It was November 2007 when the Folsom Electric Masterpiece broke ground. Just after the groundbreaking there were some City engineering and coordination issues that caused a major holdup. As is often the case, a lot of work and effort conquered the problems and construction started again.
With the economy breaking up, it takes a force of nature to keep a big project on track - and that is where Doug Scalzi comes in. Working in concert with the Umpqua Bank, The City of Folsom and AP Thomas Constructions, Scalzi says the building is due for completion in August this year.
Scalzi, a second-generation Folsom native born and raised in Folsom, is a partner in Sacramento Commercial Properties. He started out as a top performing retail agent, working on many Folsom retail property listings, development of the K-Mart Retail Center and Folsom Junction Retail Plaza.
Over the past few months, the massive steel structure of the Folsom Electric Company appeared to have no change and some people wondered if the project had stalled. What they didn't realise is that all the effort was going on below street level.
Yesterday, the concrete floor was poured, a massive undertaking in itself. The concrete covers the whole of the Sutter Street-level floor, except for where the building elevator comes through. The floor varies between 4.25 inches and 7.5 inches, on top of the corrugated base.
This floor level is to contain four retail spaces and a large restaurant, that takes up approximately half of the floor space.
With rain forecast over the next few weeks, the contruction company took a calculated risk, in between days where rain was threatened, but a low probability, and they won!
It was amazing to watch the floor take shape, as 29 huge truckloads of concrete were pumped in and then three "dodgem cars" were lifted over the fences to smooth the floor. It looked like this part of the construction was more fun than work.
The rain held off and the result is a beautiful flat surface.
AP Thomas Constructions, the engineering company, just completed a four-storey building in Sacramento and they are working on other projects in El Dorado Hills. This 5-storey project is due to complete in August.
The building has good views of the Folsom dam, which will be great for restaurant patrons. There are to be 51 parking spaces on the lower level, a fact the local merchants are really happy about.
Next week, the wooden framing begins on the street level and passers-by will easily see the progress. This project is good for Folsom, good the the Historic District and definitely good for the economy. Thanks to Doug Scalzi, the City, Umpqua Bank and construction company, AP Thomas.
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