Date: Fri 01-Sep-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: AMYD

Quick Words:

high-school-renovation-

Full Text:

School Bd Widens Scope Of NHS Renovation

B Y A MY D'O RIO

The Board of Education has widened the scope of the base plan for the Newtown

High School renovation project, increasing the estimated cost from $19.98

million to $24 million.

The original base plan did not include an extensive mechanical overhaul to

update and replace the heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems. It

also did not include roof replacement.

The school board decided this work, plus further parking expansion, needed to

be included in the base plan for an additional $4.029 million.

Herbert Rosenthal, the school board chairman, said he does not want to give

the public the impression that this work is optional. The school board will be

presenting a base plan to the public for approval as well as some building

options. The board decided August 24 what would be included in the base plan,

what would be an option for the public, and which ideas would not get designed

at all.

Engineers, the project's construction manager and the architect recommended

the additional mechanical work, as did the town's public building committee.

The professionals said that the mechanicals in the building are at or near the

end of their life spans, and it is better to replace them now when the

building is under construction rather than when it is finished.

These experts also reminded the board that this work could receive state

reimbursement if the work was done as part of the project.

School officials have said that when the high school was originally built in

1969, the project did not provide enough money to put in high quality

mechanicals.

Air conditioning was added as an afterthought, said Dom Posca, the school

system's buildings and grounds supervisor. The chilled-water air conditioning

was therefore piped through the same tubing as the heat, and goes around the

perimeter of the building.

This set up causes condensation on windows and makes the pipes sweat.

The roofs over the "A" wing and the gymnasium need replacing, according to

Rusty Malek, the project's architect. The roofs are not currently leaking, but

he said there is a good chance they will not last much longer.

The architect was also given approval last week to design a few options for

the public to vote upon.

The first option is renovating the industrial arts area for $804,936. The

second option provides $935,000 for technology in addition to the $400,000

already allotted. The $400,000 is being used to wire the school, while the

$935,000 would provide equipment.

The third option is broken into three sections: building a half size gym to

the gymnasium for $516,000, partial or complete renovations to the locker

rooms for either $588,000 or $1.036 million; and enlarging the stadium field,

widening the running track and irrigating the field for $262,000.