One of our LEED certification credits involves indoor air quality. We’re currently conducting an air quality flush-out, which means we suck all the air out the the building and replace it with outside air. This flush out takes place after construction, but before occupancy.

Our space is about 4000 square feet, and our engineers have calculated we need to flush 52 million cubic feet of air. So how long does that take? Six days, IF Mother Nature cooperates. We need to stay within certain temperature and humidity ranges.

Carolyn Chapple and the team at Metrodesign of Albany Park have been hard at work building our new website. Our blog will become a part of the new site, which we hope to launch this week. Metrodesign is doing a terrific job, can’t wait to unveil the new cyberlook. Thanks Carolyn!

We’ve also passed our health inspection and have our retail food license. We are now in the process of securing our occupancy placard, which is required to use the event space. Hopefully this week…

Logan Square Kitchen put up new light fixtures this week. The curved ceiling tracks will hold more hanging fixtures.

This week is dedicated to sound system, security cameras, internet access, lighting, among the many miscellaneous items. It’s the hard part of the project, when you’ve got lots of relatively small details to hunt down and resolve. Ben, Brett and Drew of Chas. Bender, our general contractor, are fabulous people who care about the Kitchen as much as we do. We’re lucky to have such a terrific partner on this project.

We may have our first chefs cooking in our kitchen next week! Stay tuned…

We have equipment running again…hurrah! Thanks to Jeff, Brett, Ben, Drew, Andy and Matt for working hard. Now we’ll conduct equipment start-ups and TAB, or ‘test and balance’ of our mechanical equipment. All our refrigeration is working well, and now it’s time for HVAC, hoods and gas equipment.

Dining room floors have been finished, and look beautiful thanks to Alex and his team. On to final lighting, sound system, and other finishes!

Our replacement parts did not arrive Friday to fix our hood. Now, Monday/17th is expected install date. We’re also looking forward to our health inspection sometime this week, so we’re busy putting the finishing touches on the place. Stay tuned…

We had a setback this week in our electrical systems. All our beautiful new equipment was installed and ready for testing when some transformer work by a certain electric utility (who shall remain nameless, faceless, and unreachable) caused our circuit panel in our large exhaust hood to burn up. That was Tuesday. Our great team has new parts arriving today, and we will be starting up the hood around noon, in hopes that the parts we’ve replaced solve all our issues. So think good thoughts for the Kitchen, she needs all your great energy.

Zina was interviewed for an article in the latest Crain’s Chicago Business. Read the article here.

Mortise and Tenon refers to a type of joint in woodworking. It also refers to the group of craftsman, headed by Rob Kartholl, that is refinishing all the century-old salvaged wood in our Kitchen.

I just came home from seeing this film. I loved, loved, loved it. I know, what a shock.

Since food is a great love and the great healer in my own life, I knew I would thoroughly enjoy the movie. But separate from the food, what I loved most was each woman’s search for her own meaning and purpose. I feel that similarity intensely, as the Kitchen is concluding construction. I also felt akin to these women having a wonderful supportive spouse. Without my husband, there would be no Kitchen. Nick, you are the butter on my bread, the breath in my life!

The Dill Pickle Food Coop just started construction around the corner from the Kitchen at 3039 W. Fullerton, just west of Milwaukee Ave. Opening this fall, we look forward to having another neighbor in our local food community. Did I mention it will be the only food coop in Chicago? Financed largely via a member loan program, these dedicated neighbors are building something amazing and wonderful for all of us. Thanks Pickle People!

The team at Metrodesign have been hard at work, developing a proper website for Logan Square Kitchen. We hope to present it to you soon. This blog will live on as part of the website; we look forward to continuing to share our experience as we trudge the green mile.

Rhonda was put up outside the front entrance to Logan Square Kitchen this week. She will be next to the big, green front door shown below.

Follow us on Twitter for Logan Square Kitchen updates @logansqkitchen

Our custom storefront was stained a rich brown this week, with red and gold hues.

This weekend is the first Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival in Logan Square! We had hoped to participate, so we’ll have to say, “wait ’till next year!” So many terrific businesses and artists are opening working together to give us all a great weekend.

Check out the Map of Exhibitions and come to Logan Square for a happening.

The dining room of Logan Square Kitchen is coming along. The wall of doors is being refinished this week and the new ceiling was framed out.