After breaking ground in June 1998, and pouring a concrete pier footing, I had a mount plate fabricated for my old Celestron fork mount. This allowed me to use the pier for CCD imaging while the rest of the observatory was being built. After adding flooring and walls, observing and imaging was put on hold while the building was finished. After the roof system was added, and the LeSeur Astropier replaced the old fork assembly plate, I was back on line. An Astro-Phyics 900 GTO German equatorial mount now rests atop the pier.
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Darklight Observatory has now been fully operational for a few months, and I've had enough time out under the stars now to comment on the design. Other than one small problem stemming from my own stupidity , the building has met all of my requirements. I have not had any trouble with the weather, and the building has remained dry even through tremendous rain storms. I have had some problem with humidity, however. Frost has formed on all concrete and metal surfaces inside the building before, and when the temperature rises after a freeze, water condenses on everything.