School leaders received capital project update
By Dan McClelland
The Tupper Lake Board of Education received its first monthly progress report on the $20 million capital improvement project, now that school is out of session and the construction work is in full swing.
The report came from Eric Robert, Paul Lamoy and Kris Brunette of Schoolhouse Construction Services which is the firm overseeing the project for the district.
The district’s architects, CS Arch, were also copied in it.
“For the week ending August 1, the roofing contractor has continued with its roofing replacement scope at the L.P. Quinn Elementary School through the month of July with its focus being at the backside of the building. They have more recently moved to the higher gymnasium/cafeteria roof allowing for their sheet metal workers to begin with installation of new metal fascia at completed areas. The plumbing contractor continued with domestic piping replacements throughout the elementary school and has begun making final joints connections to allow for pressure testing and flushing before final tie-in with the building’s water system. The general contractor’s demolition scope was completed at the elementary school and material deliveries and preparations are underway for the new installations at the library and main office. Demolition scope at the high school main office, classroom, and adjacent stairwell has made significant progress throughout the month and is nearing completion.”
One of the main components of this year’s building project are more secured entrance areas at both local schools, according to reports at board meetings over the winter by CS Arch.
The Schoolhouse Construction overseers of the project also broke down progress by building in more detail.
“At L.P. Quinn the plumbing contractor has continued with their domestic piping replacement throughout the corridor ceilings and associated classrooms. With a majority of new piping and support hangers installed, the plumbing contractor has begun and is continuing to work on soldering all piping joints and valve connections throughout to prepare for cleaning and pressure testing. The roofing contractor has completed roofing replacement along the backside of the building and is nearing completion of the raised gymnasium/cafeteria roof surface. Existing perimeter edge metal has been removed throughout, allowing for installation of new specified wood blocking to accept the new metal fascia. Installation of that material is underway at areas where the roof system replacement has been completed.
At the elementary school too, “the general contractor has completed demolition of the entryway canopies scheduled for repairs. Specified installations at the canopies, along with painting, are scheduled for completion in the coming weeks. The demolition contractor under the general contract completed selective demolition for the new library entrance doorway. The originally designed location for the new library entrance was changed due to existing structural components being exposed during demolition. Schoolhouse Construction and CS Arch worked with the district to relocate the entrance to an acceptable location with minimal layout changes to the overall space.”
At the middle/high school “Construction of temporary hard walls at the main office was completed at the corridor side to allow for demolition of the interior office spaces as scheduled. Demolition of those spaces has been ongoing through the month of July and nearing completion. The demolition scope including existing stair assemblies and landings is nearing completion. Mechanical and electrical removals of existing equipment in the office and classroom spaces have been completed. The public address equipment has been relocated from the main office area to an existing data closet with sufficient space. The relocation was discussed and coordinated with the electrical contractor, the districts IT department and the district’s security vendor, NCC Systems. The electrical constructor has coordinated with the mechanical contractor and has begin installing specified conduit and raceways throughout the building to serve new mechanical equipment. The existing underground fuel storage take between the bus garage and high school has been successfully removed. Backfilling and asphalt repair/restoration in the lot in ongoing. Soil sampling was performed during the removal of the fuel tank to ensure no contamination had occurred.
At the civic center, which is owned by the district, “the sheet metal constrictors for the mechanical contract has completed the installation of new duct runs that Weill served the new dedicated outdoor air system.”
The Schoolhouse report also listed what Eric Robert’s firm called “project challenges.”
“CS Arch and Schoolhouse are continuing to work with the district to resolved some of the recent issues with domestic water testing performed outside the capital project. A second round of testing is being planned to identify and replace the source of the problem and determine whether that includes existing piping and/or faucets. Once scope is confirmed considerations will be made to complete the work, or portions of the work, under the capital project sooner than a potential capital outlay project,” referring to funding that would otherwise becoming out of the district general budget.
The second challenge: “Coordination is ongoing with CS Arch, the general contractor and the roofing contractor to determine the best approach for flashing and sealing the lower portion of the gymnasium/cafeteria roof at the elementary school. This area has been susceptible to leaking in the past and needs to be addressed in a way that will not affect roof warranty for the new roof system. Significant progress has been made with the design of the flashing detail with field direction to the respective contractor inn the near future.”