High School Building Committee (HSBC) Meeting #16 Minutes

Thursday, June 17, 2004

Wayland Town Building

School Committee Conference Room

 

Attendees

HSBC members:  Josh Bekenstein, Steve Breit, Jim Howard, Mary Lentz, Joe Lewin, Cindy Lombardo, Eric Sheffels, Steve Tise

Absent:  Lea Anderson, Dianne Bladon, Brian Chase

Ex Officio members:  Joy Buhler, Gary Burton, Fred Knight, Charlie Ruopp

Turner team:  Dick Amster, Julie Bezoetdebie

HMFH team:  Steve Friedlaender, George Metzger, Doug Sacra

 

Acting Chairman Mary Lentz called the sixteenth meeting of the HSBC to order at 7:39 p.m.

 

HMFH/Turner Report

- Options Progress

Dick Amster reported that representatives from both Turner Construction and HMFH Architects met with the Wayland School Committee on Monday to review the proposed educational program for the project.  He said that although the School Committee took no action on the program at that time, they would be meeting again with Turner and HMFH on June 21 to discuss the program in more detail.

 

Doug Sacra said that HMFH wanted to confirm with the HSBC the community uses that had been included in the program, noting that a total of 3,540 square feet were included for both WayCam facilities and for community athletic storage, and that a location would be identified on the site for space for a pool.  A period of discussion followed as to how these needs were determined, and it was agreed that HMFH would show these community uses in schemes presented for HSBC consideration.  Doug indicated that due to new regulations, provision of sufficient space for parking will be a consideration in any proposed re-use of existing facilities, noting that there are 380 spaces on site now, with an estimated 520 needed for future use, according to projections under current use patterns.

 

Steve Friedlaender presented the methodology that HMFH is using for developing the options as well as their respective costs and a feasibility analysis for each.  He then reviewed changes made to each of the options to reflect major suggestions of members of the HSBC at their last meeting.  Scheme 1, the plan that uses the maximum amount of existing space, was changed to leave exterior walls of the lift-slab buildings in place, rather than move them out to the edge of the roof overhang. This resulted in a net savings of approximately $100,000.  Steve noted that in incorporating these changes there was no net change in square-footage, as space was reprogrammed, by moving world languages classrooms to the existing math/English building, and creating a new classroom building to house math classrooms and science labs.  Doug Sacra indicated that in re-use of existing buildings, with or without expansion, 6” x 6” structural columns would remain in classrooms, and lack of daylighting would still be an issue. At the request of the Committee, HMFH will provide floor plans to highlight placement of the structural columns and will indicate which ones might cause problems under a plan to re-use existing lift-slab buildings.

 

Steve then reviewed changes made to Scheme 2, which was developed with phasing in mind.  He explained that Phase I would involve demolition of the Commons and relocation of lunch service to the fieldhouse.  Phase II plans call for creating of a two-story classroom building of approximately 60,000 s.f., with English and social studies rooms on one floor and science rooms on the other.  Phase III would involve moving the world languages classrooms to the existing science building and some as yet-to-be-determined shortage of classrooms when the three lift-slab buildings are to be demolished.  Phase IV calls for construction of a classroom building near the fieldhouse, followed by Phase V renovation of the existing fieldhouse, fine arts, science and administration buildings.

 

Scheme 3 changes were made to the design of the new building in order to retain a “campus feel” for the school.  Steve pointed out that the footprints of the buildings were similar or identical to those in Scheme 2, with the exception of the administration building.  He said that doing so would facilitate the cost comparison between Scheme 2 and Scheme 3, with Scheme 3 having a shorter construction period than a plan involving more renovation of existing buildings.  Committee members requested a cost-comparison of the campus design to a more traditional “box” building as part of the analysis for this scheme.

 

In discussion as to the further development of each of these options, Steve noted that all site work will be considered in the price estimates for each of the schemes, and analysis will include consideration of the phasing costs, disruption to the learning environment, and student safety during construction.  Cindy Lombardo commended HMFH for all their work in moving the process along.

 

General agenda items for the next three meetings were discussed.  On June 24, HMFH will present refinements of the existing schemes.  Comments on phasing may be provided as well, depending upon the amount of time the design team can devote to such considerations.  On July 1, HMFH will present budgets, phasing and schedule of all three options, as well as an analysis of the impact each scheme will have on the program and an assessment of other qualitative differences.  Only July 8, the Committee will hold a community forum where an overview of existing conditions and educational programming will set the context for a presentation of options for public comment.  A final agenda for the forum will be discussed on June 24.

 

Communications

Eric Sheffels told the Committee that the Finance Committee would like a report at their June 28 meeting, and Mary Lentz told the Committee that the Selectmen were expecting one in August.

 

Minutes

Upon a motion duly made (Cindy Lombardo) and seconded (Josh Bekenstein), the Committee voted unanimously (8-0) to approve the minutes of HSBC meeting #15 on June 10, 2004.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 p.m.

 

Observers:  Pat Abramson, Milton Bailey, Judy Canty Graves, Barbara Carter, John Dyer, Julia Leney, Anette Lewis, Margo Melnicove, Charles Raskin, Richard Turner, Linda Segal,

 

Comments from observers:

Suggestion to find someone to record meetings for later broadcast on local cable station

Suggestion to delay selection of options until July 15

Suggestion to develop annual operating and long-term maintenance costs for the options

Suggestion to consider designing a roof that is not flat

Suggestion to calculate the energy cost differences between a block building and multiple buildings

Question regarding the cost of furniture, fixtures and equipment for each of the options

Suggestion to use the area currently occupied by the Town Pool for affordable housing

Suggestion to save the existing football field

Suggestion to put drawings on the website after the July 1 meeting

Question on the timing of the July 7 forum

Comments on meeting protocol

 

The next regular meeting of the HSBC is scheduled for Thursday, June 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Wayland School Committee conference room in the Town Building.