By SUSANNE GAUDIN, guest columnist
Rain is the bane of early construction.
The Maple Leaf Performing Arts Center site is staked, preparing for footer excavation. Rain has delayed this part of the project by about two weeks. These delays can be caught up during periods of improved weather.
Maple Leaf Boulevard is graveled with access to the building site. General construction vehicles, including concrete trucks, are now able to move more easily into the work site.
The architect and general contractor have made progress working through additional shop drawings and construction details.
On-site construction meetings are scheduled and occurring every two weeks.
Permits: Hurry up and wait
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources permit is now in hand. The excavators can now place the fill dirt that was piled up into those areas that need to be filled.
The last necessary permit is from the Indiana Department of Transportation. It’s for limited access onto a highway at State Road 46 and Maple Leaf Boulevard and should be resolved soon.
Profile: Bandit Lites Inc.
A company established over 45 years ago, Bandit Lites was the first concert lighting company, lighting most of the popular tours over the years. They have evolved into a premier lighting company, specializing in sales and design for all concert lighting needs.
An international company with offices in Nashville, Tennessee, San Francisco, London, Hong Kong and Taiwan, their 150,000-square-foot facility in Nashville creates state-of-the-art performance lighting solutions for touring artists and bands, and performing arts centers.
Their customers over the years have included thousands of touring bands and artists: the early years ‘60s and ‘70s included The Monkees, Paul Revere & the Raiders, Dolly Parton, and Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show. Through the years they have worked with Van Halen, Garth Brooks, Queen, R.E.M., Quiet Riot, Elton John, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, Faith Hill, Hall & Oates, Jethro Tull and many more generations of artists.
They have also provided stage lighting for high profile events and locations such as WWF, Disney, the presidential inaugural balls and NASCAR. In London, they work with Sir Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts to present a special Lighting Designer of the Year Award at LIPA’s graduation ceremony.
At the Maple Leaf Performing Arts Center they will be designing and installing the performance lighting, stage lighting, all controls, and specialty architectural lobby light fixtures. The performance lighting will include all spots, and colored and moving lights for the stage.
Susanne Gaudin of Brown County is a member of the Maple Leaf Building Corporation. She can be reached through the newspaper at [email protected].
