UC Habitat Happenings

April Showers Bring May Volunteer Effort

2009-05-03T23:36:00.004-04:00

I've lost track of the number of weeks we've sent volunteers out there (which is a good thing), so it's quite the experience to go back through and look at the pictures of the house as it has risen from the ground. If I had had more clairvoyance at the beginning of this project, I would have staked out a spot at one corner of the house and taken a picture every week, spliced them together, and made a slideshow of it.

Well, we have one month to get the house finished if UC/Habitat is going to get the infrastructure grant it so dearly needs, but a good amount of work still needs to be finished, so this project is going to come down to the wire. There is good news, though; visible progress has been made on the porch, siding, the new street, the interior, and the basement.

Finally, I managed to track down the elusive Tyann Edwards; I managed to get a picture of her for our blog, so now, if you ever see her about, stop and speak with her. She had some very kind words for the volunteers who have sacrificed their time on this project, and speaking with her briefly was well worth it.

I will be crossing my fingers for the project as we enter the most frenetic stage of development since Blitz Week 2008.

University Honors Association 5K to Benefit Habitat

2009-04-15T09:00:00.007-04:00

When we set out this year with building our 6th Annual Habitat house, one of the goals this year was to engage the UC student body in ways that the UC/HFH partnership has missed throughout the preceding years. We are proud to announce that the University of Cincinnati University Honors Association (UHA) has taken notice of all the work that UC and it's student body has done with Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity, and is holding a 5K fundraiser to benefit the UC/Habitat partnership.

With collaboration from several UC and Cincinnati Habitat coordinators, the UHA Habitat for Humanity 5K Pajama Benefit will take place on Sunday morning, May 17th, on the University of Cincinnati campus. Yes, that's right, come out and help walk or run in your pajamas for the benefit of UC/Habitat for Humanity!

Enjoy yourselves, win something from our raffles, warm up (or wind down) from another relay or marathon event, and meet all sorts of characters from UC and Habitat for Humanity!

Date: Sunday, May 17th
Time: 8:30 AM (Registration) // 10:00 AM (Race time)
Location: University Campus - McMicken Commons
What to Bring: $10.00 registration fee

You can register for the 5k all the way up to May 17th at 8:30 AM, and the online registration link can be found here!

The route will be made available to you on site. If you're interested in the promotional flyer, it can be found below:

Weeks Nine and Ten: Drywall and Paint

2009-03-09T00:49:00.002-04:00

Even in the 6th year and 6th house, the UC/Habitat for Humanity joint venture is still feeling some growing pains, but we may have some news about the future of the UC/Habitat for Humanity collaboration soon, both from an extracurricular standpoint and a "master plan" standpoint.

While we wait for these developments to, for lack of a better word, develop, two of our previous hosts (Amy and Erin) have graciously provided us with some pictures detailing the drywall, painting, and miscellaneous work that has been done during the month of February. Just after the Valentine's Day weekend, there was a hefty push to install all the drywall in the house before the weekend of February 21st. As you can see in Amy's pictures, below, the drywall was completed, and the volunteers started working on touch-up items around the house (interior doors, site clean up, etc.)...

While Erin's group got the job of following up the painting and priming jobs. You can especially see how the living room and kitchen area is starting to take shape...

Having seen these pictures (I haven't been to the worksite since early February), it's encouraging to see how the interior is starting to light up, and, of course, the basement also needs attention. Still, development is progressing just as planned.

Weeks Seven and Eight: Interior Infrastructure

2009-02-15T21:54:00.003-05:00

The last time that pictures had been taken of the Wolesley site, it was close to freezing, snow covered the ground, and there were no shingles on the house. As of Saturday the 14th, nearly all of the interior insulation had been completed, the shingles were in place, and it had warmed up considerably. While the temperature threatens to fall again, all of the insulation work and roofing is progressing as planned.

The interior of the house is noticeably more yellow now that the wall insulation has been installed, and the sun's rays seem to light up the inside now that it has something to reflect off of. The volunteer crew for the 14th was small (the smallest that UC has sent so far), so we're hoping everyone enjoyed their Valentine's Day break!

Two goals were reached on this past Saturday:

Roofing was completed by the Cincinnati Habitat group
And ground wall insulation was installed.
Additionally, the insulation for the vaulted ceilings was started
And just under half of the ground walls received a vapor barrier coating.

In addition to all of that, there's going to be a big crew leader / volunteer push to get the drywall hung for the house in the next week or so. Once that is completed, painting and priming will come along, which is usually where we need a big influx of student volunteers. On a related note, the city is preparing to put down the water system and the street that will pass in front of the houses currently under construction. Soon, passers-by should be able to drive in-between Hale Avenue and Stewart Place!

Weeks Three Through Six: There's Even A Tub!

2009-02-01T18:22:00.004-05:00

As someone who is unusually close to the core of this project, for a while it seemed that the UC/Habitat project was sitting on a pretty sandy foundation. Stretching all the way back to the windstorm in September that caused extensive damage across the Greater Cincinnati area, it's been an uphill struggle that has appreciated every hour that Cincinnati Habitat crews put into it, every Saturday the volunteers poured into it, and every effort to advance the construction of this house.

The crews have enjoyed a steady stream of workers and volunteers, and, at this point the house is now a semi-contained unit. Soffit venting still needs to be installed to make an air-tight seal around the house, but each window and door is now installed, making something that looks very much like a house...at least from the exterior.

Inside, there's every indication that the house still needs work, yet the first thing you notice is that you're shielded from the rain and the wind. As I was taking pictures inside to show you, I couldn't help but notice my own breath, but with the stillness of the air, you could almost wear a T-shirt and not have any problems. Additionally, the situation with the contained house allows Tyann to explore the interior and even hammer a few nails in without serious concerns about the cold. While this may not happen until late-February to mid-March, she may show up at any time, allowing the crew members and volunteers to meet the lucky woman who'll occupy this house.

Since the first week of January, the following work has been completed:

Installed doors and windows
Secured roof paneling
Finished Tyvek wrap on the house
De-icing the basement space and moving materials into the space
Specialized shower/tub space was installed
HVAC was completed
Plumbing has started
Roof about one-third shingled

Vol./Host Status: The Center for Community Engagement really appreciates how far progress on the house has gotten, and even more so the labor capacity the volunteers have provided. It's been a great month for the hosts, as more than a few volunteers have come forth and stated they'd like a crack at hosting the event. If you can take care of the sign-in sheet, and don't have an issue with being the person to show up with the food (a much-lauded role), hosting is a great opportunity to be the 'sixth man' at the site.

I hate to sound like a broken record player, but watching this house go up is an awesome feeling.

Week Two: The Roof Takes Shape

2009-01-02T22:39:00.007-05:00

With the start of 2009, the work site is starting to look like a house. Where there were once walls without a roof, trusses and insulation board now cover the framing and provide the house with it's iconic apex. Any and all progress, however, would be impossible without the skilled workers at the Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity group, the willing volunteers who come on behalf of the University of Cincinnati and the house's eventual occupant, Tyann Edwards, and the patience of everyone behind the curtains. This year will bring the realization of a landmark project for the University of Cincinnati, a whole new street, and a design fostered by UC's own students in the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning.

The last work week of 2008, however, went out with a bang, as a UC crew of nearly a dozen complemented the Cincinnati Habitat crew leaders and made some excellent progress on the house:

The following work was completed the weekend of 12/13:

Scaffolding was raised on the inside and outside;
Roof trusses were raised, mounted, and secured;
Insulation board was attached to the house;
Plywood covering was mounted on both ends of the roof;
And a huge shipment of plywood was transported into the house.

With the Winter Break behind us, work is going to go into full swing. A full month of crews will be sent out to the site, as such issues as Tyvek, siding, and interior work are tackled. Once the exterior is prepped and sealed, interior work will begin in earnest.

Vol./Host Status: The Center for Community Engagement is always looking for volunteers, and especially for the upcoming weekends as we're looking to get some construction momentum going. Hosting and volunteer vacancies abound, so if you're looking to help, there are plenty of opportunities to assist with the house.

Here's to a wonderful year, and another wonderful home!

Week One: Foundation

2008-12-03T19:26:00.005-05:00

Work on the 2008 - 2009 UC/Habitat For Humanity House has officially started! As of 11/29, the foundation for the Wolseley work site has been poured and set, and the work crew that went out on Saturday, the 29th, raised a majority of the interior walls, in spite of the cold. As is tradition around here, we've provided some pictures of the work and some of the workers, as well:

The volunteers, Mike, Li, and Neil, were great workers; jumping right in and grabbing as much framing as they could carry. One must note, these volunteers are especially dedicated: That morning, the University of Cincinnati football team played Syracuse to secure their first Big East championship, which these guys chose to forgo being a part of, so props to them.

The following work was completed this past weekend:

Foundation was poured and set;
Below-ground windows were shielded;
Plywood flooring and basement frame was raised;
And interior above-ground walls were raised.

Now that the house is under construction, we can start looking ahead to the coming weeks; with the exception of next week, work on the house won't resume until January, so we're going to try to get as much done as we can before that. As the students have exams from December 8th to December 12th, UC/Habitat isn't asking for hosts or volunteers for the coming weekend, but instead, is looking for help with a Friday-Saturday-Sunday the weekend after exams finish (12/12 - 12/14). If you ask me, I'd much rather pound nails than take final exams any day.

Vol./Host Status: As it stands, the Center for Community Engagement (the community service arm of UC which you can find a link to on your right) is currently looking for volunteers for those weekends. Hosting is currently covered for both Friday, 12/12, and Sunday, 12/14. Saturday's hosting vacancy, however, is still open.

One last bit of news: This coming Saturday (December 6th) is the date for the 3253 Wolseley Drive house dedication ceremony. Starting at 10 AM, the UC/Habitat Steering Committee will be taking this opportunity to formally introduce the recipients of the house, Tyann Edwards and her son, Dwight Williams. Tyann, who was paralyzed from the waist down after a car accident, should be served well by this home, which was designed specifically to cater to people with disabilities. Directions to the Wolseley site can be found to the right under external links.

Here's to a wonderful year, and another wonderful home!

History of the House

2008-09-28T22:57:00.006-04:00

When going though with building a house that conforms to a piece of legislature like the Americans with Disabilities Act, especially creative and well-formed ideas have a tendency to reveal themselves. The University of Cincinnati's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning is the ideal, if not the only, place in the university where this house can be designed.

Whether it be a person who uses a wheelchair, a sensory impairment, a brain injury, a person with short stature, or any of the criteria that falls under international standards of disability, typical house designs are inadequate in providing the best living environment. A person who uses a wheelchair or someone that is blind has a much harder time mowing a lawn than someone who does not use a wheelchair or has full use of vision, therefore, designs must use rock gardens, flower beds, or other unique formations in place of grass. A person with short stature must utilize tools to reach elevated cupboards in a regular house, so cabinets and cupboards can be moved to a lower height. Examples like these are just some of the typical things that an accessibility design must take into account.

These are some of the designs that the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning came up with in their design content during the 2007-2008 academic year.

Habitat for Humanity is already one of the most popular community service initiatives on the University of Cincinnati's campus, but many of the UC/Habitat staff and volunteers are looking to take the community involvement and awareness to new heights. As such, the UC/Habitat steering committee and the UC Athletics office have partnered up to host a Habitat for Humanity fundraiser on November 22nd at the UC Bearcats football game against Pittsburgh. Make sure you come out and support the Bearcats, Habitat for Humanity, and the University of Cincinnati!

Information about Bearcats Football can be found here!

Blitz Week : 2008 - 2009

2008-09-21T21:26:00.005-04:00

For those who have been watching and waiting, the 2008 - 2009 UC/Habitat "Blitz Week" has come and gone, signaling the start of the greater house construction. During the week of 9/9 to 9/13 and the week of 9/16 to 9/20, a number of students worked at several places around the Clifton and Avondale area. From putting up the interior and exterior walls to be delivered to the 3253 Wolseley Drive site, to working at the Cincinnati Habitat 'community build' right next to the Cincinnati Zoo, these students received an engaging and varied look at the responsibilities of raising one of the many Habitat for Humanity houses that exist in Cincinnati.

The blitz week is one part of Professor Beverly Brannan's Freshman English 101 class, which has a focus on community service. Through the class and the blitz, the students involved will journal about the experience of creating the foundation for future volunteers to build off, the daunting challenge of working on a major construction project for the first time, and what it's like to help with a massive community undertaking. We may just have some of the students' work hosted on the site, so keep an eye out.

The regular work crews aren't yet in place to start the regular construction on the house, so the UC volunteers have this Saturday off, but with the urgency of this historic build, the work timetable has been accelerated to facilitate a move-in date of June instead of August. The UC/Habitat for Humanity oversight committee has also been discussing the logistics of a small Sunday work schedule, consisting of no more than 3 or 4 hours at the work site. This will serve to get more work done, faster, and it has the added bonus of accommodating students who work Saturdays or are looking for smaller chunks of community service.

In our next update, we'll be covering a great deal of information on the 6th UC/Habitat build, including some very nice, high-quality information sheets for your viewing. The DAAP design contest, what considerations need to be taken into account for a house built for a family member with a disability, and Habitat making the UC "big time"; all of this can be found in the next issue of UC Habitat Happenings.

Last Week for the Volunteers

2008-08-24T21:11:00.003-04:00

In this second update for the Summer edition of the UC/Habitat for Humanity house raising, construction on the house has gotten far enough along that no further volunteers will be needed from the University. This is significant in that, current projects will either be completed by next Saturday or remaining work needs to be attended to by subcontractors, in which case, the weekly volunteers will be of little use.

This is not to say work has been completely finished, especially on the paperwork side. Pending a couple of "once-overs" by Habitat for Humanity, local safety officials, and building inspectors, the house will be ready for occupation. Also, during this week, a Habitat crew will be on site to raise the last pivotal piece of the house: the side stairs connecting the house to the street. Small site teams will also be at the Haven street location to finish up wiring and testing of the garage door opener.

This past Saturday, the following work was completed:

Front gutter was raised, cut, and installed;
Roof mounting brackets in the garage were cut, trimmed, and installed;
Additional tools and construction materials were transported to the next house;
Wiring for the garage door opener is, as yet, uncompleted but has been initialized;
Garage door opener has been assembled and affixed to garage ceiling;
And final coats of paint were applied to the exterior doors.

Some preliminary work was also started on a railing system for the basement, but that will be completed this coming week, along with the aforementioned external stair system and the wiring for the door opener. Above, you can see the volunteers for this Saturday (Sean, Steve, Ruta, Billy, Spencer, Sanja, and Simone) hard at work.

Now that the Haven Street build is, for all intents and purposes, a hair's bredth away from being occupied, the UC Habitat Happenings blog will start moving towards the coming Blitz weeks, and the construction of a historic new house for the UC/Habitat for Humanity partnership. Unfortunately, this means we will no longer be following the Haven build and Simone Edwards (the wonderful recipient of this new home), so we say farewell until next time.

T-Minus Two Weeks

2008-08-10T22:33:00.007-04:00

Welcome to the inaugural celebration for the University of Cincinnati / Habitat for Humanity web log! Over the next few weeks, the UC Habitat Happenings (as the shortened version of the official title) blog will be documenting the final days of construction on the 2007-2008 UC/HfH cooperative house. Here you'll get a first-hand account of work in the trenches, pictures of the worksite and crew, descriptions of a day's events, and commentary from site hosts, crew members, volunteers, and UC and Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity personnel. All of this will work towards a better recognition and apprecation for all the wonderful work that has been done in years past and for the work to be done in years future.

This past Saturday involved a large push to clean and prepare the 07-08 house for inspection and living. With a crew of 8 on-site, and 6 volunteers from the University of Cincinnati, one of the largest jobs a construction team can be tasked with was undertaken with fervor: cleaning. The volunteers, Simone Edwards, Spencer Payne, Bob Edgecomb, and the Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity group reclaimed the basement of the Habitat house, giving the house a virtual 'third floor' of livable space. On top of the massive undertaking of removing over one thousand pounds of plywood, drywall, vinyl siding, roofing materials, equipment and power tools, the UC volunteers and Spencer Horton (Habitat site leader for the day) worked for two hours to remove three stories of erected scaffolding. In tandem with them, HfH workers painted the exterior doors, installed window shutters, and did an invaluable service by cleaning the interior of the house.

Once 3:00 rolled around, one UC volunteer remarked: "This is my eighth week volunteering here, and to see the house come this far really instills an appreciation for, not only the house, but every volunteer and worker to sweat for the raising of this house."

Over the next few weeks, the staff here at UC Habitat Happenings will be working hard to get the blog ready for the September Blitz Week; the start of a new chapter in UC/Habitat happenings!