Caverns
Fun Facts About Our Cavern
- 19,000 square feet of usable space in the cavern.
- Thickness of ceiling is 16" solid cement.
- Thickness of center supporting wall 32".
- Method used in building caves is known as the “Cut & Fill” method. Forms were built in the proper shape then placed in hole. Then cement was then poured into the forms.
- Project started 10/9/99.
- Project ended 7/2001, taking 20 months to complete.
- 700 tons of rebar were used in the formation of the cavern.
- Temperature in the cavern is an average of 55 - 60 degrees.
- The original cavern design concept was developed by Robert L. Hall.
- Architect - Tim Woodle of Pults & Associates in San Luis Obispo, CA.
- It took 40 hours for the stress program to be run by Brooke Ramson Associates of Fresno, CA.
- Contractor of caverns was Nick Pokrajac of Templeton, CA.
- Artist Steve Kalar and Margaret Burrell designed the distressed granite appearance of the cavern using 7 different paint concepts. Steve Kalar and Margaret Burrell also designed and crafted the iron wall sconces featured in the cavern.
- Barrels, in the cavern are stacked 3 high.
- Barrels, along the center of the cavern are stacked 4 high.
- The cavern has a capacity of 289 guests for events.
- The cavern was built to withstand an 8.5 earthquake.