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Community Corner

Construction Managers Selected for Platt and Maloney Revamps

Architects updated the city's School Building Committee on progress on the two high schools at a Thursday meeting.

Construction managers have been selected for the Platt and Maloney high school renovation projects, city Purchasing Officer Wilma Petro reported at Thursday night's School Building Committee Meeting.

The firm O & G Industries of Torrington has been chosen for Platt and Gilbane Building Company of Glastonbury for Maloney. “Hopefully we’ll have signed the contracts late next week,” Petro said.

Both architectural firms, Fletcher Thompson for Maloney and Antinozzi Associates for Platt, reported that they are well into the schematic design phase.

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Angela Cahill, who is heading up the Maloney makeover for Fletcher Thompson, said plans will be handed off to a cost estimator Friday, and no major changes have been made to the design since the last School Building Committee meeting.

Cahill introduced the chief mechanical engineer for the project, who described several possible options for the main heating/cooling systems, including the use of fuel cells. Generating electricity with fuel cells creates waste heat which could be used to heat the swimming pool, he said. A fuel cell would also eliminate the need for a generator if the building were to be used as a shelter in the event of an emergency, such as the recent tropical storm Irene.

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Paul Antinozzi of Antinozzi Associates said of the plans for Platt, “We have been meeting with staff on a continuous basis to get their feedback.”

One concerned member of the public, David James, who works with the Quinnipiac River Watershed Association, wanted the committee to be aware that a tributary to the Q River runs behind Platt High School. Connecticut Building Standards Guidelines cover protection of local ecosystems, he pointed out. “I just want to make sure this is addressed.”

James stressed that he was in favor of the project. As a father of five, “I’m here to express my support of this investment in the high schools,” he said.

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