School Building Committee

Office of the City Manager City Hall • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 P: 978.674.4402 • F: 978.970.4007 www.LowellMA.gov Thomas A. Golden, Jr. City Manager School Building Committee Meeting Meeting Minutes Date: May 5, 2022 Time: 5:30 PM Location: City Council Chamber School Building Committee Members Present: Thomas A Golden, Jr., Michael Vaughn, Joel Boyd, Michael Fiato, Conor Baldwin, Maria Sheehy, David Peaslee, William Samaras, Edward Kennedy, Rodney Elliott, Maryann Manzi Perkins Eastman Staff Present: Joe Drown, Robin Greenberg Skanska Staff Present: Maryann Williams, Jim Dowd Suffolk Construction Staff Present: Rex Radloff, Pannha San Chung Called to order 5:44 PM by T. Golden. Roll call showed 10 members present. Motion to accept minutes of March 24 meeting by Joel Boyd, Seconded William Samaras. Motion passed unanimously. Edward Kennedy joined meeting after roll call to bring total number of members present to 11. T. Golden: Provided introductory remarks and turned presentation over to consultants Suffolk, Perkins Eastman & Skanska. R. Radloff: Stated that in light of construction safety incidents in Boston in the last 24 hours Suffolk will be conducting a through review of all safety measures on the LHS site first thing tomorrow morning. In particular, Suffolk will be inspecting railings, harnesses and all other high hazard work and chemical storage This week safety standdowns have been conducted each morning at the start of the day with the trade partners.  Office of the City Manager City Hall • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 P: 978.674.4402 • F: 978.970.4007 www.LowellMA.gov Thomas A. Golden, Jr. City Manager R. Radloff: Provided construction update via PowerPoint presentation, see attached. Wrapping up Kalwall installation on exterior and proceeding to storefront, curtainwall, and metal panel. Site activities with trade partner French for sidewalks, curbs and landscaping starting next week. Reviewed interior progress on ceilings, gym equipment installation, flooring, tile, kitchen buildout and MEP’s on interior. Reviewed the milestones for construction for the months of May, June and July, see attached. Milestone for completion of mechanical systems is June 15th. Phasing and Enabling work for 1980’s and 1922 building to take place this Summer was reviewed, see attached. Start of Phase 2 work with demolition of Fieldhouse and South end of 1980’s Building was reviewed. Reviewed and presented detailed coordination plans being developed for Phase 2 MEP’s and structural steel. Suffolk is moving forward with procuring materials for structural steel, curtainwall, drywall and framing for Phase 2. Reviewed plans and progress for addressing 1922 stair issues – Stair C work is underway and other stairs needing work will have work performed this Summer. Stair B work will be in Phase 4 as previously scheduled. J. Boyd: Requested 1922 Building Stair C temporary protection aesthetic protection be addressed. R. Radloff: We will make the temporary protection more presentable. R. Radloff: Reviewed status of MBE/WBE and Workforce participation, see attached presentation. J. Boyd: How does the minority participation levels to date compare to other projects in similar communities to Lowell? R. Radloff: We will look into comparison to similar communities and respond at the next SBC meeting. W. Samaras: Requested that Somerville be included in the comparison. M. Fiato: Asked what assurances we have that the next phase construction work in the 1980’s Building won’t impact education in nearby classrooms.  Office of the City Manager City Hall • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 P: 978.674.4402 • F: 978.970.4007 www.LowellMA.gov Thomas A. Golden, Jr. City Manager R. Radloff: Replied that solid wall barriers with sound attenuation will separate construction areas from occupied areas. Also, the Project Team is conducting Phasing & Enabling calls weekly with administrators to align with school activities. For example, Project Team is aware of MCAS starting 5/17 and to plan accordingly for loud work. School administration also conducted simulated tunnel closures to adjust plan for next year accordingly. M. Fiato: There hasn’t been a Community Meeting on the project for quite a bit of time, when is the next meeting? T. Golden: Holding the next Community Meeting is already in the works and was discussed with the Project Team earlier today. D. Peaslee: In the next phases how will workers be kept separate from students and will workers have badges? R. Radloff: Workers can only enter the construction zone from the street entrance and the construction zone is completely blocked off from the school area occupied by students. As the workers have no access to student occupied areas and can only be in the work zone they will not be badged. Should workers need to access the occupied school zone, Suffolk will make special arrangements with the school and workers will need to sign in with security. W. Samaras: How many classrooms will be taken off-line in the Lord Building (1980’s Bldg.) during the next phases of work? J. Drown: The most number of classrooms will come off-line after the new 5 story building is completed. We have been working with the school departments and have worked classroom space requirements into the phasing plans. Tom Golden: The Team will provide a Phasing Schedule at the next meeting to provide a timeline for construction and facility spaces. J. Dowd: Reviewed the current budget status, see attached. It was explained that the increased budget will be added in once the GMP is finalized with Suffolk.  Office of the City Manager City Hall • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 P: 978.674.4402 • F: 978.970.4007 www.LowellMA.gov Thomas A. Golden, Jr. City Manager M.A. Williams: Project Team is very excited about the Project progress and obtaining a certificate of occupancy for the new gym at the end of July. As the Project is progressing the Project Team would like to have the SBC tour the gymnasium just prior to the next SBC meeting. Project Team will lead tours at 5:00pm and 5:30pm with the SBC Meeting following at 6:00pm at City Hall on June 2nd. Project Team will plan an Open House for the general public around the start of school. T. Golden: The City Council, School Committee and School Building Committee will be invited to the June 2nd tours of the new gymnasium. The tours will not be open to the general public due to liability concerns. E. Kennedy: Inquired about the comparison to Somerville for MBE/WBE. R. Radloff: Confirmed MBE/WBE comparison for next meeting will include Somerville. T. Golden: The three action items from this meeting are: 1. Provide MBE/WBE-Workforce Comparison to school projects in similar communities. 2. Provide a detailed timeline for all Phases at next meeting. 3. Set up a Community Meeting to review the Project. Meeting was adjourned at 6:30pm.