. The Building Permit is now in the hands of Weitz and Co., and the picnic pavilion is now up and ready for use.
Work on the first floor foundation continues. During the week of September 6th excavation for the swimming pool will begin and preparations for the stage level deck will start.
During the week of September 12th it is important to note that the installation of an 8” water main coming into the site will begin. This work will require street closure in front of the Clubhouse and the Main Circle Drive entry will be closed. The exit side of the circle drive will be open so a few cars can enter and use those parking spaces. This work will take a full week. During this closure there will be traffic controllers on the street to help guide you through the maze. Please be patient and plan to leave a few minutes early if you plan to drive & park at the Clubhouse for an event.
During the week of September 12th you will also see steel going up for the second floor. You can expect a new posting the first part of October. The #9 Green will be closed through September.
8/8/2011
The picnic pavilion has been moved and will be ready for use around August 15th. The temporary fire lane is in place. Please note that the handicap slots near the main office will be blocked off for several days during the week of August 8th as utility lines are connected to the street. Construction of the level spreader storm drain will begin August 18th and the 9th green will be closed for approximately 2 weeks.. The temporary green will be in use until that work is completed. The basement foundation walls are being formed and the interior basement and footing pad excavation is in progress. Excavation has begun for the pool and equipment room where the sewage ejector and pump pit is to be located. The web cam is scheduled for installation before the end of August. The Building Permit is in the final stages of approval and we expect to have the permit by the end of August.
7/14/2011
Pouring of concrete for foundations, floor and walls of the basement has started. Work on the basement and spread footings for the rest of the building will extend well into August. Equipment for the web cam has been obtained. As soon as it can be mounted on a pole near the construction trailer and communication established with the information screen in the clubhouse lobby, pictures of construction will be shown on the screen. The final issues associated with relocation of the picnic pavilion have been resolved. The pavilion should be moved by the end of July and available for use in early August. As soon as the pavilion is in place and the sidewalk between it and the current clubhouse has been re-opened, a temporary gravel fire road will be constructed between Building 250 and the clubhouse. This fire road will extend to near the golf cart path. A temporary 9th green is being readied in a portion of the 9th fairway. This temporary green will be utilized until the level spreader storm drain facility has been installed between the 7th and 9th fairways. We anticipate that this work will be completed by September.
7/07/2011
Clubhouse construction update: A permit for earthwork and foundation construction has been obtained from the City of Aurora. The rear extension of Blossoms restaurant and the tennis courts have been removed. A modification of design and minor realignment of the picnic pavilion is being used to avoid conflict with the Xcel power line, so work on re-locating the pavilion should begin within the next few days. Survey control points have been established. Excavation for the basement has been completed. The kitchen grease trap is being relocated. The elevator jack hole has been installed. Web-cam equipment has been received and should be working within 10 days. As noted in the last posting, the project superintendent is using a white board near the Blossoms sign to provide work schedule information. Date ranges on the white board indicate the period during which the work is expected to be completed.
6/15/2011
Preparatory work for Clubhouse construction is well underway. While we still do not have a building permit from the city, we are able to get "counter permits" for early aspects of construction. Temporary connections for electrical service and natural gas have been installed. A buried Xcel power line is temporarily holding up moving the picnic pavilion. Earthwork for grading and foundations should start by July 1. To keep residents advised of progress, the project superintendent will post information about work pending and in progress on a large whiteboard on the fence near the Blossoms sign. Additionally, The Weitz Company will be placing a webcam on the worksite with displays of work in progress to be shown on the information screen near the reception desk in the Clubhouse. You should be able to see what is going on from the air-conditioned comfort of the Clubhouse lobby by early July.
6/01/11
As a result of delay in obtaining a key electrical component, it will not be possible to move and reconnect the transformer for the Clubhouse as scheduled on Sunday June 5. As a consequence, the Clubhouse will be open and Blossoms will serve Sunday Brunch on June 5. Protestant Chapel services will also take place in the auditorium on the 5th. The transformer move has been rescheduled to take place on Sunday June 12. The Clubhouse and Blossoms will be closed that day with the exception of the private barbeque party scheduled for early afternoon on the patio between Blossoms and the pool. Protestant Chapel services will not be held in the auditorium on June 12.
5/23/2011
XCEL ENERGY POWER TRANSFER - Xcel Energy has set Sunday June 5, 2011 as the day to move our transformer for the construction of the new Clubhouse. This means there will be no power all that day for the Clubhouse, Blossoms Restaurant or the Management Office, and they will all be closed. This also means that the Protestant Chapel will not have services in the Clubhouse that Sunday. Normal activities in the Clubhouse will resume Monday June 6, 2011, unless unexpected problems are encountered.
5/4/2011
Following our groundbreaking ceremony on April 8, work began on transplanting trees from the construction site to other locations in Heather Gardens. Construction fences have been erected, a construction management trailer has been moved to the site, and arrangements are being made to relocate electrical and natural gas connections to the current Clubhouse. This relocation will require the closure of the Clubhouse for a full day. We are working with Xcel to schedule the relocation on a Sunday, but Xcel has the final say on the date. The picnic pavilion will be relocated to the northwest corner of the Clubhouse in the next couple weeks. Parking southwest of the Clubhouse has become limited and often congested. Residents and visitors are urged to use the parking lot in front of Building 250. That lot has not been overcrowded in recent weeks.
In the weeks and months ahead construction will involve periodic changes in access to the Clubhouse and the golf shop. Occasionally, activities in the Clubhouse may be briefly disrupted. Please use updates on this website, the Clubhouse Information Line and the information screen in the Clubhouse lobby to stay abreast of these
03/28/11
The groundbreaking ceremony for our new Clubhouse has been scheduled for April 8, at 11:00 a.m. Numerous dignitaries from the city, county and state have been invited as well as all Heather Gardens residents. Work needing to be done before construction can commence will begin the following week. Trees in the construction area will be transplanted to other locations within Heather Gardens. The chain link fence around the tennis courts will be taken down and portions that can be reused will be stored. Tables, benches, barbeques and related items will be removed from the picnic pavilion and stored. The master construction contract has been submitted to our attorney for review. Construction documents used for sub-contract bidding have been completed and distributed. Bids will be evaluated beginning in mid-April. We anticipate a guaranteed maximum price will be presented to the HGMD Board by The Weitz Company during the first week of May. We anticipate the City of Aurora will issue our building permit during the second week in May. Temporary utility connections may be put into place and construction fencing may be erected prior to that time, but no actual grading or foundation work will take place before a city permit is received.
2/04/2011
Since the last update, considerable low profile planning activity has taken place. On January 13, 2011, the Aurora Planning Commission approved our application for an amended site plan. This cleared the way for further approvals by city planning staff. Late in January, The Weitz Company, after consultation with the HG Construction Committee and BRS staff, selected Tower Electric to help finalize design of the electrical systems in the Clubhouse. HPE Inc. was selected to help finalize design of heating, plumbing and mechanical systems. We expect to receive "50%" construction documents from the architect on February 7. They will be reviewed by the Construction Committee and feedback given to the architect on February 14. We have set April 8 as the date for a formal groundbreaking ceremony. Construction work, in the form of moving trees and setting up temporary utility connections will begin the following week. Grading and excavation is set to begin in late April.
12/14/2010
The most recent floor plans and exterior elevation renderings can be viewed by clicking on the News!! button on the HeatherGardens.org home page. Select Photo Gallery and then New Clubhouse Plans. The floor plans and renderings were presented by the architect on November 15. Based on resident comments following the architect's presentation, it has been decided that separate men's and women's saunas, accessible from inside the locker rooms will replace the proposed unisex sauna accessible from the pool deck. Construction documents are currently being developed. A hearing before the City of Aurora Planning Commission has tentatively been set for January 13. Groundbreaking is still anticipated to be during the month of April.
10/29/2010
All Heather Gardens residents are invited to attend the special Metro District Board meeting on November 15, at 1:30 p.m. in the auditorium. At that meeting the final detailed design plans for the new community center will be presented.
Since the last posting, a lot has been happening, but the activity has been focused on technical planning issues and would make for pretty dull reading in a posting of this nature. However, detailed designs are now virtually complete. The next stage of the planning process will be development of construction documents based on the detailed designs.
The Special Board meeting on November 15, is intended to brief the Board and all interested residents on final floor plan designs, preliminary exterior and interior finishing plans, current construction schedule and phasing plans, and a brief discussion of budget priorities as we work to build the new clubhouse with the money available.
9/29/2010
Since the last entry on this update page, planning efforts have been largely devoted to developing the specifics needed for submission of the site plan to the city. Site development will consume about 12% of the overall construction budget. Storm water drainage, fire lane placement, parking, and grading plans are key components of the site plan.
Parking design has been a particular challenge. Parking plan development has focused on keeping as many parking places as we now have while preserving as many trees as possible. We would have liked to add parking, but we are using 18,000 square feet of land for a larger center, and it took a great deal of creativity by civil engineers not to reduce parking to obtain some of that 18,000 square feet. We also needed avoid removing trees whenever possible. Removing and replacing one large tree can cost more than $2,000. Furthermore, one of the attractions of Heather Gardens is our mature landscaping, including large trees. The current site plans keeps the same number of parking spaces and limits tree removal almost exclusively to within the footprint of the new building.
Planning has also focused on modernization of the restaurant and a thorough update of the restaurant kitchen. A pool design expert has provided detailed suggestions for pool depths, pool equipment, and ways to minimize operating costs. Design details for activity spaces (woodshop, learning center, etc.) are being developed. The work schedule calls for completion of all design details by mid-November. At that time construction document, (blueprint) development will commence.
8/23/2010 Construction Issues
At the HGMD Board meeting on August 12, a pre-construction contract was approved with The Weitz Company. Work still is still being done to close the gap of several hundred thousand dollars between the Weitz proposal for actual construction and the funds available. However, much of the gap has been closed and we are confident that the new community center can be properly built with available funds. An example of cost savings being used to close the gap is use of manufactured stone rather than quarried stone for the exterior facade. Another is that rather than using the same grade of steel for framing of both the first and second floors of the building, lighter weight steel can be used on the second floor because those walls will not carry the same amount of weight/stress. Finally, the architect is working with the city to reduce the cost of fire service roads and the length of eight-inch fire water lines while still fully meeting fire code requirements.
There have been many questions about dates for start of construction, the date and length of closure of Blossoms, and the likely occupancy date for the new building. The Weitz Company proposal suggested that construction start in March, that the restaurant be closed in August for a period of about 2.5 months, and that the new building could be ready for occupancy by early November. However, these were only preliminary time frames. We are not sure how long it will take to get all required city approvals. In addition, of course, the rate of early construction will be heavily influenced by the weather. An old proverb says, "When God wants a good laugh, he lets men make plans."
8/2/2010
During a special meeting on July 30, 2010, the HGMD Board authorized contract negotiations with The Weitz Company for performance of pre-construction services. After pre-construction services are completed, the Board will have the option to award the Weitz Company the construction contract for the new community center. The Weitz Company was selected from five firms submitting proposals. Their proposal provided the shortest construction period, a solid focus on the needs of residents during construction, and technical planning and scheduling capabilities that seemed most likely to keep the project within budget. If negotiations are successful, the pre-construction contract will be awarded at the regular HGMD Board meeting on August 12. For those not familiar with the term, pre-construction services involve: 1) development of detailed design documents, 2) cost estimates for every facet of the project, and 3) the actual construction documents to be used to guide construction.
7/21/10 Bond Sales
The bonds to finance the new community center were all sold by about 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 20. The average coupon interest rate was 4.94%. As a result of that interest rate, the maximum annual debt service will be $645,897. That amount will be for 2011. It includes the cost of interest from the date of issuance (July 27) through the end of 2010. The average annual debt service will be $638,551. As you may remember, the maximum annual debt service approved by the voters was $723,325. So, our maximum debt service will be $77,428 less than authorized. We had anticipated the cost of issuing the bonds to be as high as $250,000. The actual numbers are still being calculated, but it looks like those costs will actually be about $150,000.
7/10/2010
Bond Update: We learned late Thursday that Moody's Investor Services rated our bonds A-3. This is the first time in three bond transactions our District has been given a rating. A-3 is considered investment grade and the rating should help hold down the interest rate we will pay on the bonds. A Preliminary Official Statement can be found at http://www.meritos.com/cgi-bin/disclaimer.pl?Did=1462. The Preliminary Official Statement provides information about the District to potential investors. Residents interested in buying bonds are urged to call a broker at the Stifel-Nicolaus office in Greenwood Village ( 720 963 7900) to become familiar with the process for purchasing the bonds.
Construction Update: Nineteen construction companies submitted statements of qualifications indicating a desire to serve as our general contractor. A screening committee consisting of Barker Rinker Seacat (architect) staff and Ed Keller, George Dexter and Al Lindeman selected the five that seemed most qualified. Those five have been asked to submit detailed proposals including fees and general conditions costs. Interviews will be held on July 29 and it is anticipated that a contractor will be selected by the District Board on July 30.
7/7/2010 - Change in Bond Sales Dates
A delay in getting a rating from Moody's has forced a one week delay in the sales of our bonds. The new date for residents to purchase bonds will be Monday, July 19. The bonds will be sold to the public on July 20. Residents interested in purchasing bonds are encouraged to call the Stifel Nicolaus office in Greenwood Village (720 963 7900) to obtain information on anticipated interest rates and purchase procedures.
6/22/2010 - Important Corrections
In the posting of 6/18/2010, it was stated that residents would be able to purchase bonds on Monday, July 13. The Monday in question is actually the12th of July. Similarly, sale of the bonds to the general public and institutional investors will be on Tuesday, July 13.
There is also a change/correction regarding informational meeting for residents regarding the bonds. The meeting on Thursday July 8 in the auditorium will start at 10:30 am rather than 10:00 a.m. A second meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday July 6 at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium for those who could not make the meeting on Thursday.
6/18/2010
Dates for issuance of the bonds have been modified somewhat. The presentation by Stifel Nicolaus staff regarding the bonds and how they may be purchased has been moved to Thursday, July 8. The presentation will be in the auditorium at 10:00 a.m. Residents may purchase bonds on Monday, July 13. They will be sold to the general public and institutional buyers on Tuesday, July 14. Residents unable to attend the meeting on July 8, or who would like to obtain information prior to that date may call Stifel Nicolaus staff at 720-963-7900.
6/7/2010
Bond Issues: Technical legal work needed to market our bonds is currently being accomplished by our bond counsel, Kutak Rock, LLP. Sale of the bonds is still scheduled for July 8. Heather Gardens residents will have the opportunity to arrange to purchase bonds on July 6 and 7. Stifel Nicolaus, our bond underwriter, will provide a presentation on how to purchase the bonds in late June. As soon as the date for that presentation is set, we will inform residents via this web page and flyers distributed by ARs.
Design Drawings: In response to resident requests, the design drawings that were displayed on the wall outside the auditorium during the period prior to the election will be displayed again. This time they will be on the wall across from the entrances to the library and ceramics rooms.
Detailed Design Development: You may have seen surveyors working in the area around the community center. Their work will enable the civil engineer to develop drawings needed for site preparation work. In the next few weeks a geological engineer will obtain soil sampled to a depth needed to insure that foundations are properly designed for the type soil upon which they must rest. After those two preliminary tasks are completed, the architect can begin development of detailed designs for the building - starting with the foundations.
5/27/2010
Design Issues: A Design Committee consisting of Allen Lindeman and Sandra Knight from the HGMD Board, Gene Burns and Joyce Angel from the HGA Board, and Ed Keller and George Dexter, residents with extensive prior experience as construction project managers will be working with the architect throughout the design phase. The committee is currently completing a thorough review of the Schematic Design Report prepared by the architect and will present a report to the HGMD Board at its regular meeting on June 17.
It is anticipated that the design phase will require a minimum of 120 days and possibly as long as six months. A site survey and soils analysis must be completed before detailed design can start. The site survey should be completed by June 10 and the soils analysis by the end of June.
5/24/2010
The legal and financial steps which must be taken before the bonds authorized by voters of May 4, 2010, can be sold are in process. A schedule for accomplishment of these steps calls for marketing of the bonds on July 8. If we are able to hold to that schedule, Heather Gardens residents will be offered the opportunity to submit orders for the bonds on July 6 and 7. Stifel-Nicolaus staff are in the process of setting a date when their staff will come to Heather Gardens to explain the bond purchase process. As soon as that date is set, we will post it on this page and distribute an announcement via Area Representatives.
5/18/2010
Purpose: This web page will provide current information regarding matters affecting the construction of the new Heather Gardens Community Center. The most recent postings will be presented at the top of the page. Residents wishing to ask questions, or make comments or suggestions can do so by using a comments and suggestions box that will be kept at the reception desk in the HGA Management Office
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