Dear Property Owners,

I have two items I would like to share with you this weekend regarding our maintenance building. One is the progress of the construction, the other is its appearance and what we are doing about it.

First – the building is moving along right on schedule. The shell is almost complete, with only the front side (where all the bay doors are located) and some odds and ends left to go. As soon as that part is complete we will install the bay doors and the man doors, and the building will be totally enclosed. Then we will continue with the other areas of construction including the exterior grading, road materials bins, and interior items such as the mechanical and plumbing, and interior build-out including offices, restrooms and storage rooms. We expect all to be complete by late October…ready for the winter.

Second – the appearance of the building. Many of you have contacted us to ask if we can change the color to something that blends into the environment. As you are likely aware the origins of this building started with the previous Board. They purchased the building about a year ago but were not able to get the building permit and other approvals in time to start construction before winter. During the winter the majority of your current Board was asked to start our service and we took over the permit and approval process. We made some changes and improvements to the interior build-out, mechanical and electrical systems, etc. We also looked at ways to improve the outside of the building but remember…it had already been purchased and delivered. The color, likewise, had already been selected and siding delivered with the rest of the building. We thought about adding siding but learned it would be impossible because pre-engineered buildings (like the one that was purchased) come designed for exactly the weight loads of the building, nothing else. We checked with the manufacturer but were told we could add absolutely nothing as far as siding. Re-painting it turns out to be a bad idea also. Not only would the cost be high, but the industry informs us that they have learned through sad experience that when factory pre-painted steel is repainted, within a few months or years it nearly always starts to peel and flake making it an unfixable, unsightly and on-going maintenance problem forever. So our only recourse is to work with what we have….and here’s our best plan.

The rear of the building (that part seen from across Jones Lake) will have multiple evergreen trees planted across its length. These trees will, with time, grow and cover a large part of the building. Remember, however, that although we will put in trees as large as possible, it will take a few years for the trees to be too large enough to cover the bulk of the building. Landscape professionals know that when trees are transplanted they cannot be too large or they die from transplant shock. For that reason we will work with a landscape pro to help us plant trees which are large enough make a difference but that will minimize the risk of dying. The front and sides of the building will use existing plants, shrubs, trees and hills to limit visibility, plus we are constructing a “free-standing” log or timber façade on the front side, which will soften the metal appearance.

We continue to appreciate your on-going comments and suggestions and want you to know that we are doing everything possible to make this building a great addition to our mountain community.

Keep checking every seven days or so for new photos showing the week-to-week progress.

Ole Smith
Administrative Vice President TLPOA