Day 51: Lots of Progress, Hiccups, and Surprising Support

We have been absolutely busy—the kind of busy where you're simultaneously juggling five different crews, three inspections, and an endless stream of "minor" complications that could derail everything if not handled just right.

But here's the good news: my team has accomplished a ton on multiple fronts!

Electrical Front: Playing the Eversource Waiting Game

✅We got temporary power installed and inspected

✅We installed the transformer pad and ran the primary wiring to connect it to the pole

Plot twist: It turns out we needed to encase the wiring in a concrete enclosure to ensure nothing messes with it. Because apparently, regular protection isn't enough—we need Fort Knox-level security and protection for electrical wiring.

Next week we're installing the secondary wires (the wiring coming from the transformer to the building). That's when we can call Eversource and get ourselves on their list for transformer delivery. Only G-d knows how long this wait will be, but it looks like we have plenty of time to get the transformer and set up permanent electrical service.

Keeping fingers crossed. (You'll notice this becomes a recurring theme...)

Site Front: Dancing with Mother Nature and Massive Boulders

We created a temporary basin to catch stormwater in case it rains. Speaking of rain, we've been incredibly lucky with weather—since construction began, there have been maybe three rainy days that didn't impact our work or schedule at all.

After each rain greater than 0.25 inches, we get the site inspected to ensure sediment control is intact and we're not creating disturbance outside the work area. So far so good! Keeping fingers crossed.

We continue doing extensive digging on the north side where our three outdoor pickleball courts will go and where the transformer pad and wiring were installed. We're still hitting those massive boulders we've gotten to know and "love" since day one. We patiently break them and dig them out—it's like archaeological excavation, but with explosives.

Because of grade elevation differences in that section, we needed to install a retaining wall. We knew about this all along, so it's going in as planned. These huge 2'x2'x4' lego blocks actually looks fantastic and will not only keep dirt from falling on the courts but also add charm to the area.

Concrete Front: Heroic Pours and Last-Minute Curveballs

After two heroic pours totaling over 300 cubic yards of concrete, we hit a hiccup. We had to cancel our pour because the anchor bolts were delayed in transit and arrived only late last night.

Anchor bolts are critical components—these are what attach the metal building to the foundation. They need to be set 100% properly with only ⅛ inch tolerance. There is literally no room for error. At all. That why the team working hand in hand with the surveyor Joe Marquedant to ensure NASA precision.

But here's where having an amazing team pays off: To compensate for this delay, they're coming in on Saturday to build more forms for foundation walls, ensuring next week's pour will be a big one that brings us back on track schedule-wise.

Again, fingers crossed.

Building Front: Truck Drama and Flawless Execution

A day before the scheduled metal building delivery, I got a call from the installer worrying about our construction entry being too steep for trucks. While my general contractor disagreed, we decided to add more gravel to level the slope and eliminate any potential issues.

At the end of the day, I can't risk a truck tipping over. That would be a true disaster on so many levels!

As promised, on August 14th, five trucks carrying the metal building arrived. The crew worked absolutely flawlessly, and by 3 PM all five trucks had been unloaded with materials stored on-site.

The next and final shipment of remaining building materials arrives next week. Yet again, fingers crossed it goes as smoothly.

The Surprise That Fired Me Up

On a separate note, I joined three Chambers of Commerce—Corridor 9/495, MetroWest, and of course Hopkinton. This week, one of the Corridor 9/495 Chamber sent out an email with a flyer promoting Founding Sponsorship opportunities.

I was absolutely surprised by how much interest this simple flyer generated!

People and companies are incredibly enthusiastic and supportive, both on personal and corporate sides! The response has been overwhelming in the best possible way.

I feel blessed, pumped and fired up!

-------

The Finger-Crossing Chronicles

As you can see, there's a lot of finger crossing happening here... But I'm confident my team will deliver!

Every day brings new challenges, last-minute changes, and moments where you hold your breath wondering if everything will come together. But it's also incredibly exciting to see this vision becoming reality, one concrete pour and truck delivery at a time.

And honestly? The community support has been the fuel I didn't know I needed. When you're deep in the construction trenches dealing with delayed anchor bolts and steep truck entrances, having people believe in your vision reminds you why you're doing all this in the first place.

Construction update coming next week—hopefully with fewer hiccups, more metal, and maybe some transformer news!