Schools
Glover School Hurricane-Resistant Windows Will Cost Less Than Projected
School Building Committee authorizes Dr. Maass to authorize new windows and supports up to $84,000.
The Glover School Building Committee voted unanimously Thursday night to authorize School Superintendent Dr. Greg Maass to approve a new window design that will cost no more than an extra $84,000 and possibly only $63,000.
The large new windows throughout the building were an important part of the aesthetics of the new $25 million school. Project architect Douglas Roberts with JCJ Architecture told the building committee the change to small windows would have no significant impact on the aesthetics of the building.
Recently the architects and engineers for the window manufacturer found that some of the windows were too wide to withstand 120-mile-per-hour wind gusts.
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At the last meeting, Roberts said the windows that could sustain 120-mile-per-hour winds .
Roberts told the building committee during a special meeting that only some of the windows would have to be redesigned. Windows that were four-feet wide would now be three feet with more aluminum supports, called mullions.
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Other banks of windows, including those in the cafeteria, were already narrow enough and had enough mullions to withstand a hurricane.
The project construction team, G&R Construction, estimated that the cost to install more, narrower windows in some areas of the school would be an extra $84,000.
Roberts said his estimate was an extra $63,000.
The architects and window manufacturers were expected to give Maass more detailed estimates on the additional costs on Friday when he could make a decision. He will present his decision to the full School Committee at its meeting next week.
There was an urgency to approve the additional expense to keep the project moving forward.
Roberts said JCJ accepts the responsibility for the error on the windows and would be willing to discuss with the building committee at a later date if JCJ will pick up some of the additional costs of the windows.
The project contingency fund is expected to have about $350,000 remaining to cover other change orders in the project.
