Convention Center Remodeling Update

Yesterday we needed to measure a space in the Paducah Expo Center and I stopped to shoot a photo of the workers busy on the renovation of the Julian Carroll Convention Center. You can see this huge crane lifting parts of the heating/air conditioning units onto the roof. The parking lot was full of cars and trucks...so we know a lot was happening there.

We didn't want to interrupt the workers and did not go inside, but the supervisor told us they were busy working on drywall, painting, and ceiling tiles on the second floor. From the front doors, we could see the drywall dust in the air from sanding.

Next week we'll stop by late in the afternoon (after the workers have gone home) to shoot some photos to give you a look at their progress.

The Convention Center will be all new for the AQS Quilt Show in April. The ice storm only slowed them down by two days...so they are still right on target for their completion date.

Reconstruction is Underway at the Convention Center!

Click on the photos for a larger image.

Today was a bright and very cold day (9 degrees) here in Paducah, and our staff went to the Julian Carroll Convention Center to see the progress being made on the reconstruction of the facility. We've all been waiting for these construction trailers to be parked in front of the center -- that means reconstruction work is underway!

We were all required to wear hard hats in the construction area. Here Terry Guill, Meredith Schroeder, and Rick Loyd discuss the some of the details related to the renovation of the Julian Carroll Convention Center with Downtown Development Director Steve Doolittle (blue jacket). I'm busy shooting some photos so you, too, can see what is happening. It was a slow start to this project but now work is well underway and Black & Sons Construction plans to have it all finished and ready for the arrival of the quilters in April.
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We will all appreciate the new wider doorways into the classrooms, new lights everywhere, Smart Boards in the classrooms, new restroom facilities, and even some new sign holders marking the rooms making it easier to see what is being held in each room.

Scissor lifts make it easier to work on the ceiling of the exhibit hall. You can see why everyone wears the hard hats. There are many different groups of workmen working throughout the building and a construction zone like this is no place to take a chance. So that means we had "hat hair" for a while today! It was worth it to be able to show you what is happening.

Work progresses on raising the ceiling in this portion of the second floor of the convention center. That will add a lot more light to view the wall quilts that are exhibited in this area.

We'll have an updated report on the Executive Inn soon....stay tuned.

Bonnie Browning

Executive Show Director