diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index fc6b3e6..b1410b5 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ config.json
 # IDE Artifacts
 .idea/
 open-health-inspection-api.iml
+.DS_Store
 
 # Data Files
 livesData/
-
diff --git a/API.py b/API.py
index d177e7a..452f786 100644
--- a/API.py
+++ b/API.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import mongolab
 import json
 import re
-# import zipfile
 from math import radians, cos, sin, atan2, sqrt
 from bson.objectid import ObjectId
 from flask import Flask, Response, url_for, request, current_app
@@ -192,16 +191,18 @@ def api_inspections():
 def api_lives(locality):
     l = Lives(db, locality)
 
-    if not l.has_results():
+    if not l.has_results:
         return json.dumps({"status": "400", "message": "Couldn't find requested locality " + locality})
 
-    md = l.get_status()
-    if l.is_stale(md):
-        t = Thread(target=l.write_file)
-        t.start()
-
+    if l.is_stale:
+        if l.is_writing:
+            print "File is already writing!"
+        else:
+            l.set_write_lock()
+            t = Thread(target=l.write_file)
+            t.start()
 
-    return json.dumps(md)
+    return json.dumps(l.metadata)
 
 
 
diff --git a/lives.py b/lives.py
index 3726fc8..fa38888 100644
--- a/lives.py
+++ b/lives.py
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
-import mongolab
 import json
 import os
-import time
 import datetime
 from dateutil import parser
-import sys
 import csv
+import zipfile
+
 
 class Lives:
 
@@ -14,48 +13,68 @@ class Lives:
     def __init__(self, db, locality):
         self.db = db
         self.locality = locality
-        self.tmpDir = self.dataDir + "/tmp"
-        self.metadataFile = "livesData/" + self.locality + ".json"
+        self.tmp_dir = self.dataDir + "/tmp"
+        self.metadata_file = "livesData/" + self.locality + ".json"
         self.data = self.db.va.find({"locality": locality})
 
         if not os.path.exists(self.dataDir):
             os.makedirs(self.dataDir)
-            os.makedirs(self.tmpDir)
+            os.makedirs(self.tmp_dir)
+
+        self.metadata = self.__fetch_metadata()
 
+    @property
     def has_results(self):
         return self.data.count() > 0
 
-    def get_status(self):
+    @property
+    def is_stale(self):
+        try:
+            last_written = parser.parse(self.metadata['last_written'])
+            delta = datetime.datetime.utcnow() - last_written
+            stale_delta = datetime.timedelta(days=1)
+            if delta > stale_delta:
+                return True
+            else:
+                return False
+        except (KeyError, ValueError):
+            # if last_written isn't set, it's stale
+            return True
+
+    def __fetch_metadata(self):
         try:
-            with open(self.metadataFile, "r") as file:
+            with open(self.metadata_file, "r") as file:
                 metadata = json.load(file)
         except IOError:
-            metadata = {
-                    "path" : "lives-file/" + self.locality,
-                    "available" : False
-            }
-            self.write_metadata(metadata)
+            # couldn't read it, so write it
+            metadata = dict(path="lives-file/" + self.locality, available=False)
+            self.__update_metadata(metadata)
 
         return metadata
 
-    def write_metadata(self, metadata):
-        with open(self.metadataFile, "w") as file:
+    def __update_metadata(self, metadata):
+        with open(self.metadata_file, "w") as file:
             json.dump(metadata, file)
 
-    def is_stale(self, metadata):
+    @property
+    def is_writing(self):
         try:
-            last_written = parser.parse(metadata['last_written'])
-            delta = datetime.datetime.utcnow() - last_written
-            stale_delta = datetime.timedelta(days=1)
-            if delta > stale_delta:
-                return True
-            else:
-                return False
-        except (KeyError, ValueError):
-            print True
+            status = self.metadata['status']
+        except KeyError:
+            status = None
+
+        return status == "writing"
+
+    def set_write_lock(self):
+        self.metadata['status'] = "writing"
+        self.__update_metadata(self.metadata)
 
     def write_file(self):
-        with open(self.tmpDir + "/businesses.csv", "w") as businesses_csv, open(self.tmpDir + "/inspections.csv", "w") as inspections_csv:
+        businesses_path = self.tmp_dir + "/" + self.locality + "_businesses.csv"
+        inspections_path = self.tmp_dir + "/" + self.locality + "_inspections.csv"
+
+        with open(businesses_path, "w") as businesses_csv, \
+                open(inspections_path, "w") as inspections_csv:
             b_writer = csv.writer(businesses_csv)
             i_writer = csv.writer(inspections_csv)
             for vendor in self.data:
@@ -68,8 +87,16 @@ def write_file(self):
                     i_writer.writerow([vendor["_id"],
                                        inspection["date"].strftime("%Y%m%d")])
 
-        print "written"
-
+        with zipfile.ZipFile(self.dataDir + "/" + self.locality + ".zip", 'w') as zip:
+            zip.write(businesses_path, self.locality + "/businesses.csv")
+            zip.write(inspections_path, self.locality + "/inspections.csv")
 
+        os.remove(businesses_path)
+        os.remove(inspections_path)
 
+        self.metadata["status"] = "complete"
+        self.metadata["last_written"] = datetime.datetime.utcnow().strftime("%c")
+        self.metadata["available"] = True
+        self.__update_metadata(self.metadata)
 
+        print "Done writing " + self.locality + ".zip"