HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-04-07-PBC-min.pdf TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS
PERMANENT BUILDING COMMITTEE
Minutes of Tuesday Auril 7 1998 PBC Meetina in Estabrook Hall , Cary
Memorial Building, as approved May 20 , 1998
The meeting was called to order at 7 07 p m by Chairman Kelley, with
other committee members Bruckman, Poinelli and Touart present Arriving
by 7 30 p m were HMFH representatives Philip Lewis and Arthur Duffy,
Director of School Building Operations Moynihan, and from the ad hoc
advisory group Dan Busa, Neal Boyle, Bill Kennedy (Capital Expenditures
liaison) , Paul LaPointe (Appropriation liaison) , Richard Lucas , Dave
Eagle, Ed Natale, as well as nominee for School Committee representative
to the PBC Nick Cannalonga and observer Dorrie Traficante
Minutes of March 31 1998 were APPROVED as amended
Materials distributed included two lists of items for consideration for
possible cuts from the previously estimated costs for high school
renovation One list was compiled by Moynihan and the other by HMFH and
previously circulated last Thursday at a small meeting with the
architects, Moynihan and committee representatives
Beginning with introductions of the two group members to each other, the
joint PBC-ad hoc group meeting began at 7 37 and lasted until 10 07
General discussion of the high school project raised questioned whether
a project for $15 million could address enrollment and program needs at
the high school Chairman Kelley pointed out that not all aspects of
the high school plans had been finalized when work was discontinued on
the project Need for having a reimbursable project was doubted by two
ad hoc group members; need for adherence to all kinds of code was also
questioned Pointed out that there is no choice in some areas such as
sprinklers, whereas some areas are more "grey area" such as energy code
Representatives of the financial committees called state reimbursement ,
"pivotal in the long term financial interest of the town "
Busa reminded the group that they were committed to making a report by
May 26 To the question about how much of the December proposal to
renovate four schools was the high school , architects responded $28
million, of which the construction cost alone was a little over $23
million, to which "soft costs" have to be added to make up the total
project cost Asked if it is possible to "get more than five percent
out " Busa admitted that although a goal of $15 million for the high
school project was proposed, a project limited by that amount "may be
unacceptable " He later stated that $15 million is "not set in stone "
In a memo from the architect to the ad hoc group, there was no mention
of a dollar amount Cuts were described as occurring in two phases ,
Phase I not to affect program and Phase II that would
To questions about classroom utilization, Moynihan responded that at the
high school level , the maximum utilization achievable would be 85
percent , with a high percentage possible in elementary schools , where
students do less moving around General town financial picture in
relation to debt service, expectation that a reimbursable project should
look ahead for 40 years and assure lasting 20 years , and advisability of
PBC Minutes of 4/7/98, page 2
looking into "Performance contracting for multi schools" were brought up
before the committee turned to detailed cost estimating analysis of the
HMFH list of proposed "LHS Phase I cost cuts " highlighted by Lewis in
ball park figures
Site work items #1 through #8 were termed less costly, ranging from
$38 ,000 for the first three items , about $17-18,000 to substitute pre-
cast concrete curbing instead of granite curbing Deleting the free-
standing entry "gazebo" would eliminate $50 ,000 Called more costly
were Items #9 inner courtyard work ($250 ,000) , #10 second commons patio
($72 ,000) and reconfiguration of the existing rear parking lot , with
some exceptions could eliminate $500 ,000
Renovations and additions especially questioned and discussed included
roofs, particularly PVC roofs of varying ages and conditions , several
that have failed or are seriously in need of repair and acoustic
ceilings, which could be reduced to save $180 ,000 PBC committee
members cried "unacceptable" to a proposal not to replace wood flooring
in the gymnasium; the advisability of repairing rather than replacing
gymnasium bleachers was mulled ($75-80 ,000) Windows and curtain wall
reductions and revisions that could save up to $1 25 million were
questioned in light of poor condition of some of them Leaving in place
blinds in poor condition (#28) raised strong objection from PBC member
Touart Although proposed elimination of sprinklers in the field house
and crawl spaces would have to approved by the Fire Chief and Building
Inspector, this combined cut (#s 30 and 31) would save nearly $200 ,000
PBC members questioned whether repairing rather than replacing the
existing operating gymnasium partition would be an economy at all , and
expressed distaste for eliminating painting of existing spaces not to be
reconfigured (#s 32 and 35) Items #s 36 to 41 were described as small ,
but the PBC noted that item #41 is "still on the table "
Hot and domestic water system cuts (#s 42 and 43) could save $80 ,000,
heating system economies ($100 ,000 in #44) might be achieved by not
switching to gas fuel However, small economies in air conditioning
suggested by the architects were unfavorably received by the PBC
Pointed out that no saving would be achieved by eliminating the "summer
boiler" (#46) and items 47 to 50 were not accepted due to the age of the
units not replaced in the last renovation round Items 51 and 52 were
termed small Item 53 could realize $16,000 saving; #54 $20 ,000, #55
$15 ,000 Item 56 suggesting eliminating replacement of existing lighting
in the field house but leaving new additional would save $26,000 , no new
addition to field house lighting would cut $3,000 Fire alarm savings
were not certain because of substitute costs (#58, save $60 ,000?)
Savings in lighting (#59a $250,000 and $320 ,000 for items 59b-g) were
questioned on due to possible affect on students
More careful cost analysis data were promised by the end of the week,
and might be distributed to committee members via the police station
Cary Library's April 2 hearing with the Historic Districts Commission
met objections from all eight sitting Commission members , it was
reported by those who attended The visual mass of the building, the
PBC Minutes of 4/7/98 , page 3
overpowering impression of the ramp, metal window material , sky lights
and roof line were all received unfavorably Much work remains
Recommended that the Library and Permanent building committee chairmen
meet with the library director to assist in the effort to shape a more
acceptable project as expeditiously as possible (Reported that the
Historic District Commission even offered to send to representatives to
the PBC ) The handicap ramp seemed the thorniest of problems
Suggested that the PBC might try to smooth the library's relationships
with this town board, by producing one unified report from the PBC on
the project
Meeting adjourned at 10 55 p m
Respectfully submitted,
Erna S Greene, Secretary