Week12: Posting

So for those of you have been wondering. Nothing has been going on with the project. Last week the LA Building Dept. decided to go on strike so the plans for our project are probably still sitting in someones "in-box". The City did post the permit on the property and as usual my cell started ringing with calls from the neighbors. Too bad I was in New York at the time and on vacation. I met with my new neighbor, David, when I got back and he is on board. Most of the time there is never a problem with the neighbors till AFTER you start construction and they are being bombarded by noise, dirt, and the subs turn the street into a parking lot. However, in my experience it's best to chat with everyone as early as possible. The last thing you want on a project is some angry crank of a neighbor trying to block your project because they feel put out. It's happened before so we try to maintain an air of diplomacy towards the neighborhood we are building in.

The semester has begun and I am teaching full time at Woodbury Universities Architecture Department. I am teaching a "Housing" studio this year in addition to my Theory class, so it all seems very appropriate. For those people who have called the office, I have your information and will get back to you by Thursday of the week you have called.

Since the project is in Plan Check we are going to start on the construction documents next week and will be posting some material choices, as well as some changes to the design.

Permit Submitted!

The Tower of doom...

This morning I left for the Building Dept. at around 8:30 AM and walked out with a Plan Check tracking number at about 9:00 AM. It was quiet at the building dept. and the plan check engineers were in a good mood. I'd downloaded my forms already so there was very little paperwork involved. I bantered with the plan checker, paid my fee, and was back at the studio in record time. If you aren't familiar with the LADBS site, it's a must to bookmark in your browser. They have an extensive database of information and are very organized. Their new forms dowload section has everything you need.
This marks a major milestone to the project. Now we wait. According to the sign at the counter, it's going to be about a 15 week wait. In the meantime, we'll be working on the construction documents and researching some of the appliances and other accessories to the house. The office will be closed for the next two weeks for a Summer break. Stay tuned for updates after the 14th.

One day left till permit submittal

The studio is filled with the whir of the plotter today as we're pumping out our permit sets here at the office. I recieved confirmation from CTW Engineers to tell me that the structural drawings are at the printers and will be ready for pick-up this afternoon. The morning was filled with last minute corrections as I reviewed the CAD files to make certain we had as much information coordinated as possible. We will have corrections, everybody does, but it's better to try and do damage control up front. Tomorrow at 7:30 AM I'll be heading to Downtown L.A. to turn everything in. After that, the wait begins.