New schools likely to open in 2012

It looks like city officials will agree to speed up the construction timeline for the proposed new schools. See the story here.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Build the new schools now?

The timetable for the school construction project may be moved up so the two new schools could open in 2012. It's a decision city leaders will likely make soon.
Here is the story.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Little League's real worry? Dwindling participation

Forestville Little League is more worried about a decline in the number of ballplayers than it is about the future of its fields behind Greene-Hills School.
Laurie Micale, president of Forestville Little League, said Wednesday the league is reaching out to the other two Little Leagues in Bristol because participation is dwindling.
She said the league has about 300 youngsters, but the pinch is especially keen in its major league, with 11 and 12-year-olds.
Instead of having eight teams as it did in the past, the league had only five this year, she said.
And even that was a stretch, Micale added, saying that it could easily have justified only four teams.
Micale said the Forestville Little Leage’s board reached out to the other leagues, particularly McCabe-Waters, to try to develop inter-league games so that players could face a wider range of competition.
She said officials in all the leagues in town are eyeing their numbers to see what’s feasible, which could include dissolving the Forestville Little League.
Though at least one board member of the league blamed worry about the fate of the fields during construction of a new Greene-Hills School, Micale denied that any concerns about the school project played a role in the decision to look into alternatives.
The reality, she said, is that “our numbers are down.”
She said that McCabe-Waters has about 250 players while Edgewood Little League has about 350.
“I really don’t know where this is going to go,” Micale said.
Making any revisions in the three leagues in town would require the approval of Little League Baseball, Micale said.
Don Soucy, the regional director for Little League at the Giametti complex on Mix Street, could not be reached for comment.
The $130 million school project includes a new kindergarten to eighth grade school to replace the aging Greene-Hills Elementary. It also calls for another K-8 school on Matthews Street.
It is slated to be done by 2015. It’s not clear when construction will begin.
School officials said the change shouldn’t impact the use of fields by Forestville’s Little League.
Micale said her biggest worry about the project is that it might make parking difficult.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Forestville Little League fears it might lose out in school project

Worried that construction of a new school next door may create a ball field shortage, the Forestville Little League is pondering the possibility it may cease to exist.
“We haven’t heard anything at all that our fields are getting saved,” said Dale Akerley, a board member of the 55-year-old Little League.
Akerley said that Forestville’s directors are reaching out to McCabe-Waters and Edgewood Little Leagues about the prospect of splitting its territory between the two. It’s even planning games with Edgewood teams to begin tearing down long-standing walls.
But it’s not clear the concern is justified.
“They’re not going to have to shut down,” school Superintendent Philip Streifer said Friday.
Streifer said that two fields used by the league won’t be touched at all. Two others won’t be available during construction of the new kindergarten to eighth grade school, but once it’s done, they’ll still be accessible.
But Akerley said he’s been told the new school, slated to open by 2015, will need a soccer field, girls’ softball field and a baseball diamond configured for older students. It won’t have a field suitable for Little League, he said.
That would leave only the two fields at Peck Park, behind the school, one of which is for the Little League and the other for softball.
There are no plans to reconstruct Peck Park as part of the $130 million project to build two new K-8 schools in town.
Mayor Art Ward said he’s heard nothing about problems that may impact the Forestville Little League.
“Those concerns have never been brought to my attention,” he said. “I was under the impression that Little League was going to be accommodated very well.”
Ward said that if the project was going to make it hard on the league, officials would address it.
“We aren’t sure what is going on,” Akerley said.
Streifer said he believes the Forestville School Building Committee has been working with the league all along.
He said there was a point earlier in the planning process where officials thought they might have to take the league’s fields, but that was shelved at least a year ago. If it had gone forward, he said, the plan included buying an alternative site for the Forestville Little League to use.
More than 300 children play in the Forestville Little League, which has been around since 1954. In 1976, its all-star team made it to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Penn.
The school project includes another K-8 building on Chippens Hill. The existing Greene-Hills School on Pine Street would be torn down to make way for the new building.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Councilors OK school construction managers

City councilors agreed unanimously Tuesday to spent more than $4 million to hire construction managers for each of the new schools proposed to house half of Bristol’s elementary and middle school students.
The Torrington-based O&G Industries is slated to collect $2.15 million to oversee the work on the Forestville school project on Pine Street.
The West Bristol project off Matthews Street would be overseen by the Rhode Island-based Gilbane Building Co. for $2.31 million.
Each of the firms will be responsible for keeping an eye on the $130 million project to build two kindergarten to eighth grade schools. They are to advise the building committees set up to handle the construction of each school.
School Superintendent Philip Streifer said it is possible to hire construction managers that guarantee that the price of projects won’t go higher than anticipated, but that costs substantially extra up front.
Since the current schedule calls for finishing the new schools in 2015, he said, it’s almost impossible to know for sure what they’ll cost so no firm will lightly or cheaply offer any guarantees.
But there is a chance the timetable will be moved up so that major construction would begin in 2011 instead of 2013. Officials have discussed the possibility in hopes of getting lower overall prices while economic times are tough.
If the city opts to change the schedule, the construction managers would earn about $200,000 less between them.
Gilbane is part of a privately held company that’s been in business since 1873. It prides itself in advising clients on how to lower energy costs and holding down carbon emissions.
O&G has been around since 1923. It touts its experience and expertise in the field.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

City hires two architects to design a pair of new schools

More than six months after school building committees picked architects to design two new schools, city councilors have endorsed the picks.

Though the contracts won’t be signed until the city completes the purchase of property on Matthews Street eyed for one of the 900-student schools, officials expect the deal to go through within a couple of weeks.

Councilors agreed to hire the Hartford firm of Tai Soo Kim, Partners and Architects for $2.14 million to draw up the detailed plans necessary to move ahead with the school slated for construction on the former Crowley dealership site on Pine Street.

The Massachusetts-based Drummey Rosane Anderson, Inc. was tapped for the West Bristol school. It will earn $1.8 million for its work.

Superintendent Philip Streifer said the school building panels each thought it best to hire different firms for the two projects, on the assumption that it would be best to have a firm focused on a single school.

City Councilor Mike Rimcoski, who serves on the Forestville School Building Committee, was the only councilor to vote against either architect.

Rimcoski renewed his plea for colleagues to award the Forestville contract to DRA as well because it would cost taxpayers $350,000 less.

With the economy struggling and a new fiscal year about to begin, he said, “I don’t think we’re starting out right by blowing through $350,000” for no good reason.

Ken Cockayne, the only other Republican councilor, said he would normally agree with Rimcoski but in this case, he said, councilors should take the advice of the committee members who actually slogged through the many applications from different firms.

Councilor Kevin McCauley said the Crowley site for the Forestville school offers a unique challenge because Greene-Hills School and Peck Park are next door and must continue operating during the construction period. That takes expertise, he said, that Tai Soo Kim offers.

Rimcoski said he plans to use the council’s votes against hiring DRA for both projects to his advantage during the municipal election campaign this year.

DRA was not the low bidder on the West Bristol site either, officials said, so they’re not sure why Rimcoski favored it there.

 Deadline waived

With a push from state Rep. Frank Nicastro, a Bristol Democrat, the state Department of Education has told city officials that the June 2010 deadline for beginning construction on the new schools can be waived.

Nicastro said the city merely has to ask for the waiver and it will get it.

Superintendent Philip Streifer said the extra time will help.

“With all these pieces falling together, we’ll be in very good shape,” Streifer said.

 

About the school project
Cost: $132 million
Two new K-8 schools sought
Closing:  Memorial Boulevard Middle School and Greens-Hills, O’Connell and Bingham elementary schools.
Projected completion

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

City to buy second school site

City councilors voted unanimously late last night to buy about 15.5 acres on Matthews Street for $50,000 an acre, or about $775,000 total. Nobody was too sure of the exact number yet.
The site would be used for one of two proposed 900-student schools that would house kindergarten to eighth grade classes.
The price for the land is exactly what the appraisers said it was worth, city officials said.
"We're right on that number," said Dale Clift, the city attorney.
Mayor Art Ward said he "refused to pay anything more than the appraised value" for the site near the corner of Matthews and Clark Avenue.
The other proposed school site, on the former Crowley dealership on Pine Street, will be in city hands soon. Clift said the closing is set for Monday.
With a deal to buy the 851 Matthews St. lot -- which doesn't include the historic house at the corner and 1.5 acres of the 17-acre lot -- the city will soon have both school sites in its possession.
Now the question becomes whether it can finish the design work and begin construction quickly enough to meet state rules, which still mandate the project be underway 13 months from now. At this point, the city doesn't even have architects or a construction manager hired to do the jobs.
With the state picking up 73.9 percent of the expected $132 million price tag for the projects, it's crucial that Bristol gets a green light to begin the work late, officials said. Whether that permission will be given, though, is unknown.
The city is also looking to buy a 12-acre lot to the east of the school site that would mostly remain as open space, but could be used for playing fields or other needs later.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

New schools may be built sooner rather than later

Hoping to save money on construction costs, officials are eyeing a faster timetable for completion of two new schools in Bristol. But it’s an idea that may not pass muster with the mayor.

Because contractors are desperate for work, officials said, the price tag for public buildings has come down sharply in recent months, opening the door to potential savings by speeding up the $132 million project to construct two kindergarten to eighth grade buildings.

“We think it’s appropriate to try to take advantage of that,” said John Smith, a Board of Finance member who serves on the West Bristol School Building Committee.

Current plans call for finishing the new schools in 2015, with the bulk of the construction work carried out in the last couple of years before the doors open. That timetable was set to push off costs for as long as possible.

Mayor Art Ward said he doubts the money will be available to shorten the construction schedule.

“They need to be mindful of the economic conditions,” Ward said. “It’s time for heed rather than haste.”

William Smyth, the acting assistant superintendent for business, said that the weak economy has driven down the cost of construction.

“It’s a good opportunity for the city to realize savings,” Smyth said.

Roger Rousseau, the city’s purchasing agent, said there is an opportunity “to take advantage” of the lower prices to help out taxpayers who will foot the bill.

Smith said that bids on municipal projects around the state are coming in at least 8 to 15 percent lower than expected in recent weeks because of the intense competition for the work from firms that are struggling to find business

“The city’s going to save some money” if it acts more quickly to do the bulk of the project, Smith said.

Rousseau said the more the city can do soon, the more it will help hold down costs in the long-term.

At best, the city could not start most of the construction until 2011 – and even that is problematic given the difficulty Bristol has had in securing both locations for the schools.

It has cut a deal for the former Crowley property on Pine Street to house one of the buildings, but officials are still negotiating with property owners for the other parcel eyed for a school on Matthews Street.

The state, which would pay 73.9 percent of the tab, has told the city it has to start the work by June 2010 or it could lose the state aid. Officials are angling for an extension,

Both the Forestville and West Bristol school building committees threw out construction manager bids based on the existing timetable. Members said the positions would be bid again with the tighter construction schedule.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Crowley deal almost at hand as dealership building comes down

The former Crowley auto dealership on Pine Street lay in rubble Wednesday, torn apart by two massive cranes that smashed walls, crushed bricks and ground cinderblocks into dust.
Just a bit of a back wall remained standing, painted gray on one side, blue on the other, with a green stripe.
City officials said that razing the structure was the final step toward completion of a $2.25 million deal for taxpayers to buy the lot for one of two new schools Bristol hopes to open by 2015.
The sale agreement, which calls for Crowley to deliver a clean site, should be signed next week, according to city Councilor Mike Rimcoski, who serves on the Forestville School Building Committee.
“This thing has dragged on way too long,” Rimcoski said.
Mayor Art Ward said that Crowley had to demolish the former dealership before the city could take ownership of the land.
The city is pushing the $132 million plan to create two new kindergarten to eighth grade schools that would replace four older buildings. One would sit next door to the site of the existing Greene-Hills School, which would be knocked down once the new building is erected beside it.
The other school site, on the corner of Matthews Street and Clark Avenue, is likely to be purchased soon as well, officials said.
The state would pick up 74 percent of the purchase price for each site as long as the overall project isn’t derailed for failing to come in on time.
Unless Bristol can get exemption from existing rules, the city must have a construction contract in hand by June 13, 2010 in order to preserve the reimbursement rate for the project as a whole.
When the two new schools open, about half of the city’s students will attend K-8 schools and the rest will continue to follow the existing elementary to middle school track.
The Forestville school panel plans to recommend the hiring of a construction manager at a special meeting Monday, Rimcoski said.

Update on Thursday morning:

Dale Clift, the city attorney, told me this morning the deal with Crowley should be wrapped up within a week.

"It took awhile to hammer out the details," Clift said, because the city took a "super cautious" stance.

One complicating issue is the the "Crowley dealership" consisted of four parcels, each owned by some business entity controlled by Ken Crowley. It's harder to work everything out for four pieces of land than one.

In any case, the city has signed the contract. Crowley will soon. Then that property will be in the city's hands.

As for the West Bristol school site, Clift said that officials and the property owners are still negotiating about the price. That's the hangup there, but with Crowley out of the way, officials will focus on resolving it as soon as possible.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

School sites may be purchased soon

The purchase of two sites chosen for new schools may be completed soon.

School officials said that deals to buy land for the proposed 900-student schools in Forestville and on Chippens Hill are nearly resolved.

“Hopefully the sun will shine on this issue,” said school Superintendent Philip Streifer.

The city is pushing the $130 million plan to create two new kindergarten to eighth grade schools that would replace four older buildings. The project is slated for completion in 2015.

Tom O’Brien, a Board of Education member, said the city is likely to finish the purchase of the former Crowley auto dealership next week. The Pine Street site is next door to Greene-Hills School, one of the four targeted for closure.

O’Brien said there is only one issue to resolve before the $2.25 million deal can be completed.

The other school site, on the corner of Matthews Street and Clark Avenue, should also be in the city’s hands soon, officials said.

Chris Wilson, who serves on the West Bristol School Building Committee, said it’s in nearly the same place as the Forestville committee that includes O’Brien.

The West Bristol site’s price tag isn’t as clear, but  records submitted to the City Council last fall showed preliminary estimate that the 27 acres would cost $1.7 million.

The state would pick up 74 percent of the tab as long as the project isn’t derailed for failing to come in on time.

There is a June 2010 deadline for beginning construction that almost certainly won’t be met. The city is eyeing a possible extension to give it another year to get started

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Planners say no to proposed expansion of Matthews Street school site

In an unexpected move, the city's Planning Commission unanimously rejected a proposal this week for the city to buy one of two Matthews Street houses adjoining the parcel where it plans to put a new 900-student school.

School officials are seeking to buy the house at 735 Matthews St. and knock it down as part of the proposed $130 million plan to construct two new kindergarten to eighth grade schools by 2015.

Since the school on Matthews Street wouldn't necessarily use the slightly less than an acre lot in its design -- leaving most or all of it as meadow or perhaps someday ball fields -- the planners said it made more sense to leave it in private hands.

On the other hand, the board agreed 3-2 to support the purchase of the Starlite Market beside Greene-Hills School for inclusion in the Forestville school project.

They said the $350,000 price tag was worth it to beautify the new school site and provide more room for buses and cars.

The planning rejection of the idea of buying the house on Matthews Street -- buying about 27 acres beside it already has its approval as well as the City Council's -- doesn't necessarily derail the idea. Councilors can overrule it as long as they can muster five votes for the purchase.

But planners said they didn't see the rationale for spending city tax dollars to create a meadow where a house now stands, particularly in such tough economic times.

City Planner Alan Weiner said Friday that because the lot wouldn’t qualify for state reimbursement of almost 74 percent of the cost, the city would wind up paying for the house and its demolition in order to create a little extra buffer for the school.

He said planners believed that buying the house simply wasn’t worth it.

Officials had also eyed the purchase of another house, at 747 Matthews St., but have agreed to let it remain in private hands. Planners didn’t weigh in on that one.

It's likely the issue will be taken up by councilors at their next regular meeting, on Tuesday, March 10.
The Board of Education plans to build two new schools and to close four aging ones: Memorial Boulevard Middle School and three primary schools – O’Connell, Bingham and Greene-Hills.

The other proposed site is next door to Greene-Hills School on Pine Street.

The Starlite Market purchase would be reimbursed by the state as part of the project there.

Note: This updates an earlier blog post, since removed, that erred about the property rejected by planners. I'm sorry for the previous mistake.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Land purchase draws near for Matthews Street school site

The city will likely complete the purchase of a 17-acre proposed school site on Matthews Street soon.

There is “a good chance” the deal will be finished by late March, said Steven DeVaux, the assistant school superintendent for business.

The city is also moving forward quickly to buy a neighboring 12-acre parcel, for which DeVaux said “there is no impediment” blocking negotiations.

While officials aren’t talking about the price tag, records submitted to the City Council last fall showed preliminary estimates of the two sites together costing about $1.7 million. The state would pick up 74 percent of the tab as long as the project isn’t derailed.

The Board of Education plans to construct two new 900-student schools, one on Matthews Street and the other beside the existing Greene-Hills School on Pine Street. They would serve students from kindergarten through eighth grade.

It is unclear where negotiations stand for the Pine Street site – the former Crowley car dealership – but officials are still pursuing it.

Another element that could still pose a problem is that the state is required to begin construction by June 2010 or lose the state reimbursement that makes the project possible.

Officials are trying to get a year’s delay so they don’t have to rush architects who haven’t yet been hired and potentially wind up with buildings that could have been better if there had been more time to fine-tune designs.

The West Bristol School Building Committee is preparing to interview six construction management firms in order to recommend hiring one to oversee the Matthews Street project.

The city plans to hire construction managers for both sites, hoping that experts on site can ensure the work is done as cheaply and as well as possible.

Michael Audette, chairman of the West Bristol school committee, said that reading through the 15 proposals submitted by construction management firms was enlightening for him.

Since it’s a different field from education, “I learned a lot” said Audette, the principal of O’Connell School, one of four older schools slated to close when the new ones open.

The project is slated for completion in 2015. It isn’t yet known whether the year’s delay in starting construction, if granted, would push back the opening of the new schools.

When the land purchases are finished, committee members said, they’ll feel relief.

“I’ll be real happy when we have that done,” Audette said.

Next West Bristol school panel meeting

Monday, March 23 at 6:30 p.m. in Room 36 at the Board of Education.

Next Forestville school panel meeting

Thursday, Feb. 26 at 3 p.ml. in Room 36 at the Board of Education.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Paper road leads to legal complexities for proposed school site

One of the holdups in purchasing the Matthews Street property eyed for one of two proposed new schools is the discovery of an old deed that shows Clark Avenue cutting across a portion of it.
The street no longer crosses the plot, but that doesn’t change the legal right of way that shows a swath of roadway there.
City Attorney Dale Clift said the problem is that the city never formally abandoned the section of the street that cuts through the land.
That’s an issue that has to be hammered out before the city can finish the purchase of the property, Clift said.
A public hearing is slated for Thursday, Feb. 19 at City Hall to review the plan to abandon the right of way, which will need the blessing of the City Council.
Officials admit it’s sort of odd to require the city to abandon its claim on the right of way so that the city itself can go forward with the land buy.
But the reason is that the roadway goes through a portion of the lot at the corner of Matthews Street and Clark Avenue that will remain in private hands once the deal is complete.
The homeowner at the corner wants to stay put and keep 1.5 acres around the historic house, officials said.
Without taking care of the abandoned road issue, said city Councilor Mike Rimcoski, “We’re not ready to move ahead.”
Given all the legal complexities of the deals to buy the Matthews Street and former Crowley Auto dealership in Forestville, Mayor Art Ward said city leaders “should be awarded master’s degrees when we’re done with this.”
The city plans to build two 900-student schools by 2015, with the state picking up 74 percent of the tab. They would house students from kindergarten to eighth grade.
The purchase of the Crowley land on Pine Street is also on hold, officials said, as legal issues are dealt with.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Streifer still worried school plan could be in jeopardy

Just in from school Superintendent Philip Streifer:

To: Bristol Board of Education
Bristol City Council
Bristol Board of Finance

From: Philip A. Streifer, Ph.D., Superintendent of Schools

Re: Building Project Rejoinder

Date: January 16, 2009

I appreciate Mr. Nicastro’s statement as reported in the Bristol Press Blog but I stand by what I said at the Council Meeting on January 13, 2009. Mr. Nicastro reports having spoken with the state education department who of course would make the statement that the project is on target as long as we begin construction by June 2010. This is consistent with our earlier statements but misses the point I made this week. I never questioned the intent of the state education department; they are working off of current law – which could be changed in light of the state’s budget problems. At the Council meeting this week Mr. Nicastro said he would set up a meeting with the legislators on the various finance committees which has yet to happen. Once I hear from them that this project is safe, I will back off my warnings. But from my perspective, this project is still in jeopardy because the legislature, once in session, could pull funding for any project that has yet to make significant progress. Further, we are truly running out of time to complete everything that needs to occur by June 13, 2010 as Scotty, Steve and I have been stating form months now.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Nicastro: State doesn't mind school delay... for now

State educational officials have told a city lawmaker that funding for Bristol’s $130 million school project won’t be yanked unless it fails to begin construction of the two new schools by June 2010, said state Rep. Frank Nicastro, a Bristol Democrat.
“If we don’t hire the architects this week or this month, they’re not going to take our funding away,” said Nicastro, who represents the 79th District and also serves on the City Council.
City councilors this week refused to hire architects for the proposed kindergarten to eighth grade schools until the city manages to buy the land sought for the new buildings. Lawyers have warned of potential hitches that could threaten to unravel the entire deal.
School Superintendent Philip Streifer told councilors that he’s worried a financially strapped state will pull the plug on projects that aren’t moving ahead fast enough. He urged them to hire at least one architect to begin designing the school so the city would be able to show progress.
But Nicastro said Thursday that he spoke with state educational officials in charge of new buildings and found they are not concerned about what the city is doing now.
“They don’t want us sitting back and doing nothing,” Nicastro said, but as long as the project’s in motion and construction gets underway on time, the 73.9 percent state reimbursement for the cost won’t change.
Mayor Art Ward said Thursday that city leaders had no choice except to protect taxpayers from the potential of getting stuck for architect bills for a project that might still fall through.
Ward said that he couldn’t justify risking hundreds of thousands of dollars until he’s sure that the two land buys will come through.
At this point, lawyers are still going over details for both the Crowley site on Pine Street and a 17-acre lot off Matthews Street where officials plan to construct the 900-student schools.
Nicastro said that state officials told him there was “absolutely not” a chance the city would lose the funding for the entire project by delaying the hiring of two architects for a total of $3.8 million.
Though taxpayers would only have been on the hook for the work the architects had actually done if the land deals fall through in the next month or two, Ward said there was no reason to take the chance.
What isn’t clear is how long the land buys may still take and how quickly the city can get architects on board after that. At some point, the delay will make it nearly impossible for the necessary work to be finished in time to begin the projects by the June 12, 2010 deadline.
Streifer said last fall that the purchases had to be done by the new year. Now it’s clear that at least may not be done until March.
The complication on the Matthews Street site is the discovery that an abandoned section of Clark Avenue runs through a piece of the parcel. It can’t be sold until the city formally gives up the right to the old road right of way, which can’t take place until after a Feb. 19 hearing on the issue.
At the Pine Street site beside Greene-Hills School, there are environmental concerns and a dispute about how much demolition must occur before the city takes possession, attorneys said.
With so many uncertainties, Nicastro said, “I’m glad we did what we did because it was the right thing to do.”
Nicastro said he’s glad that the council, on a 5-2 vote, supported his effort to delay the architect hiring so that “we didn’t rush into something that we might be sorry for.”
“We’ll vote to approve all of this when the right time comes,” Nicastro said. “It wasn’t that we were trying to stall. It was that we couldn’t get the answers we needed to get.”
The Board of Education plans to close Memorial Boulevard Middle School and three older elementary schools in favor of two K-8 schools.
If the project falls through, educators warn they will need to do nearly $100 million worth of renovations to existing schools to make them modern enough to use in the days ahead.

About the school project
Cost: $130 million
Two new K-8 schools sought
Closing: Memorial Boulevard Middle School and Greens-Hills, O’Connell and Bingham elementary schools.
Projected completion: 2015

Update on Friday: Please see Streifer's response to this piece here.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

School project in jeopardy

Risking state rejection of the entire $130 million plan to build two new schools, city councilors refused Tuesday to approve the hiring of architects for the proposed schools until lawyers can work the purchase of the land for them.
“There are too many unanswered questions,” said city Councilor Frank Nicastro, who pushed for the delay.
The city is having a tough time working out the details of buying the two sites chosen for the proposed kindergarten to eighth grade schools: the former Crowley dealership on Pine Street and a field on Matthews Street.
Since the city typically doesn’t hire architects to work on projects until it owns the land involved, officials said they were wary of taking a chance they’d pay for design bills on buildings that could never be constructed.
But school Superintendent Philip Streifer said that he’s worried that unless the city takes a solid step forward on the project – buying the land or hiring the architect – the state might pull the plug in its quest to save money.
“We have to spend some bucks,” Streifer said. “Right now, as far as the state is concerned, we do not have a project.”
Nicastro said he will arrange soon for a meeting with state education officials to make sure Bristol won’t lose out.
Mayor Art Ward said that if there’s even a hint that the projects could be killed if architects aren’t hired, he’ll call a special council session immediately.
At the root of the problem is the city’s uncertainty that the $2.25 million deal for the Crowley project will go through.
Clift said there are environmental issues that lawyers are trying to work out.
“The devil is in the details,” said Dale Clift, the city attorney. He said there are “a lot of issues” to negotiate before the paperwork can be signed.
Clift said it would be unusual to hire an architect for $2.14 million to draw up the plans for the new Greene-Hills School before the land is bought.
There are concerns with the Matthews Street property, too, but they appear to less serious. The architect there will cost $1.78 million, if hired.
If the city hired the architects and then the land deals fell through, taxpayers would only be on the hook for work the architects actually did up to that point, probably less than $200,000.
Councilors said, though, they didn’t want to take that risk.
Councilor Cliff Block said the city could hire only the West Bristol school’s architect, since that’s a little cheaper, so that it would have something to show the state.
But only city Councilor Kevin McCauley agreed with him. The rest voted for delay.
Streifer said that it “obviously makes sense” to wait, but there is a chance it will mean that Bristol’s school project as a whole is tossed out if politicians kill any pending projects that aren’t moving forward.
“This is a tough situation,” Streifer said.
City Councilor Mike Rimcoski said the city is “not ready to move ahead” until it buys the land.
“I want to make sure we don’t get ourselves in a jam,” Nicastro said.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

School projects may be overseen by construction managers

Reporter Jackie Majerus wrote this story:

Having selected the architects for the two new K-8 schools, committee members for the schools planned for Forestville and the West End will next be hiring construction managers for the projects.

Steven DeVaux, the school district's business manager, said hiring a construction manager for each project "would be prudent."

It's like an "insurance policy," DeVaux said, for continuity and quality, because it means having someone who is paying close attention to the project. The construction manager would help organize, maintain and modify the budget, said DeVaux, create a timeline and coordinate what contractors are doing.

"I would recommend it," DeVaux said.

At a recent meeting, school building committee members agreed to send their recommendations for architects to city councilors for approval, and to have city Purchasing Agent Roger Rousseau solicit bids for a construction manager.

City councilors will consider architect selection at their meeting Tuesday.

The West Bristol committee selected the Windsor architectural firm of Drummey Rosane Anderson, Inc. to design the new school on Matthews Street.

In Forestville, the committee picked Tai Soo Kim Partners, LLC of Hartford to design the new Pine Street school.

Rousseau said hiring a construction manager would be advantageous because the district would have someone looking at "the big picture."

The architect will monitor work, Rousseau said, but not closely. A clerk of the works would keep a daily record of the project, he said, but a construction manager would do much more.

"They give you better methods to address the construction," said Rousseau.

In the end, the city could save money, according to Rousseau, because a construction manager could help prevent a lot of costly change orders.

Peter Roberge, a member of the Forestville school building committee, said a construction manager would keep contractors on their toes.

"With a construction manager, you probably would save money," said Roberge. "They know what to look for." 

A construction manager is paid either as a fixed fee or on an hourly basis, said Rousseau, and costs about 2 to 3 percent of the construction cost, which he said in this case would be between $750,000 and $1 million.

A clerk of the works would cost about $90,000, said DeVaux.

Mike Audette, principal of O'Connell School and the chairman of the West Bristol school building committee, said a construction manager would cost more than a clerk but end up saving even more.

DeVaux said one drawback with a clerk of the works is that the project relies on a single individual.

Rousseau said the city has hired a clerk of the works many times, sometimes with great success. Other times, he said, there were problems.

"He primarily becomes your eyes and ears, but he doesn't become your brain," said Rousseau. "I think it's beneficial to have a construction manager."

If the committee opts not to hire a construction manager, Rousseau said, it will be their job to keep track of the project.

DeVaux said if the school projects are ready to go, there is an "outside chance" that they could get federal funding under new governmental initiatives expected from President-elect Barack Obama.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Finance board backs Crowley site purchase

Clearing the way for the purchase of the former Crowley dealership on Pine Street, the Board of Finance gave its unanimous backing Tuesday to shelling out $2.25 million for the proposed school site.

Mayor Art Ward said the price tag has been “agreed on by all” and includes a commitment from Crowley to take care of any environmental problems that may exist.

School Superintendent Philip Streifer said the city would be paying the fair market value of the property, determined by two appraisals. He said the former dealership will be demolished and carted away before the city takes possession of it.

“That’s his responsibility,” Streifer said.

The Pine Street parcel would be used for one of two planned 900-student schools the city aims to open by 2015. It would house students from kindergarten to eighth grade.

The other site eyed by the city is on Matthews Street, near the intersection of Clark Avenue on the west side of Bristol. Officials aim to complete its purchase within weeks.

The Crowley site was picked because it is next door to Greene-Hills School, one of three older elementary schools the city intends to close as part of the $132 million project.

City councilors backed the purchase recently without dissent. The approval of finance commissioners removes the last obvious potential stumbling block.

The city may also buy a small market at the corner of Pine and Daley streets as part of the Crowley site project.

In addition to Greene-Hills, the school board plans to close Memorial Boulevard Middle School and two more primary schools: Bingham and O’Connell.

Architects will have about a year to complete blueprints, which will be followed by a state review. The city must have a construction contract in hand by June 13, 2010 in order to preserve a 73.9 percent reimbursement rate for the project as a whole.

Construction has to start in 2010, but Streifer has said it can drag on until 2015 if that’s necessary to make the costs manageable.

When the new school is finished next door to Greene-Hills, the older school would be demolished, officials have said.

When the two new schools open, about half of the city’s students will attend K-8 schools and the rest will continue to follow the existing elementary to middle school track.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Council unanimously backs Crowley site purchase

City councilors gave their unanimous blessing Monday to buy the former Crowley dealership on Pine Street for $2.25 million in order to build a new school there.

The council did not take action on a proposal to buy land on Matthews Street for a second school, but officials said they expect to complete negotiations for the parcels there in the next two weeks.

Superintendent Philip Streifer said he expects to finish the deal “very, very quickly” in order to keep to a tight timetable for completing the land acquisition.

The city aims to build two new kindergarten to eighth grade schools – each with 900 students – sometime after June 2010. If money is scarce, the $132 million project may not be finished until 2015, officials have said.

Councilors said they had no problem approving the purchase of the Crowley site, which includes several adjoining parcels, in order to build one of the new schools next door to the existing Greene-Hills School, one of three elementary schools targeted for closure under the plan.

The city may also buy a small market at the corner of Pine and Daley streets as part of the project.

There doesn’t appear to be any opposition among councilors to buying two large lots and several smaller ones on Matthews Street, near Clark Avenue, to provide space for a second school.

Streifer said that the negotiations have to be completed soon.

“The clock is ticking with getting the deals done,” Streifer said.

Under a Board of Education plan, four older schools will be closed when the new ones are finished – Memorial Boulevard Middle School and three primary schools: Greene-Hills, Bingham and O’Connell.

Architects will have about a year to complete blueprints, which will be followed by a state review. The city must have a construction contract in hand by June 13, 2010 in order to preserve a 73.9 percent reimbursement rate for the project as a whole.

One hitch that developed Monday is that councilors expressed concern about former city attorney Edward Krawiecki, Jr’s representation of several of the property owners on Matthews Street.

City Councilor Frank Nicastro asked if that could pose a conflict of interest that might rebound to hurt the city in some way.

“There does appear to be an issue,” said Dale Clift, the city attorney.

Richard Lacey, a city lawyer, said that Krawiecki has a conflict if the legal work he is doing now as a private attorney is ‘”substantially related” to work he did as a municipal lawyer.

Lacey said the council could declare that it is not concerned or it could ask for an opinion from the Connecticut Bar Association or it could simply do nothing.

“The prudent thing to do” would be to ask for the opinion, said city Councilor Craig Minor.

But Streifer suggested that doing so might create a delay. The superintendent also said that there isn’t much to negotiate, since the city is set to pay the highest appraisal value for the relevant properties anyway. It can’t pay more than that unless ordered by a court later.

Clift said his office will prepare a memorandum by week’s end detailing the issue involved with Krawiecki’s representation of the property owners.

Nicastro said that Krawiecki is “a good attorney,” but he wants to make sure taxpayers are protected.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Rimcoski: pick the cheaper architects for school project

A city councilor is upset that officials plan to hire the more costly of two architectural firms vying to draw up blueprints for the proposed 900-student school on Pine Street.

The Forestville School Building Committee agreed recently  to spend an extra $365,000 to hire a Hartford firm rather than the Massachusetts-based Drummey Rosane Anderson, Inc. that prepared the initial plans for the $132 million project to construct two kindergarten to eighth grade schools.

“It’s upsetting,” said city Councilor Mike Rimcoski, who called it a blow to taxpayers to shell out more than necessary for the project.

The school panel is seeking the city’s green light to hire Tai Soo Kim, Partners and Architects of Hartford for $2.14 million to draw up the detailed plans necessary to move ahead with the school slated for construction on the former Crowley dealership site.

It bypassed DRA, the runner-up in the architectural competition, which proposed doing the work for $1.785 million, Rimcoski said.

Superintendent Philip Streifer said that the architects need to finish their work in a year so the city can get the state’s blessing on the blueprints in time to have a construction contract signed by June 13, 2010.

He said the timetable is extremely tight, but it can be done.

Rimcoski said that city councilors are ready to ask the school panel to take another look at the architect selection and either change the pick or justify spending more.

“We’re not talking about peanuts. We’re talking about an 18 percent difference,” Rimcoski said.

Rimcoski said that DRA should be able to get off to a faster start, too, because of its familiarity with the project.

The veteran GOP councilor said that he has no personal stake in the decision.

“I wouldn’t know DRA if they ran over me with a truck,” Rimcoski said.

Rimcoski said he just wants taxpayers to get the possible deal.

City councilors plan to meet with both school building committees at 6 p.m., Monday, Nov. 17 to go over the projects and perhaps give final approval to the proposed Matthews Street site for the second school.

Educators hope to build the two new schools by 2015 and to shutter four older buildings – Memorial Boulevard Middle School and three elementary schools: Bingham, O’Connell and Greene-Hills.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com