Opening Reception for Auditorium: December 16, 2015

Picture Update of the Renovation

July 9th: Looking Great!

June 9th:  New Lobby Brick Work Progresses

May 12th: Start of Inside Woodwork

The cement has been poured for the addition foundation!

Renovation Update

The Auditorium renovation project is well underway with demolition of the existing facility, including the balcony and the stage, completed this spring.  Excavation for the side lobby has begun and the exterior shell of the new construction should be finished this fall. The project is on track for completion in early 2015. 

Board Awards Bids for Auditorium and Science Lab Renovations

Board Awards Bids for Auditorium and Science Lab Renovations

District architects and construction managers presented the Bronxville Board of Education with their analysis and recommendations for awarding bids for the auditorium and science lab renovations.  Erik Wilson of KG&D and James Woycik of Park East explained the process of advertising, opening bids on December 17, and the review the scope of work with the low bidders.  Additional steps were taken to verify that the low bidders were qualified and responsible. The District has successful previous experience with three of the four contractors, and our construction manager has had positive results with the fourth. Board President David Brashear remarked, 

In a building as old as ours, reinvestment is a required aspect to the strategic planning of the district. This Board has done an exceptional job of weighing the facilities needs of our district, and I look forward to successful completion of the project at hand. 

Board members raised a number of questions about union issues, the importance of closing in the addition in a timely fashion, the impact of construction parking,  noise, and the preservation of certain trees. 

The proposed bids were reviewed by the Facilities Committee earlier in the month, and the Board approved the following contracts:

Trade	# Bids	Award	Amount
General Construction	8	Kenstar Construction	$4,199,673
Plumbing	8	Pearl River Plumbing	$342,772
HVAC	10	Mengler Mechanical, Inc.	$1,076,200
Electrical	4	Lippolis Electric, Inc.	$1,400,000
		Total	$7,018,645

The next steps involve mobilizing the work force and establishing a construction zone, shown below, which will occupy the side of the School's front lawn nearest the auditorium.  Construction is expected to begin mid-February, and the science lab renovations are expected by be completed over the summer. The presentation can be found here.

This article was taken from the "Across the Bronxville Schools" newsletter, published by the Bronxville Union Free School District. 

Auditorium/Science Lab Renovations Out for Bid

Auditorium/Science Lab Renovations Out for Bid

At its November 2013 meeting, Board of Education members heard updates on several different facilities projects.

Plans for the auditorium/science lab renovations, approved by voters in October 2012, have been approved by the NY State Education Department and are out to bid.  The District's construction management firm, Park East, and architectural consultants Nasco Construction have reviewed and reconciled the total cost estimates. In order to ensure that the bids come in under the budgeted figure of $10 million the bids include several alternates concerning the scope of the classroom renovations, foundation structure, and other options. Bids will be opened in December, and the District expects to award a contract in January.

Capital Plan Moves Forward

  Board Retains Construction Manager

This month the Facilities Committee reviewed proposed improvements in the auditorium project and reviewed the advantages and disadvantages of entering into a Project Labor Agreement as a way of managing construction.

KG&D Architecture showed a redesigned path connecting the auditorium side lobby to existing walkways. The group discussed the surrounding landscaping and agreed that some existing trees should be replaced during the project and that an overall landscaping plan would be needed to determine the scope of the changes.

KG&D also reported that cost estimators are now reviewing the drawings to come up with a budget that reflects the design development phase of the project.  After the budget is set there will be a second review of proposed materials and finishes. The group also discussed some of the  scheduling issues related to asbestos abatement and access to the auditorium.

The major agenda item was a review of the consultant report regarding a Project Labor Agreement as a way to manage planned construction. The report estimated this approach would save $48,000 on the total budget of $10 million. However, District counsel offered a legal opinion that the report did not make a compelling case for Bronxville's eligibility to enter into a Project Labor Agreement. At the end of the discussion the general consensus was that it would be safer to pursue the construction manager approach.  Several construction management were interviewed earlier in the school year, and at its February meeting, the Board of Education agreed to retain the services of Park East Construction for a fee not to exceed $300,000. Chair of the Facilities Committee Jim Hudson pointed out that schedule and costs could be managed through careful bid specifications and related contracts, achieving the same results as a Project Labor Agreement. He complimented Dan Carlin for negotiating a lower fee for the construction management services.