School Building Committee Approves New Costs for Hanover School Expansion

The School Building Committee tonight approved $19,600 in supplemental architectural fees for the Hanover School expansion project. Architect Robert Andrade told the committee that the new fees will cover additional environmental surveys required when PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) were found in a window frame during inspection of the building. PCBs, toxic manmade compounds, were commonly used in many building materials until they were banned in 1979.

PCBs were also found in some of the bricks around the window, but they have not spread beyond that, Andrade said.

“The rest of the school is safe,” insisted committee member Glen Lamontagne. “There is nothing in the air—no dust.”

The supplemental fees approved by the committee will also cover additional services requested by the state, such as inspections of parts of the building not involved in the expansion effort, a recycling and disposal plan, a radon-resistant construction plan, and inspections and sketches of all roofs in the building.

Wilma Petro, Purchasing Officer for the city, said, “I did think this was reasonable. The scope of the work changed considerably since we started.”

The estimated $7.2 million Hanover project will add a new wing to the school to house an all-day kindergarten program for 160 to 180 students. The state, which will foot all but about $1 million of the bill, is scheduled to complete its review of the architectural plans by May 13, Andrade said. Construction is expected to begin this summer and continue through the 2011-2012 school year.

The architects for the dual renovation projects at Platt and Maloney high schools also reported to the committee tonight. Committee Chair Matthew Dominello stressed to them, “It’s very important that we keep this ball rolling.”

Both architectural firms, Fletcher Thompson for Maloney and Antinozzi Associates for Platt, stated that early plans are on schedule. The two firms are working closely together.

“We do recognize the importance of parity between the two schools,” stressed Curt Krushinsky, Senior Associate with Fletcher Thompson.

Probable costs and design plans are scheduled to be presented at the next committee meeting on May 5. Construction for the simultaneous projects won’t begin for another year and will take four to five years to complete.