THE FIRST PHASE of the multiyear renovation project in our historic sanctuary building is well underway. As its contours have taken shape, observers have naturally asked: Why are only 3 of the 4 restrooms being addressed at this time—what about the downstairs women’s restroom?
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| A stall in the basement women’s room |
Below the jump, this post gives the back story, to explain why we are not touching that restroom during Phase 1.…
IN OUR HISTORIC sanctuary building, most of the surfaces do not appear to contain an amount of lead that warrants special treatment during rehabilitation or renovation projects. However, a few of the surfaces would require abatement if disturbed.
Below the jump, this post lists the surveys that have been conducted to my knowledge, and their results.…
SOME TESTING FOR ASBESTOS has been done at Mishkon over the years. (Some abatement work has also been done.)
This post now documents what I have learned from testing reports, our office computer records, and our inspector. It also gives some background information.…
THIS IS A RECORD of the brand and color of the paints used on our premises. Presumably it will be updated periodically.…
Below the jump, this post enumerates the much longer list of factors that have made the project difficult.…
LAST MONTH, we received a revised plan from our structural engineering consultant. One crucial aspect was their assessment of the concrete foundation that is needed underneath the basement floor, to support the loads from the structure above.
The renovation plan, as submitted to the City for review, calls for demolishing the existing walls of the basement men’s room and its adjacent small corridor, in order to install three new strong structural walls atop new concrete footings.
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| Foundation plan around the basement men’s room |
Below the jump, I interpret the illustration and discuss its implications for synagogue programs.…
NEARING THE END of this fiscal year, with newly elected officers and directors, let me take stock of where we stand. From this vantage point, our recent accomplishments and imminent projects are taken as givens. What matters most are the challenges that we have yet to address.
The focus in this post is not on making improvements per se, but more simply on attending to what we currently have, beyond routine maintenance. I further restrict my focus here to items that are not obvious.
Below the jump, this post sums up the needs of our facilities’ major areas of concern. The list is not exhaustive.
INSTALLING A STAIRWAY CHAIRLIFT in a non-residential venue like Mishkon’s sanctuary building turns out to be much more complicated than in a private residence—even though the equipment would be exactly the same. The difference? It’s a matter of state law.
The applicant for a [stairway chairlift] permit under this section shall … hold a current elevator contractor’s license issued pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 7000) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code; [and] be a certified qualified conveyance company; [and] submit proof of [certain] types of insurance coverage.…
No [stairway chairlift] shall be operated in this state unless a permit for its operation is issued … in behalf of the division, and unless the permit remains in effect and is kept posted conspicuously on the conveyance. Operation of a conveyance without a permit or failure to post the permit conspicuously shall constitute cause for the division to prohibit use of the conveyance….
The operation of a conveyance without a permit by any person owning or having the custody, management, or control of the operation of the conveyance, is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 10 days, or by both that fine and imprisonment. Each day of operation for each conveyance without a permit is a separate offense. Any person who has requested the issuance or renewal of a permit if the request has not been acted upon by the division may not be prosecuted for a violation of this section.
THE CLIMATE ACTION FUND of Adamah, the leading Jewish environmental organization, provides 50% matching grants (up to $20K) and 5-year interest-free loans (up to $250K) for projects that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In our case, such reductions could result from three possible efforts:
Below the jump, I explore the prospects for our participation in their program.…
MOST OF THE WINDOWS in our school building were replaced under a state security grant in 2024. In order to meet the state standards, those new windows were of course much more energy-efficient than the original ones.
Yet two large window bays that face an internal alley were left untouched. They are located in the hallway above the western door, and in the art studio. These windows were a less-obvious security risk because they don’t have direct access from the outside world, and Mishkon needed to be cautious about being able to secure reimbursement for its advance expenditures under the grant.
Below the jump, this post records the dimensions of these older windows, reviews their condition, and examines the prospects for their eventual replacement.…
THIS AFTERNOON, I was describing our windows to someone, which induced me to look up wire mesh glass, which I knew very little about. Mishkon now has such glass installed not only as an exterior layer for many of its stained-glass windows, but also as the glazing for windows on the west side of the school building.
For various reasons, we plan to replace all of those panels within the next few years. The question is: should we replace them with the same type of glass—or something else?
Below the jump, I share the surprising answer that arose from my initial research.…
ON MARCH 3, Mishkon submitted a grant proposal to the National Fund for Sacred Places, which I helped to write. If awarded, the grant would provide a 1:1 match of funds, namely half of the estimated $186K needed to rebuild the glazing in the 12 exposed windows, and to overhaul their frames and hardware, in our historic sanctuary building.
THIS IS A report on the tenting and fumigation project that took place during the last week of December (2025).
Below the jump, this post discusses three main aspects: the biggest challenges, what went well, and room for improvement.
ONE OF THE many reasons to provide wheelchair access to the basement is to achieve Mishkon’s own renovation priorities. Those priorities include the installation of proper HVAC systems in the basement (Social Hall and kitchen). It appears that according to the state building code’s Section 11B-202.4 (quite apart from the ADA), we will not be allowed to even start those projects unless we can show how someone in a wheelchair can travel to and from the basement.
Below the jump, this post briefly discusses the trade-offs involved in that big decision.
BEFORE WE COMMIT to a small elevator (or not), let’s consider one other way for a wheelchair user to get to the basement level: via the east stairwell that runs between the sanctuary building and the play yard.
Few members even know of this stairwell’s existence, because Mishkon has long treated it as an emergency-only exit. It is located outdoors yet is covered by a shed roof and shielded from the play yard by opaque wooden fencing.
For wheelchair access, when compared to the more familiar west (Main Street) stairwell, this east stairwell has two advantages:
Could an inclined platform lift run along a track mounted in this stairwell?
Below the jump, this post explores the feasibility of that option for improved accessibility. It concludes with a ballpark cost estimate.…
UNDER THE CONCRETE FLOOR of a storage closet that houses our sanctuary building’s electric meters, under the shed roof between the building and the play yard, is an opening to a vertical shaft.
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| Raised platform on floor of storage closet (marked by dotted red lines) |
Below the jump, this post describes the shaft’s configuration, how it connects to the basement, its purpose, and its history—according to inferences drawn from my exploration of it this week.…
BECAUSE OUR SANCTUARY BUILDING is empty most of the time, a sudden plumbling leak or backup might easily cause a lot of damage before anyone knows about it.
Happily, our synagogue’s insurance company (Church Mutual) has provided us—at no cost—with a small, continuous monitoring and alarm system.
When one of its sensors detects wetness, the system not only beeps every second (much like a rather quiet smoke alarm), but also sends out an ALERT text message—to me, Fleming, and Ruben. That way, we have the opportunity to act quickly to prevent a small issue from becoming a big problem.
Below the jump, this post shows the location of the sensor units and the base station.…
WHEN THE TECHNICIANS from the Gas Company came to restore service after the fumigation was completed, they red-tagged our school building’s furnace as having a safety issue, due to the closet that houses it. Namely, they perceived two ways that post-combustion exhaust gases from the furnace just might get sucked by the blower into the air that is circulated through the building, rather than being vented up above the roof.
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| A gas company technician explains the problems. |
Honestly, the hazard did seem pretty unlikely to me, given the configuration of equipment. Yet Fleming and I took the recommendations seriously, especially for the sake of our preschool. The resolution seemed simple if we could find the right person to handle it. So we made some inquiries—and within 6 working days the problems were fixed, for about $150.
Below the jump, this post documents the two suspected problems, as well as their resolution. I created this post because given normal wear-and-tear, these apparent hazards will eventually appear again—and will need attention in the future.
WHAT IS THE ROLE of the sewage pit and its vestigial plumbing? I’m glad you asked! Until this past month, I had only the vaguest idea. But now I can clue you in.
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| The covered sewage ejection pit |
DURING ONE INTENSE WEEK last month, Fleming and I narrowly managed to avoid two near-catastrophes—namely a flood of sewage in the basement, not only during our main Hanukkah party, but also two days later during the big Hanukkah Happy Hour & Young Professionals Mingle.
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| On 12/11, a normally empty 600-gallon sewage pit in the basement was found to be nearly full. |
If things had gone just a little differently, the results would not have been pretty! 😬 Below the jump, I outline the harrowing story, day by day.…
OUR FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM includes an alarm to alert us in the event of unexpected water release. Normally we would not know that it even existed, let alone that it is always looking out for us. I still don’t know where exactly is located. Its measuring probe is just above the hatch in the ceiling of the fire sprinkler room (downstairs).
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| The water flow sensor in our sprinkler system |
Presumably the associated alarm is nearby—i.e., not far from the doorbell that is above the door to that same room.
The basic operation of such a flow detector is helpfully described on a vendor’s blog, which explains:
“[Such an alarm] signifies an activated fire sprinkler head or a leak in the system.”
The Fire Department requires that this alarm be inspected and tested every 5 years, as part of a regular overall check of our sprinkler system. Our most recent “Fire Protection Equipment Performance Report” (8/16/21) indeed noted that our water flow alarm device consists of a water-flow switch of the vane/paddle type, and that it produces a local alarm sound (as opposed to activating the building’s fire alarm, or being monitored by a supervising station).
Our switch is meant to activate its alarm if a water flow of 4–10 gallons/minute continues to occur for 20 to 60 seconds anywhere within the downstream dedicated sprinkler lines.
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| Nameplate on the water flow sensor |
During the next test, which is slated to be conducted later this year, it would be prudent to find out where the alarm is housed and what it sounds like, so as to record both facts for future reference.
WE WERE FORTUNATE to find a plumber who made sure to tell us what would need to be done in order to meet the current building code requirements, when our water heater recently failed. That prompted us to consider measures that we were not previously aware of. Out of the four items that he informed us about, we agreed to implement two of them, as described HERE.
However, we opted to defer the other two items, for three reasons: they would be very costly; they would be needed only in very extreme circumstances that were unlikely in a brand-new system; and we could have them done later for the same price.
On his written estimate, the plumber then noted the two deferred items explicitly:
Customer understands and agrees that the following items are not included in this estimate and will be completed at a later date under a separate quote/authorization:
• Run T&P (temperature & pressure relief) discharge line to the exterior
• Run drain pan discharge line to the exterior
What I have since learned, however, seems to support our decision not to pay for those two recommended changes.
Below the jump, this post describes those lingering items and their status, in more detail.…
TODAY’S REPLACEMENT of our school building’s water heater includes the installation of two new items that are required by the current building code—and for good reason. Both of them are designed not only to improve safety, but also to lengthen the life of the plumbing and of the water heater. Namely, a sediment trap (commonly called a “drip leg”) in the gas supply line, and an expansion tank in the water line.
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| The rooftop vents for our school’s water heater (Two square inlets on the left; one round exhaust on the right. |
You see that rusting cap that’s visible atop the exhaust vent? It is being replaced today, to prevent rust flakes from harming the burners down below them. Yet important as that is, it is mere maintenance. Metaphorically speaking, it’s the new capital improvements that will truly “cap off” today’s changes!
Because these small capital improvements are new to Mishkon, let me introduce them to you. Below the jump, I describe their respective functions and maintenance needs.…
WHEN THE GAS COMPANY technicians came to restore service immediately after the termite fumigation, they noticed that the water heater in the school building was not working properly: its burner jets were producing luminous yellow flames. They said that for them to relight the water heater’s pilot light would be unsafe, and therefore against company policy. So they slapped on red tags instead.
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| Red “danger” tags at our old water heater |
Happily, on the next work day a plumber came to diagnose the problem. The prognosis: after 24 years of faithful service, our water heater had reached the end of its useful life. Repairing it would cost almost as much as replacing it.
As I write this, the water heater is being replaced with a far more efficient unit. According to my previous calculations, the new unit should use almost half as much energy to heat the water that our building needs. (By law, new units are more energy efficient than they were 24 years ago; and the new 30-gal tank better fits our limited hot water use than the previous 50-gal tank.) Which means that it will mostly pay for itself if it lasts for its predicted lifetime.
Below the jump are before-and-after photos.…