WMS: Renovate, or Build New?

Weston Today photo

The good news about the condition of Weston Middle School, based on a preliminary engineering assessment, is that the building’s structure is sound and would probably qualify for “renovation as new” under the state’s reimbursement protocol.

Whether it makes more sense to forego renovation and build a new school remains a question. Initial cost estimates suggest it’s a close call. Building new could cost about the same as renovating, and possibly even less.

On Wednesday evening the Board of Education heard a summary of the preliminary assessment by SLAM, an engineering and architecture firm, Bemis Associates, specialists in electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and fire protection systems, and Colliers Project Leaders, who have been advising the board for the past several months.

The board did not vote on whether to proceed with a second phase of the engineering study, which would be required with a decision to proceed with renovation. Without it, an application for state reimbursement of construction costs could not be submitted.

The second phase would entail a deep dive into every feature, system, nook, and cranny of the building, inside and out. The end product would be a conceptual design and, presumably, an updated comparison of costs to renovate versus building new.

Another approach

When renovating as new, work is done in phases over several years. This carries the disadvantage of a long disruption to education as students move in and out of temporary swing space during construction.

An alternative would be to conduct a “surgical” renovation over the course of a decade or longer, probably in the end costing about the same, unless some needed improvements were simply set aside indefinitely.

The surgical approach is also an occupied renovation, done piece by piece, likely prolonging disruption. It might gradually spread the financial impact on taxpayers over a longer period of time, but would risk creating an endless cycle of more things aging out, breaking, and requiring replacement.

It would also surrender the opportunity for state construction grants, putting the entire burden on local taxpayers.

Estimates

On Wednesday evening SLAM presented ballpark estimates comparing renovation to building a new school. The figures took into account that the school, renovated or new, would be 30,000 square feet smaller than the existing one. The numbers were also based on the current bidding market and historical data about soft costs and contingencies.

These are the estimates for Weston’s share of costs (the net after reimbursement), ranging from low to high.

• Renovating as new: $99.9 million to $118.6 million.
• Building new: $102.7 million to $125.7 million.

Weston’s net is based on these total estimated costs:

• Renovating as new: $113.1 million to $134.2 million.
• Building new: $112.9 million to $138.2 million.

Advantage, renovation

… but not by as much as one would expect, given that the current maximum reimbursement for renovation, 22.14 percent, is almost twice that of building new (12.14 percent).

One factor that shrinks its edge is that not all renovation costs are automatically reimbursable, at least not in full. For example, the middle school roof was replaced in 2009, which is new enough to disqualify it, except perhaps on a prorated basis.

In addition, renovation takes longer, giving costs time to escalate. Scott Pellman of the Colliers team said new construction usually takes 20 to 24 months. Renovation takes 36 to 40 months.

Another factor is that quotes tend to be higher for renovations. In May, SLAM project leader Jim Hoagland told the school board’s Educational Optimization Committee that “contractors know they will find unknowns” when opening up an old building, and account for it in their pricing.

The numbers above include the school’s swimming pool in the project, which is eligible for only half-rate reimbursement. All the numbers drop by $6 million or so if the pool is left out, but the practicality of that is hard to see.

The scope of renovation

Renovation-as-new is a comprehensive refurbishment of the facility, utilizing at least 55 percent of the existing structure and building more as needed.

By the time renovation is complete, the entire facility must be brought 100 percent up to code. That includes regulations for roofing, plumbing, water supply, fire protection, HVAC, electrical systems, energy monitoring, communications, security systems, and ADA compliance. It must also meet state guidelines for technology infrastructure.

According to the preliminary assessment, the middle school is currently wanting in all of those areas.

While the assessment found the structural integrity of the existing building has not been compromised, nearly all systems inside would have to be replaced. To qualify for grants, systems must be certified to have a useful life expectancy of at least 20 years. The structure itself must be certified able to be occupied for 50 years.

Particulars

The report noted that most of the school’s mechanical systems date back to the 1960s and 1970s, are at the end of their useful lifetime, and could not be refreshed to meet the 20-year threshold.

The assessment found exterior and interior decay, outdated fire alarm systems, lack of fire protection, plumbing issues, inadequate humidity controls, and non-compliance with ADA and building codes.

The engineers said more detailed investigation is needed on the roof structure, decking, bracing, wood structure in the gym, and snow load capacity. They also found veneer failures on the exterior masonry.

Other issues, mostly age-related, include:

• The existing HVAC equipment is past its useful life. There is little ceiling space for ductwork without lowering the ceilings.
• Plumbing systems are vintage 1960s and 1970s, at the end of their useful life, and cannot meet the 20-year standard.
• Water pipes are copper and original to the building, meaning they may have been connected with lead solder and would have to be replaced.
• Plumbing fixtures are original and not up to code.
• The building does not have a fire protection system.
• Electrical systems are old, some in poor condition. Many feeders and branch circuits were placed under the floor slab during construction, inside conduits that are prone to deterioration. Breaking into the slab to replace them could be a major and disruptive undertaking.