HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-06-28-PBC-min.pdf TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS
PERMANENT BUILDING COMMITTEE
Minutes of Wednesday June 28. 2000 meeting in the Oval Room, Cary Memorial Library
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Kelley at 7 10 p.m. with other PBC members
Kennedy, Pierce, Poinelli and Touart present. Also attending were architects Stephen Hale and
Tim Heatwole.
Globe articles on school buildingnroiects this week sparked a brief discussion if there should be
words about the expertise on the PBC in the Globe and/or Lexington Minuteman. It was also
noted that a proposal is afloat to take the authority/responsibility for state-funded or assisted
building projects out of local control and give it to a state agency such as Capital Asset
Management.
Handling and producing minutes came under spotlight as Pierce told that the library building
committee had the architect keep their minutes. PBC members acknowledged that the architects
should keep notes of each meeting and understand their instructions. However, it was also
pointed out that the PBC's responsibility is to the town and goes beyond the architects' purview
PBC members expressed concern about the agreement between Stephen Hale and Melissa
Bennett, as well as the architects' staffing arrangements.
Architects' schedule to complete Design Develonment and construction documents will be
extended about six weeks, Hale reported. To date no cost estimates have accompanied Design
Development. It is anticipated that construction documents will take five months, including
review time. This would push the date of their delivery to November 15 The library is now
scheduled to be out of the building on November 1 Design Development is not 85 percent
complete now and will be 90 percent complete by the end of July and July 15 at the outside.
Cost estimates should be ready two to three weeks after that. (Basically the whole DD package
would be ready by August 1 It appears that cost is now about $270,000 over estimates. It looks
as if construction could begin March 1, 2001
Fundraising and staffing will depend on total project cost. Concern was expressed about delays
that could come because of long-lead construction components such as steel and windows. Since
inflation rates for construction far exceed cost of living rises, this could also be troublesome.
Committee members asked if cost estimate requesting could be done at 95 percent completion of
D.D bringing in estimates earlier in August. Bid period could be January 1 to February 15 2001
with construction starting April 1 and lasting for 18 or as little as 16 months. A completion date
of October 1, 2002 could be contemplated.
Preparations for continued HDC hearing next week were reviewed. A revised landscape design
for the main entrance shows a direct walkway from the Massachusetts Avenue-Clarke Street
corner through what is now the plot tended by the Field and Garden Club. In addition, more trees
and shrubs are planned for this area, breaking up and shrinking the garden areas for garden club
responsibility Recommended that the Field and Garden Club be contacted to assure their
PBC Minutes of June 28, 2000- page 2
sympathetic support prior to the HDC hearing. Among trees planned are Japanese Snowball
American Hornbeam and a slender maple. There will be sitting areas with benches and exposed
aggregate sidewalks. Entrance sidewalks will be "ice melt' concrete, i.e. with heating elements
implanted to prevent formation of ice. Mrs. Douglas apparently has acquiesced to the library's
east side landscaping, as she has not countered with any landscape plans of her own.
There will be no more delivery ramp; deliveries will be brought from the street/sidewalk to a
staff entrance by hand truck.
At the hearing swatches of outside colors will be displayed and samples of surface materials.
Natural woods of cherry walnut and bamboo will be used for doors and the tops of rails leading
to entrances will be bronze.
Meeting adjourned at 9.47 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Erna S. Greene, Secretary