HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-09-18 ad Hoc School Building Committee Minutes..
Reading School Buildinq Committee
Minutes of Meeting Held September 18 2002
at RMHS. Guidance Center
Committee Members Present:
Russ Graham (RG), Chair
Bill Carroll (BC), Faculty Rep.
Warren Cochrane (WC)
Dennis LaCroix (DL)
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Alex McRae (AM)
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Paula Perry (PP)
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Ray Porter (RP)
Rich Radville (RR)
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Michael Scarpitto (MS), Administrative Rep.
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School Department Representatives Present:
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Dr. Harry Harutunian, Superintendent, Reading Public Schools
Gary Hart, Assistant Principal, RMHS
William Endslow, RMHS Drama
David Bunten, RMHS Band & Music
Appointed Liaisons from Other Boards Present:
Richard Schubert, Board of Selectmen (BOS)
Andrew Grimes, Finance Committee (FinCom)
Community Arts Representatives Present (partial list):
Dorothy DellaCroce, Executive Director, Creative Arts for Kids Inc.
Mary Ryan, President, Colonial Chorus Players
Eugene Nigro, President, Reading Symphony Orchestra
David Lee, and Sandra Michaud, VP, Reading Band Parents
FAI (Flansburgh Associates, Inc., Architect) Representatives Present:
Sid Bowen, FAI Managing Principal
Robert Peirce, FAI Project Manager
Larry Tomlinson, FAI Project Architect
Materials Distributed (by others):
"Lockerless Schools ", John Russo
"Creative Arts ", Dorothy DellaCroce
"Building Project Music ", David Bunten
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The meeting was called to order at 7:35 pm.
The first portion of the meeting was to receive input from various community arts groups:
(1) Mary Ryan (Colonial Chorus):
• Comfortable (seats), higher tech performance space needed for outside groups
• Larger space than available at Parker (est. 400, less 100 obstructed view)
• Balcony not currently practical to use at either RMHS or Parker
• Consecutive weekends at RMHS, twice a year, difficult due to schedule conflicts
• Bigger stage with more wing space is desired
• Rehearsal space might also be of value, though less critical
• Smaller summer productions currently accommodated in a church basement
• Current light board is inadequate, and difficult to maintain
(2) Dotty DellaCroce (Creative Arts):
• Gallery space with good lighting, open to the public
• Performance venue for concerts (church basement acoustics are poor)
• 1000 seats or better, especially for children's programs
(3) Dave Bunten & others (Band Parents):
• Band program of 130 kids has outgrown the existing music room
• Auditorium is a big barn, in need of acoustic upgrades; wall baffles, seat padding
• Border lights currently inaccessible
• No fly system for backdrops, scenery props, etc.
• Storage in area below auditorium could free up other space, if mildew eliminated
• Inadequate storage for color guard uniforms, and new percussion instruments
• Need changing rooms
• Electronic music storage currently not lockable
• RG asked if facility impedes: Rehearsals conflict with Drama & Reading Symph.
• Practice rooms should be acoustically isolated
(4) Bill Endslow (Drama Club)
• Newly renovated auditorium at Newton South HS would be fabulous here
• Only can use auditorium 3 -4 weeks per year, need rehearsal space
• Lecture hall is merely a black box theatre; should gut the raked floor there?
• Need dressing rooms, and transient storage
• Current storage is remote, entire RMHS tower
• Need air quality improvements below stage storage
• Limited lighting is provided, same lights day; other lighting boards must be rented
• Programmable light board would be ideal
• Climate control
(5) Gene Nigro (Reading Symphony)
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• Now in their 70`" season
• Need stage deep & wide enough for all 55 players, conductor, and choral group
• Need to be able to hear well, and record CDs
• Ventilation and other utility noises distract environment
• Need outlets for lights on music stands
• Lighting board bulbs need to be accessible
• Instrument storage needed
(6) Rick Schubert (BOS)
• Other community uses also important
• Local government needs meeting spaces larger than available at Police Sta.
• Lecture Hall provides a good mid -sized space
• Reception area(s) would be nice to have
RG encouraged that everything should be put on the table now, regardless of perceived
likelihood of incorporation into the final plans for RMHS. There are so many things that,
combined, define us as a community
Superintendent Harry Harutunian articulated an aspiration for an "Arts Center ", with its own
entrance, as part of a community school, secure from the rest of the building.
There was a 5 minute recess; meeting resumed at 8:45pm.
- The second portion of the meeting was to hear new options, phasing plans, and cost estimates
from the architect. FAI presented three options they had been developing.
Option 1 (Similar to Option 1, 9/4/02)
Existing building renovation with no new or demolished space. Very briefly, the cafeteria would
be relocated to lower level in existing Industrial Arts area, with a new Arts wing located in the
vacated space adjacent to the auditorium. Art rooms each with 400 ft2 storage. A wide
20'x120' corridor galley space, visible from the courtyard, could be used by the public. Storage
under the stage would be reactivated, adding paving, lighting and ventilation. TV studio moved
to former District SPED office. District SPED would be located in current REAP space: REAP
gone. RISE program and offices would be expanded in the C building. Two corridors in the C
building would be consolidated to one, with new prep space in the front of science labs. The
raked floor in the Lecture Hall would be difficult and expensive to remove. Media Center would
expand to the existing orange locker space, on a single floor. A new elevator would be added
near the current Old Gym, which will be renovated to house the PE program. Male and female
lockers would be provided for both gyms. The Field House would become strictly an athletic
facility and team lockers.
Site upgrades would include two synthetic fields (not "astro- turf') similar to new fields at Belmont
High. 10 year life expectancy, guaranteed for 7 years. Cost would be triple that of a sod field,
but would pay back in 4 years. Sand and strands provide good drainage and durability for
constant use. Football games & practices, as well as regulation soccer, etc., could all be held
the same field. Retention areas for storm runoff may have to be created, and may limit how far
fields can be extended. North bleachers near wetlands could not be reconstructed, and would
be torn down. Home bleachers reconstructed. Press Box tower can't be touched, due to
accessibility issues. Castine Field must remain service as a flood plain. New access road to or
from ABL Drive and /or Hartshorn could be provided. Parking area would be expanded into
current Band /T -ball field area.
RG and RR expressed concern about creating new access to Hartshorn neighborhoods.
WC and MS asked about accessibility of bathroom facilities from outdoors. FAI answered that
bathrooms would be added to the lobby of the Field House.
AM asked if the location of the new cafeteria, accessible only from the far end of the lower level,
might exacerbate existing circulation problems. FAI answered that the corridors should be
sufficiently wide, but the cafeteria is somewhat remote.
PP asked about the size of the cafeteria. Space would be comparable to present area.
RR asked about science lab space. 12 lab spaces are planned, unchanged from the present,
though prep areas would be expanded. Not every teacher will have their own CR. There may
be an additional CR nearby, but not a lab.
Dave Bunten asked about truck access to the Arts Courtyard. Access will be from a corridor to
the south of the Arts wing, not from the courtyard
PP asked if SBA counted storage space as part of the building gross area. Yes, but the building
already exists. SBA reimbursement cap is based on student capacity, not area.
Option 2 (Similar to Option 3, 9/4/02)
Existing building renovation with new central cafeteria, and north wing demolished. Very briefly,
a new multi -level cafeteria would be located in an open area between the Lecture Hall and the
Old Gym. This would become a new center of the school. Another cross - circulation connection
could be provided on the same lower level. Otherwise, Option 2 is very similar to Option 1,
except that the existing 34,000 ft2 Industrial Arts wing would be torn down for a net reduction of
12,000 ft2 building area. A new 2400 ft2 boiler plant could be provided in the tower, or
elsewhere. A new kitchen and central receiving facilities would be located in the existing locker
room area. Gym lockers would be re- located to the existing lower corridor and weight room. A
single elevator near the cafeteria would serve for access to gym lockers. RISE program space
would be less than provided for Option 1. Construction time could be reduced by roughly 6
months, and cost would also be slightly less due to the shorter construction period and
demolition of the otherwise most expensive space to renovate. There would also be less, more
compact space to heat and for custodians to clean.
A member of the audience asked if all demolition costs were accounted for. Yes.
AM asked if there were any special structural concerns associated with tying the new cafeteria
to adjacent existing buildings, each set on separate foundations. Ideally, the cafeteria will have
its own structure, so extensive seismic upgrades would not be needed elsewhere.
Option 3 (New Option, emerged at the 9t" hour)
A New /Reno /Demo option provides for maximum reduction of construction phasing period. This
option addresses the question of how much could be knocked down and replaced, to save time,
without significantly increasing the cost, which is estimated to be only slightly higher than option
1. Very briefly, the entire 1952 portion of the building would be demolished, and a new, more
efficient structure would be erected to connect the existing C- building with the Field House.
Total building area would be reduced by 85,000 ft2 to roughly 270,000 ft2, including the Field
House. Second Gym, many corridors, and some storage space would be lost. Only a concept
at this point, details of this option will be brought up to the level of the other options, if the SBC
is interested in further pursuit.
At 10:30 pm, Larry Tomlinson presented the phasing issues for each option.
During construction of options 1 & 2, all PE would occur in the field house. Temporary
classrooms (CRs) would be created in the Old Gym, gym lockers, and balcony of the
auditorium. Increased lunch periods would allow part of the cafeteria to be used for CRs. A
cluster (for synergy) of —25 CRs with one -of -a -kind systems would suffice. Option 1 would
require 42 -44 months in all, for 7 phases in 6 periods of time, with the Old Gym attacked by
construction three times, for CRs, a library, and then back to a gym.
With new cafeteria added in phase 1, option 2 would require only one floor of temporary CRs,
saving cost. Art and Music would not get their final spaces until the last phase. Option 2 would
require 36 -38 months in all, with the last phase being the demolition of the Industrial Arts wing.
Triton was estimated at 36 months, but was completed in 32.
Preliminary cost estimates for the 3 options were provided (FAI summaries appended). All
costs, including architect, engineers, surveys, legal, construction manager, furniture &
equipment, and contingencies were included. FAI stated they believed SBA would reimburse a
percentage up to about $50M of the project, based on an enrollment of 1320 -1350.
RR moved to approve the Minutes of Aug. 2, 2002, seconded by BC. No corrections were
offered. Motion passed 7 -0 -2.
RR moved to adjourn, 2nd by WC. Motion passed 9 -0 -0. Meeting adjourned, midnight.
Minutes prepared by: Alexander D. McRae
Reading School Building Committee
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