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Kaestle Boos Report
Weston Intermediate School repairs are put into perspective
Mar 12, 2008
by Patricia Gay
Building Committee member Don Gary says numerous “to do” items in a recent evaluation of the Weston Intermediate School can be crossed off the list.
A recent report by the architectural firm Kaestle Boos Associates Inc. (KBA) of New Britain identified an estimated $43.9-million worth of repairs needed in 12 town-owned buildings and facilities.
Included in that figure is an estimated $376,219 for repairs at the Weston Intermediate School.
Some were surprised to see a figure that high, considering the school is fairly new and opened just two years ago. But Mr. Gary said there is no need for alarm, as numerous issues on KBA’s list already have been resolved.
To come up with the $376,219 figure, KBA estimated there were $247,350 worth of repairs needed at the school, and then factored in $42,050 for construction burdens and an additional $86,820 for indirect or soft costs.
Priorities
To help the town set priorities for the repairs, KBA ranked each item from 1 (good) to 5 (poor). Those items receiving a rank of 5 were considered the most serious and involved life and safety code issues. The report recommends level 5 repairs be done immediately.
The level 5 issues at the intermediate school include rebalancing all air and water systems, $50,000; installation of smoke detection systems in the gym, library, and music rooms, $36,000; update panel circuit schedules, $25,000; egress lighting by battery backup — change fixtures, $12,000; egress lighting by new bollard fixture, $6,500; remedy code clearances at panel/transformer locations, $4,000; update of fire alarm panel circuit schedules, $4,000; realignment of pump P-4, $1,500; repair remote fuel oil gauge, $2,000; plumbing backflow preventer, $2,500; and disconnect automatic make-up water system to boilers, $1,000.
Level 4 issues — considered between fair and poor and including code issues such as handicapped compliance — include adding hot water generation and circulating pumps and remove heat trace, $68,000; high temperature exhaust fans for data closets (2), $8,000; installation of accessible route to synthetic field, $5,100; mechanical room ventilation, $5,000; installation of paved access to bleachers, $4,250; addition of new thermostatic mixing valve to domestic hot water system, $1,500; and reinstallation of ADA concrete ramp, $1,000.
There was one level 3 issue — connection of water meter readings to BMS at $1,000. Level 3 is considered fair, not a code-related issue, but a much-deteriorated item that needs attention.
There were a couple of level 2 issues: new automatic glycol fill system for ACC-2, $6,500; and maintenance of bark mulch and paving, $2,500.
There were no level 1 items, which are ranked as good, needing minimal work.
Review
Although the building committee has not had a chance to review the report in its entirety, Mr. Gary said, several big-ticket items jumped out at him as having been resolved.
Regarding the rebalancing of all air and water systems for $50,000, Mr. Gary said that when KBA was conducting its evaluation, the work was in progress but was not yet finished. “At this point, that work is done,” Mr. Gary said. So that item can be crossed off the list.
Another big-ticket item was $25,000 for updating panel circuit schedules. Mr. Gary said that issue was involved in a dispute with Losito Electrical Contracting and obtaining “as builts.” He said the dispute with Losito was settled, and the school has the “as builts,” so that item is now completed and may be crossed off the list.
In regard to the report’s estimate of $68,000 for adding hot water generation and circulating pumps, and removing heat trace, Mr. Gary said he disagrees about the necessity of that expenditure.
“In most commercial buildings you have a recirculation system for hot water, so the water doesn’t have to travel up different floors. The water circulates so it is instantly hot. We have that system in the high school. But in the intermediate school, kids don’t take showers and there isn’t a lot of hot water used. We have electrical heat tracers that keep the pipes warm. They think we should upgrade to a circulation system, but we don’t need that much hot water. Our current system is cheaper, so we won’t be changing it,” Mr. Gary said.
The report recommended installing an accessible route to the synthetic field for $5,100, but Mr. Gary said that expense was unnecessary. “The synthetic field is the football field and the intermediate school does not need an accessible route to it,” he said.
As for the $36,000 expense for smoke detection to be installed in the gym, library, and music rooms, Mr. Gary said that is an issue the Building Committee will check on further.
Mr. Gary said it is going to take time for town officials to “digest” the lengthy report, which is several hundred pages long. He said at the same time the Building Committee is reviewing the KBA report, it is also trying to “wrap its arms around” the high school auditorium project, which Mr. Gary calls “a complicated deal.”
He said the Building Committee is also looking at specs to get ready to go out to bid on the town hall roof, another item mentioned as a high priority in the KBA report.
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