Sonic update ...
The rumors related to the new Sonic Drive-In now under construction are apparently just that -- rumors.
After visiting with the folks at the Nelson County Code Enforcement Department, the reasons for why the new restaurant is taking so long to build remain a mystery. "Nothing has come out of my office to stop work there," Logan Spaulding, the county's building inspector, said on Monday.
"I've not issued any kind of stop-work order" related to the new Sonic, Spaulding said. "I don't know why they don't have it built yet either."
And while it appears there's no exterior work underway, interior work in the restaurant is ongoing, Spaulding said.
"It general takes as long or longer to finish out the interior than the exterior," he said.
Some observers had speculated that local building officials may have had issues with the construction materials used in the building.
The restaurant was framed up with steell "2x4" studs, which may appear rather "spindly" at first glance, but combined with the heavy exterior sheeting has strength that surpasses construction using wood. Steel studs are very common in commercial construction.
And, according to Spaulding, in a restaurant building the new Sonic, steel studs can save time and labor. The steel studs have cut-outs for electrical and plumbing lines, and take less time for those contractors to come in and get there work done.
"Using steel you can go in and run your electrical and plumbing without notching 2x4s or drilling holes," he said, "And in most cases the cost is comparable to wood."
Spaulding said his office works to establish a mentoring role with builders, rather than finger waving and issuing "thou shalt nots."
The county's five-year-old building inspection program's goal is to ensure quality, safe construction of all buildings and structures.
More queries about Sonic will be forthcoming ...
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