Architect: Students May Occupy New Wing By December ‘08

BOE Approves $47 Million High School, Gym Expansion

By Laurie Borst

The Board of Education at a special meeting last Monday endorsed a $47.3 million proposal to add numerous classrooms, labs, a new cafeteria and warming kitchen area, an elevator, and an expanded gymnasium to the existing high school facility. The latest expansion plan was a presentation by Joe Costa, Tim Cohen, and Matthew Holst of the architectural firm Fletcher Thompson, and Barry Blades of Blades & Goven, a landscape architect firm on the project.

The BOE has been reviewing a variety of options to address the overcrowding issues at the high school since early this year. The current high school building is designed to accommodate 1,600 students, but the school population now stands at 1,687.

The board has received projected enrollment numbers over the last few years from demographic analysis experts as well as the state Department of Education, and a decision was made to use the current projected figure for maximum build out.

This results in a possible 2,137 students attending the high school.

The board asked Fletcher Thompson to use this number, as well as to base the number of rooms on 22.5 students per classroom, and to include an option for an expanded gymnasium. The present gym cannot accommodate the entire student body for large events, such as pep rallies, nor can it qualify for tournament play because the ceiling and associated support system and ductwork are too low for regulation volleyball and basketball games.

Mr Costa explained Fletcher Thompson’s charge in designing the addition and renovation of the existing high school includes: prepare on-site expansion option to meet revised program and enrollment needs; study possible gymnasium expansion options; prepare preliminary project schedule; and review overall project budgets and state reimbursements.

The firm addressed the program goals of adding space to accommodate increased enrollment and educational mission of 2,137 students using a 22.5 student average per classroom and meeting a state standard of 174.5 square feet per student for a total square footage of 372,907. This results in an approximate 92,407-square-foot addition with a gymnasium expansion, or approximately 86,014 square feet if the gymnasium expansion is optioned out of the plan.

These parameters have led to the so-called “Option F,” on which Mr Cohen elaborated. This option places the major bulk of the expansion on the existing building’s south side (adjacent to Oakview Road) and this new wing will primarily serve ninth grade students. Twenty new classrooms, or teaching stations, are planned in the wing, 15 general classrooms and five science classrooms.

Included will be expanded space for auto mechanic/shop classes, health, culinary arts programs, and the graphic arts department. These facilities will be on the ground floor and will also incorporate space for a multipurpose room.

The first floor will add space to the music department as well. It will also hold the Nurtury program, athletic director’s office, and, if the gym expansion goes forward, a larger gymnasium and cardiovascular room. Moving the Nurtury to the addition frees up space in the present building, which will allow the nurse’s office to expand and two more teaching spaces to be built, Mr Cohen said.

A “servery” with hot and cold storage areas and a warming kitchen will accommodate approximately 200 students at a time, allowing for three new and separate lunch waves to be instituted.

Food for this service area will be delivered after being initially prepared in the main cafeteria via mobile serving carts.

The second floor plan contains classrooms and teachers’ offices. The current plan does not connect the second floor of the existing building with the second floor of the addition, potentially keeping freshman somewhat segregated from the upperclassmen.

If it is determined that a connection between the two separate sections of the second floor would be more efficient, a connector hallway could be added, eliminating the need for students on the second floor of the new wing from having to traverse stairs and the school lobby area to access the existing adjacent second floor area.

The consultants reiterated that their cost summary for the project is broken out fully with and without a gymnasium expansion. They reiterated the fact that these are conceptual estimates, which will need to be refined as changes arise.

Rising fuel and materials costs can impact these numbers. The numbers presented include trade costs for renovations, additions, and site work; technology, furniture and equipment, and communications; soft costs, fees, and expenses; and a ten percent “owner’s project contingency.”

With the gymnasium addition, the total comes to $47,269,500 and without the gym, the projected cost amount is $43,403,500. After maximum state reimbursements, the architects estimated the final costs to the town would be $32,699,000 with, or $30,073,000 without, the gym expansion.

The square footage of the addition, with the gym, totals 91,522 square feet, and without the gym, 90,252 square feet. There is very little difference in the amount of space gained between the two options because if the gym addition goes forward, it frees up the practice gym space for other teaching uses, the consultants added.

Fletcher Thompson also prepared a project schedule, based on approval of the project at referendum in November of this year. The grant application process must be completed by June 2007.

If all progresses well through the state review process, construction of the additions could begin in November 2007 with completion in November 2008. Renovations could begin in July 2008, completed in July 2009 with students potentially moving into the addition by December 2008 or January 2009.

The few areas to be renovated in the existing building would be ready for occupancy summer of 2009.

Discussion of the exterior changes focused on the parking situation. The plan as it stands adds 74 new parking spaces. Mr Blades, the landscape architect, commented that as the project progresses, traffic islands may be moved or landscaping can be changed to find more spaces.

The new parking is planned for the area where the tennis courts are currently located with a plan to move the tennis courts to the area currently occupied by a practice field.

This, Mr Blades explained, frees up space for parking with the least impact on the fields behind the school.

School board Chair Elaine McClure asked if the parking could be put on the practice field, leaving the tennis courts as they are. Mr Costa replied that to convert the distant practice field for parking would involve a great deal more site work to prepare it with the concomitant cost increase.

Board member Lisa Schwartz asked if the architect could consider solar panels in the project. Mr Costa replied that sustainable options, i.e., solar panels, high performance windows, shading, and solar,  are always considered for a project.

As the project moves forward, he said these options will be taken into consideration.

School board member David Nanavaty questioned an earlier statement by the consultants regarding further expansion when the addition is finished. Mr Costa replied that by using the figure of 22.5 students per classroom, this element alone allowed for some increased enrollment.

He added that other options, considered earlier in the process, could be revisited.

Legislative Council members Joe Borst and Jeff Capeci attended the meeting. Mr Borst asked if science classrooms could be constructed in the current courtyard between the original construction and the addition that was constructed several years ago. Mr Cohen explained that the courtyard represents a required fire wall between the two sections and could not be used.

Mr Capeci wondered if the cost of turfing Blue & Gold Stadium had been considered in the proposal. Mr Blades said he was not sure if the state would help with those costs.

Anyone with questions about Option F can see the proposal on the Board of Education’s website, newtown.k12.ct.us/.