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North Adams School Project on Track, Under Budget
By Tammy Daniels, iBerkshires Staff
09:21AM / Tuesday, September 16, 2014
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The Colegrove Park Elementary School project is so far on time and nearly $3 million under budget.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Colegrove Park Elementary School project is so far on track and under budget.

"We're $2.8 million under budget, that's taking into consideration our contingency budget also," Kenneth J. Guyette, senior project manager at Strategic Building Solutions, owner's project manager, told the School Building Committee on Monday.

"The building is essentially gutted so we can see where there would be a lot of unforeseen in the building right now."

Mayor Richard Alcombright said any surprises would likely be in the roof.

"If there's anything under the roof, that hasn't been foreseen," he said. "But then that's been poked, prodded and everything else six ways to Sunday ...

"But you never know."

In other business, Dorrie Brooks of Margo Jones Architects said the historical preservation continues with repairs to the school's medallions. A number of them have been removed for conservation but the Hoosac Tunnel one is being restored in place.

The demolition has also uncovered the original brick walls and their arches, which would be in the technology classrooms.

"They would be on the inside of those classrooms," said Brooks. "Those rooms have that potential to have that exciting ... that's the kind of subjective choice we're having."

There was also discussion of whether and how to salvage bricks uncovered by site work, many marked from the old North Adams Brick Co.

Brooks said the hard-fired bricks in the ventilation tunnels are in good shape. "The mortar dissolved, and we have lovely bricks," she said.

Historical Commission Chairwoman Justyna Carlson said she would check how many are archived. The mayor suggested they could be used in Colegrove Park, perhaps for walkways. They could be dug up with the payloader and taken to the city yard until needed.

Alcombright also reported that an agreement had been made with Carver Family Dentistry for an easement to build a new retaining wall.

He estimated the total cost at no more than $7,500, including purchasing the easement and paying all legal costs for the transfer.

The price would be $6,000, on par with the percentage of the property, which would also be reassessed to reflect the reduction. Employees will get a parking pass for the Center Street parking lot during construction.

The mayor expected the agreement to be signed Tuesday and work to begin soon afterward. The construction should be completed within three to four weeks.

City officials and press will get chance to see the work at the school close up in early October, once the first floor slab is poured and dried.

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