#149 – May 25, 2023 — Exciting Meeting Hall progress!

Dear Friends, 

Work on the ISHA Meeting Hall at Ishwar’s dera in Wisconsin has been steadily advancing. Last fall, our general contractor completed the foundation wall that encircles the 17,000 square foot building. This spring, he is preparing and installing the footings and piers that will hold up the steel skeleton of the hall.
 
The building will be supported by 34 vertical metal columns. The columns hold up the entire weight of the building, so each column will rest on a large concrete and steel base. Each base consists of a wide footing and a pier. The construction process consists of precisely locating the position of each column, then digging 34 large holes, then building 34 wooden forms for holding the concrete, then fabricating and installing a latticework of steel rebar for each of the forms, and then filling each form with concrete. Currently, the construction crew is digging holes and fabricating the wooden forms and steel rebar reinforcements. 
 
This sketch shows the concrete footings that support the steel building.
1 Dera 2022 - meeting hall steel frame skeleton.jpeg
 
The concrete footings will support the columns in the building such as shown here in the Dining Hall.
2 Dera 2022 - Dining Room - looking North West.jpg.jpeg
 
The concrete footings will also hold up the exterior columns.
3 Dera 2022 - Patio - Looking West.jpg.jpeg
 
Digging the holes for the concrete footings and piers.

4 Dera 2023 - Shad digging piers.jpeg

 
5 Dera 2023 - hill meeting hall excavation (1).jpeg
 
6 Dera 2023 - Shad piers hill excavator.jpeg
 
Drone shots of the Meeting Hall showing the outline of the building and the holes for the steel supports.
7 Dera 2023 - drone.jpeg
 
8 Dera 2023 - drone (1).jpeg
 
 
This phase of work will continue for another couple of weeks, with the concrete being poured around the end of June. After that, the wooden forms will be removed and the holes will be backfilled. 
 
Volunteers will be needed from now until October, so please feel free to sign up for seva by sending an email to dera.seva@ishanews.org
 
Here’s the list of upcoming official “Events” at the dera, but all are always welcome to attend “Open Seva” at any time between May 1 and November 1. 
In either case, please let us know when you will be visiting by emailing dera.seva@ishanews.org.
 
     Summer Seva Event — Friday, June 30 to Tuesday, July 4 (4th of July Celebration)
     Fall Prashad Garden Harvest Event — Friday, September 15 to Monday, September 18 
 
To offer seva for Ishwar’s project, please visit https://ishanews.org/voluntary-contribution/
 
To learn more about the Meeting Hall, check out the dera website at https://dera.ishanews.org
 
Any questions related to Ishwar’s dera can be directed to Jagannath Kerai’s email at chairman@ishanews.org
 
With warmest regards,
Paul Bauer
ISHA Dera Building Committee