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This brief eNewsletter provides the most recent updates for
the Hudson City School District Capital Project. It will be released roughly every two weeks, although this is dependent on new information becoming available.

Capital Project Update

August 25, 2016




The Capital Project is in the detail and design phase, which includes the submission of a preliminary review application to the New York State Education Department (NYSED) for review and approval. (In addition to following strict education, environmental and other regulatory construction standards and laws, all public school building projects in New York must be approved by NYSED before construction begins.)
 
This newsletter also addresses the Hudson CSD Board of Education’s decision regarding track design and athletic field surfacing.
 
Remember you can submit your questions/comments about any aspect of the Capital Project using this form.




Grade reorganization & existing building renovation

The first phase of the Capital Project, which includes relocating Grade 6 to the Junior High School (JHS), is under way. In addition to new lockers being installed in August, there were minor classroom and storage renovations such as painting and the creation of new office spaces for support services. Some support services, such as community and after school program spaces, were relocated to other parts of the campus. Principal Derek Reardon, Grade 6 teachers and the rest of the JHS staff are looking forward to the start of the new school year with Grades 6-8 under the same roof.
 
Renovations to the existing M.C. Smith Intermediate School (MCSIS) for the 2nd grade wing are set to begin this September and will continue for several months, with as little disruption to the school day as possible. The Grade 2 classrooms will be located on the first floor in the west wing of the existing building. They will have carpets removed, new vinyl composition tile (VCT) flooring installed and fresh paint applied to the walls. There will also be lighting upgrades, the folding walls will be removed, and new cubbies and storage cabinets will be installed. Grade 2 is expected to move to MCSIS for the opening of the 2017-18 school year.



Phase I
 
New track & athletic field surfacing
 
At their meeting on July 25, 2016, the Board of Education unanimously resolved to move forward with the athletic design for an 8-lane track with artificial turf field. The results of the previously mentioned EPA study are anticipated to be released this winter, at which time the Board will discuss the results of the study to decide if an alternative infill to crumb rubber (e.g., organic mix, cork) is necessary. Read more about the ongoing EPA study here. 
 
After weighing the options, the Board elected to use artificial turf primarily because of cost and wear considerations: the artificial turf is cheaper to install, lasts longer (12 years compared to 10 years for natural turf), requires less maintenance, and is easier and less costly to replace. This also allows the Board to maintain the option of switching to natural turf in the future.
 
The District is actively seeking additional funding from grants and foundations to cover the additional costs of constructing an 8-lane track (approximately $300,000 more than a 6-lane design), which will include a steeplechase area and additional high/long jump pits in order to host larger meets. Construction of the new track and field facility is estimated to begin in April or May of 2017, and it should be ready to use in the fall of 2017.
 
Again, we appreciate everyone who attended the public forum on July 6, 2016 to discuss track and field designs. The Hudson City School District and Board of Education are committed to providing a suitable, safe athletic facility for our students and community.

 

Mechanical & energy conservation/management upgrades

This phase of the project encompasses “under-roof” work, such as the replacement of chiller units at the Junior/Senior High School, internal and external lighting upgrades to LED lighting, a new pool ventilation system, energy management system upgrades, as well as upgrades to rooftop air handlers in order to improve efficiency.
 
The appropriate building detail design paperwork will be ready to file with the NYS Education Department in November 2016. Pending approval, a new chiller unit is set to be installed in the fall of 2017 or spring of 2018. Due to the time it takes for applications to be reviewed and processed, the current chiller unit will likely remain in place for one more summer. The replacement will be done and the noise made by the current chiller unit will be gone by the summer of 2018.  



Phase II
 
New construction at M.C. Smith Intermediate School

Closing John L. Edwards Primary School (JLE) and moving the pre-K through 2nd grade students currently at JLE is the bulk of the Capital Project approved by voters in February of 2016. As mentioned above, the 2nd grade classrooms will be located in a renovated wing of the existing M.C. Smith Intermediate School (MCSIS) building. The pre-K, kindergarten, and 1st grade classrooms (PK-1), as well as a new gym, will be located in a new, adjoining wing.

Because of unexpected costs associated with the unstable subsoil in the area where the original one-story classroom addition for PK-1 was proposed, Superintendent Suttmeier has asked the architects to offer cost comparisons between a one-story and a two-story alternative design. Preliminary estimates suggest that “fill” costs (to compensate for the unstable soil) are higher with the one-story addition, but construction costs would be substantially higher for a two-story building. A full report is due by mid-September. The Board will make a decision based on affordability and appropriateness of design once all information has been received and verified.  


Other upgrades at MCSIS

In addition to the construction of the primary wing at MCSIS, areas of the existing building will undergo other upgrades as identified by the 5-year Building Condition Survey. These include building-wide lighting upgrades, chiller replacement and energy management system upgrades. There will also be additional counseling and support service spaces constructed, as needed. This work will be started in the fall of 2016 and continue throughout the entire timeline of the project.



Tentative timeline
 

Infographic timeline of project

(See a larger infographic on the Capital Project webpage.)

The tentative scheduling for the overall project is as follows:

  • Fall 2016
    • Submission of track/field building detail and design paperwork to the NYS Education Department for review and approval (October 2016)
    • The architects and engineers are expected to complete the drawings and specifications for new construction at MCSIS by November 2016 and submit to the State for review and approval. Due to the complexity of this part of the project, the State’s current review time is approximately eight months.
    • Renovations for the Grade 2 wing at MCSIS are set to begin in September
  • Spring 2017
    • NYSED review of the track and field application is expected to take a few months and could be ready for bidding in February 2017
    • Track/field construction is estimated to begin in the spring of 2017, pending NYSED approval and contractor bidding
  • Summer 2017
    • Pending NYSED approval, construction for the new primary wing at MCSIS is anticipated to begin and continue through the summer of 2018
  • Fall 2017
    • The new track/field complex on the High School campus is expected to be complete
    • Grade 2 should be ready to move into their newly renovated wing at MCSIS
    • Pending NYSED approval, a new chiller unit at the Jr./Sr. High School is set to be installed in the fall of 2017 or spring of 2018. Due to the time it takes for applications to be reviewed and processed, the current chiller unit will likely remain in place for one more summer. The replacement will be done and the noise will be gone by the summer of 2018.
  • Spring/Summer 2018
    • The entire project should be approaching completion by this time and finished prior to the start of the 2018-19 school year (if construction delays are encountered, the opening of the new school would be pushed to the 2019-20 school year).

Please note that this timeline of project construction and completion is approximate and is subject to change.


Upcoming events

The Board of Education will meet on Monday, September 12, 2016 at 7 p.m. in the Hudson Senior High School Library. Check our website for meeting agendas, though Capital Project updates are regularly on the agenda!

The next public forums will be announced once the District has the final detailed designs completed.



Ways to get involved

Hudson CSD Board of Education meetings are open to the public, and Capital Project updates are regularly on the agenda! Get the 2016-2017 meeting schedule here.

The architects, engineer and construction management team are available to meet on Mondays at 11 a.m.  Any interested party is welcome to attend by calling the District Office in advance at 518-828-4360, ext. 2101.
 
Interested parties are also welcome to attend the Board’s Facilities Committee meetings, which occur in the District Conference Room on a fairly regular basis. Please check the Hudson CSD homepage periodically for information about dates and times of these meetings. It is a good idea to call the District Office at 518-828-4360, ext. 2101 in advance to confirm.
 
As always, you can comment on the Capital Project any time by using this form to submit questions or suggestions about what you read in the Capital Project Update eNewsletter, or about the project in general.
 

Get more information about the project on  the Capital Project webpage.

Ask a question / send a message











Hudson City School District Board of Education
Dr. Maria Lagana Suttmeier, Superintendent
Meghan Tice, District Communications

UPCOMING EVENTS


School Board meeting: 

Mon., September 12, 2016 at 7 p.m. in the Sr. High School library
 

In This Issue -


Grade reorganization & existing building renovation

Track/athletic field updates


Mechanical & energy conservation/management

MCSIS construction

Tentative timeline
 
Ways to get involved
 
 

 

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If you have questions about the Capital Project or the eNewsletter in particular, please email:
Meghan Tice, District Communications at
ticem@hudsoncsd.org 

Copyright © 2016
. Hudson City School District. All rights reserved.

Our contact info:
Hudson City School District
215 Harry Howard Avenue
Hudson, NY 12534
518-828-4360
www.hudsoncityschooldistrict.com

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