North Adams School Project on Track, Under Budget

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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The Colegrove Park Elementary School project is so far on time and nearly $3 million under budget.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Colegrove Park Elementary School project is so far on track and under budget.

"We're $2.8 million under budget, that's taking into consideration our contingency budget also," Kenneth J. Guyette, senior project manager at Strategic Building Solutions, owner's project manager, told the School Building Committee on Monday.

"The building is essentially gutted so we can see where there would be a lot of unforeseen in the building right now."

Mayor Richard Alcombright said any surprises would likely be in the roof.

"If there's anything under the roof, that hasn't been foreseen," he said. "But then that's been poked, prodded and everything else six ways to Sunday ...

"But you never know."

In other business, Dorrie Brooks of Margo Jones Architects said the historical preservation continues with repairs to the school's medallions. A number of them have been removed for conservation but the Hoosac Tunnel one is being restored in place.

The demolition has also uncovered the original brick walls and their arches, which would be in the technology classrooms.

"They would be on the inside of those classrooms," said Brooks. "Those rooms have that potential to have that exciting ... that's the kind of subjective choice we're having."



There was also discussion of whether and how to salvage bricks uncovered by site work, many marked from the old North Adams Brick Co.

Brooks said the hard-fired bricks in the ventilation tunnels are in good shape. "The mortar dissolved, and we have lovely bricks," she said.

Historical Commission Chairwoman Justyna Carlson said she would check how many are archived. The mayor suggested they could be used in Colegrove Park, perhaps for walkways. They could be dug up with the payloader and taken to the city yard until needed.

Alcombright also reported that an agreement had been made with Carver Family Dentistry for an easement to build a new retaining wall.

He estimated the total cost at no more than $7,500, including purchasing the easement and paying all legal costs for the transfer.

The price would be $6,000, on par with the percentage of the property, which would also be reassessed to reflect the reduction. Employees will get a parking pass for the Center Street parking lot during construction.

The mayor expected the agreement to be signed Tuesday and work to begin soon afterward. The construction should be completed within three to four weeks.

City officials and press will get chance to see the work at the school close up in early October, once the first floor slab is poured and dried.


Tags: Colegrove Park,   Conte School,   school building,   school building committee,   

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Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime. 
 
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather. 
 
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5
 
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
 
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure. 
 
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
 
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
 
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