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Building our Future

How it’s going…where it will end!

Phase 1 of the Lincoln School renovation is getting to the point where we can really envision the results! Below are comparisons that show current construction photos of the Dining Commons, new Reed connector, and the Auditorium versus renderings of the finished products. 

The SBC met last Wednesday, click here to see the project update slides.

Dining Commons, facing east
Connection between Reed Gym and Auditorium
Auditorium

Town Meeting is on Saturday, May 15th @9:30am under the tent in the Hartwell parking lot.  The SBC will give a project update and answer questions at a virtual public forum on Wednesday, May 12th @ 6:30pm (prior to the regular SBC meeting at 7:00pm).  Register for the public forum here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUqdu6prT0sHNeDkXEOuJLrGIvcQuz8nMVu  

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

What once seemed like “pi” in the sky…

…is now imaginable! We are on schedule to welcome faculty and students to a renovated Middle School in September!

Last week’s warmer days meant melted snow and the ability to get the roofing schedule back on track. As with most aspects of the project, the work moves from west to east, starting with Building D, the Dining Commons. The same is true on the interior, where finishes such as ceiling tiles, wall tiles, light fixtures, and flooring are progressing through the building. Check out the March photo gallery!

As we learned at the SBC meeting, part of getting ready for the fall is planning the transition from Phase 1 to Phase 2 of the project. Although the target date for the end of Phase 1 is June 22, it will really be a whole series of events that will need to occur before teachers and students are ready to start the school year. Click here for the slide deck presented at the March 10th meeting.

Happy Pi Day, everyone!

Up in the clouds…

This photo is of the refurbished “clouds” being rehung in the Auditorium. What looks like the floor is actually the scaffolding needed to work safely this high up!

The SBC meets virtually on Wednesday, March 10th at 7:00pm. Click here for the agenda and further information.

Just for fun: In the February 14th blog post, we mentioned the new Auditorium beams that were put in place through slots in the roof. Click here to see a video of the beams being lifted into place. The cuts in the roof are visible.

At the heart of this project…

…is our project team’s creativity and dedication.

We’ve said all along that this is a complex renovation, and at this week’s School Building Committee meeting we were reminded of the creative problem-solving and long hours it takes to make the project happen:

  • How do you install large beams in an existing structure? To meet code, the Auditorium required installation of new structural steel beams. To do this, Consigli figured out how to cut slots through the roof of the Auditorium so that the beams could be lowered in to place. Afterwards, the sections of roof were replaced and will by sealed by the new roof membrane.
  • 2:00am? Some residents noticed that there was activity at the school in the wee hours of the morning one night. Turns out it was the “finishers” on site when the new slab in H Building (the new connector between the auditorium and the gym) was placed.  As Consigli explained, “When you place slabs you have to wait until the concrete sets up before you can finish the slab to get the smooth surface.  Sometimes, especially this time of year, it takes a couple of hours for the slab to set up.  After the slab is finished, the slab has to be saw cut to help prevent/control cracking of the slab.“ 

Below is a photo of the slab in the new connector. Click here to see other recent project photos and here to see the slide deck from the SBC meeting.

New Year, New (Brick) Face

The final layer of the exterior of the building is now being installed on Building D (Dining Commons)! The new brick face layer was chosen to mimic the style of the original building. Significant progress is also being made on the interior finishes. Starting in Building D and continuing through Buildings E, F, G, and H, sheetrock is being installed followed by taping, priming, and painting. Click here to see the new January photo gallery!

At Wednesday’s SBC meeting, the project team presented a progress update and the current status of the project budget. The presentation can be found here. One of the topics was an update about furniture, fixtures, & equipment, affectionately known as FF&E.

  • As was discussed last year at this time, the original budget for FF&E was $2.1M. When the construction bids came in over budget, $1.5M was taken out of the FF&E budget to help close the gap. At last June’s Town Meeting, the town voted to increase the remaining FF&E budget by ~$200K.
  • With the Middle School opening this fall and the Primary School scheduled to open in Fall 2022, the administrative team is taking a detailed look at what what can be purchased with the existing FF&E budget, what additional FF&E is required for the opening of Middle School, and what can be delayed until there is further funding available.
  • In preparation for this year’s Annual Town Meeting (MOVED TO SATURDAY, MAY 15th!), the SBC and the School Committee will begin conversations with the Capital Planning Committee and the Finance Committee about FF&E funding.

Now I know my ABCs (and buildings D, E, F, & G)

The visual image that came out of this past week’s SBC meeting was of waves. Waves of sequential work that are rippling through the school starting in building section D (former Library) and moving west to east through sections E, F, G, and H (Reed Gym).

The work is both on the exterior and interior. On the exterior, the many layers of the building envelope are being put in place: vapor barrier, insulation, concrete block, brick, and roofing. On the interior, there is new framing, new electrical wiring, new piping for heat, plumbing, and fire suppression, and then new drywall installation. Click here to see some recent images.

Other noteworthy information:

  • Despite snow, COVID, etc., Phase 1 of the project remains on schedule to be completed by June 22, 2021.
  • Snow storms and winter weather are built in to the construction plans and the schedule. In the photo below you can see the heated exterior structures that are built around fresh masonry work to ensure they cure properly.
  • The presentation from 12/16 meeting is here.
  • The next SBC meeting is on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at 7:00pm.

On behalf of the SBC Outreach team, we wish you and yours love, friendship, and moments of reflection and joy as we close out 2020 and welcome 2021. See you in January!

December SBC Meeting + Photos

The new connection between the Reed Gym and the Middle School.

The SBC meets on Wednesday, December 16th at 7:00pm via Zoom. The agenda with information about how to log on can be found here.

A lot is happening inside and outside the project. To see some of the latest photos, visit the new December photo gallery.

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