School Building Committee

Office of the City Manager City Hall ● 375 Merrimack Street ● Lowell, MA 01852 P: 978.674.4000 ● F: 978.970.4007 www.LowellMA.gov Eileen Donoghue City Manager Kara Keefe Mullin School Building Committee Meeting Assistant City Manager Meeting Minutes Date: September 17th, 2020 Time: 5:00 PM Location: Virtual Meeting—Zoom School Building Committee Members Present: Eileen Donoghue, John Leahy, Ed Kennedy, Jeff Wilson, Jay Mason, Michael Fiato, Mike Vaughn, Conor Baldwin, Jim Cook, Dianne Tradd, MaryAnn Ballotta, Maria Sheehy, Lt. Peaslee City Staff Present: Kara Keefe Mullin, Peter Cutrumbes, Phillip Geoffroy, Sokhary Chau Perkins Eastman Consultants Present: Dawn Guariello, Robert Bell, Joe Drown, Robin Greenberg Skanska Consultants Present: Maryann Williams, Jim Dowd Suffolk Construction Staff Present: Rex Radloff, Chris Walenten Meeting called to order at 5:04 PM by E. Donoghue. Roll call showed 13 members and 25 total present. Motion to accept previous meeting minutes seconded by Ed Kennedy M. Williams gave a brief presentation on cost estimates and reconciliation. Both companies plans were reconciled within budget, and were within $546,000 of each other. With construction costs of $270 million, these estimates were within 1/3 of 1% of each other. She stressed that the cost estimates are tracking in a very positive way. J. Drown addressed design questions from previous meetings, and gave a presentation with graphics showing the work site. He also discussed some packages going out to bid early. Package 1A (75 Arcand Drive Demolition) and Package 1B (Concrete foundations and steel for the gym) both went out to bid early. Both these bids are tracking on budget. Currently, Perkins Eastman is 60% through construction documents. Additionally, Mr. Drown shared that the City Council has approved the use of three items on this project: the Master Radio Box from the Fire Department, the Access Control system at LHS, and the sidewalk street lights in the area. He also gave a brief refresher on the construction phases. C. Walenten discussed the Phase 1 work site logistics. During the third week of October, Suffolk is taking over the site and putting up fencing. First activity is to abate 75 Arcand Drive, and then they advance to demolition. The asphalt will be stripped and leveled off in December, with drill foundations being done in January. The concrete foundations will be put down in February, and steel will come out of the ground in March. J. Drown informed the meeting that the next step tonight was to vote to authorize Skanska and Perkins Eastman to submit the 60% construction documents to the MSBA. E. Donoghue asked if there were any questions. Lt. Peaslee asked if parking at the Mason Building will be restricted, as the Police Department uses the spots closest to the fencing of the construction site. C. Walenten answered that the lot will not be touched. The fence will only on be around 75 Arcand Drive. J. Cook asked if the Mason Lot was ever in the plans for the project. E. Donoghue answered no. E. Kennedy asked about meeting hiring thresholds for residents and minorities. E. Donoghue answered that packages haven’t gone out for labor yet, but that hiring goals are part of the contract. C. Walenten discussed what the vote is for, which is to submit supporting info, drawings, etc. to the MSBA. They will send questions back if they have them, and the docs will be submitted on 9/25. J. Cook asked how long it takes the MSBA to review the documents. C. Walenten answered that they generally get the plans back in 2-4 weeks from submittal. E. Kennedy proposed a vote to authorize Skanska and Perkins Eastman to submit 60% docs, seconded by Jim Cook. Unanimous vote. E. Donoghue asked if we need to meet in October. J. Drown highlighted the short-term time line for the project. Once bids are confirmed, they will get executed as a contract with the early bid contractors. That work starts mid-October. Followed by that will be completing the 90% construction documents and submitting them on December 11th. Completing the cost estimates is targeted for October 30th-December 4th. Final bid documents submission is scheduled for February 1st. E. Donoghue asked if the next meeting of this group should be in advance of December submission. J. Drown recommended the week preceding December 11th. J. Leahy asked how the early stages of construction are going to impact Cobblestone’s outdoor seating due to the pandemic. C. Walenten answered that they don’t need the access road until the school opens. E. Donoghue: Meeting adjourned 5:30 P.M. Moved by E. Kennedy, and seconded by J. Leahy