Total Building Area: 1964 Construction 30,140 square feet 1976 Construction 36,787 square feet 66,927 square feet

Transcription

1 FLANDERS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Located at 167 Boston Post Road, East Lyme, Connecticut the school s original structure was built in 1964 and replaced the Central Office Building as the elementary school. Two additions were completed in 1976, providing additional classroom space and a gymnasium. General Building Information: Total Building Area: 1964 Construction 30,140 square feet 1976 Construction 36,787 square feet 66,927 square feet Overview: The intent in reviewing existing conditions at the Flanders Elementary school is to evaluate the physical plant and its systems to identify deficiencies for the entire facility; including exterior envelope, interior finishes, structural elements, handicap accessibility, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection. ( KBA ) staff and consultants visited and photographed the building and reviewed existing available documents to gather all necessary data about each space. Due to its date of construction, the Elementary school is not Handicapped Accessible and significant renovations would be required to provide accessibility. Some doors in the original building are too narrow and are not building code compliant. The thresholds at the 1976 bathrooms and locker rooms by the gymnasium are too steep and are not code compliant. The school is not sprinklered nor does it have adequate rescue windows, and the fire marshal would like to see it become sprinklered to correct this. There are no occupancy load signs in the assembly spaces. Some exterior door and window systems are deteriorated. Asbestos is present in locations throughout the building and should be considered during any renovations. The building has little mechanical ventilation and independent window mount air conditioning units can be found throughout the school to compensate for temperature, ventilation and humidity issues. Many of the interior spaces are carpeted, the carpeting in the corridors is new but the carpeting within the rooms is worn and frayed and has become a tripping hazard. The carpeting also traps dust, dirt and pollutants. The parking lot is deteriorating. The vehicular and pedestrian traffic flow is an important issue at this location, as it causes safety concerns. Additional parking is needed; the current lot overflows onto a gravel and dirt area adjacent to the neighboring football field, which has become worn and has inadequate drainage. A. Exterior Building Envelope: The building s exterior envelope was reviewed for overall soundness and water/air tightness. elements were evaluated as described below. A separate roof, window and structural report assessing the exterior envelope were also undertaken. Exterior Walls: The 1964 portion of the building consists of masonry walls with a vented brick veneer, with no insulation and a painted interior finish. KBA No B - 1 Last Edit 09/28/11

2 The 1976 portion of the building consists of masonry walls with a non-vented brick veneer, with 2 of rigid insulation and a painted interior finish. A non-vented masonry veneer assembly will retain water and cause spalling and cracking. The structural system consists of a steel frame. The building sits on a concrete foundation. Refer to the Structural Report for additional information. Exterior Doors and frames: The exterior doors and frames are hollow metal systems. Many secondary doors are showing areas of deterioration and are not properly balanced so they do not close automatically. A1 A2 Exterior Windows and louvers: The 1964 exterior windows are non-insulated single pane aluminum frame units, original to the building, with awning style operable windows. The 1976 exterior windows are insulated double pane aluminum frame units. The windows are showing signs of deterioration. They are permitting drafts and air infiltration, greatly diminishing the energy performance of the exterior wall assembly. Refer to the Windows Report for additional information. Roof: The roof system is a multi-ply modified bitumen membrane with a granulated cap sheet. It is approximately 10 years old and generally in good condition. The roof has primary and secondary overflow drains, connected to the site drainage system. Refer to Roof Report for additional information. KBA No B - 2 Last Edit 09/28/11

3 B. Interior Building Elements: The building s interior spaces were evaluated for overall condition of architectural systems and appearance, including quality of equipment, materials and finishes. Accessibility and code compliance were also reviewed. Walls: The 1964 interior walls are painted masonry block. The 1976 classroom addition interior walls are a mixture of masonry block at core elements and movable partition panels between classrooms. Doors, Frames and Hardware; All the 1964 doors are painted hollow metal doors and Frames with wire glass lites the 1976 doors stained wood in Metal partition system frames. The doors are generally in good condition. The existing doors have knobs throughout the school and are not ADA compliant. Some interior doorways are smaller than code minimum for existing buildings. Narrow door Interior Finishes-Floors and Ceilings: The building is predominately carpeted. Bathroom and wet locations are tiled in the 1964 portion and VCT in the 1976 portion. The floor finish in the corridor surrounding the gymnasium is VCT. The carpeting throughout the corridors was recently replaced. The classroom carpets are showing signs of wear and ripples and tears pose tripping hazards. The 1964 portion of the school is predominately open to the painted roof structure, with surface mounted light fixtures across the beams. The bathroom ceilings are gypsum with surface mounted fixtures. The multi-purpose room has an acoustical ceiling tile system. The 1976 portion of the school has an acoustical ceiling tile system throughout with recessed light fixtures. The masonry walls are painted and are in excellent condition. The partition walls are pre-finished in wall covering and are in good condition. The light fixtures generally provide adequate lighting. Casework: The casework throughout the school is plastic laminate. It is good condition but looks dated and aged. It is not ADA compliant. Signage; Room signage is intermittent and varies throughout the entire facility and is not ADA compliant. Miscellaneous Accessories and Equipment: Fire extinguishers were observed in throughout the facility. A3 KBA No B - 3 Last Edit 09/28/11

4 Typical Spaces: Corridors: The Corridors are in good condition. The egress analysis shows that as part of the means of egress, the corridors and doors have ample width to accommodate the buildings occupants. The 1964 corridors do not have ceilings. The 1976 ceilings are typically suspended acoustical panel with recessed light fixtures in great condition. The level of light throughout is adequate. Drinking fountains are found throughout; they are not ADA compliant, some are not mounted at a child height and have a step built around them. There are open expansion joints visible in the hall that are not smoke tight as is required by code. Open joint A4 A5 Administration Suite: The Offices are generally in good condition, though they are limited on space. The floors are generally carpet. The walls are painted masonry. The ceilings are typically open to the painted roof structure above with Surface mounted light fixtures in good condition. The level of light is adequate. The furniture observed (desks, cabinets, shelving, etc) was high quality and in excellent condition. Cafeteria/Auditorium ( Multi-Purpose Room): The floors are VCT. The walls are painted masonry in good condition. The ceilings are typically suspended acoustical panel with recessed light fixtures in good condition. The level of light is adequate. The acoustical panel ceiling tiles are dirty around air diffusers and they are sagging. A6 KBA No B - 4 Last Edit 09/28/11

5 The stage platform is not accessible. The stage has no storage and many items are stored on or around the stage. The doors to the corridor appear to be original and are too narrow per code and should be replaced. Gymnasium: The Gymnasium was added in One half of the space is capable of exiting directly to the exterior. The Floor consists of a sheet sport floor product with game lines. The walls are painted CMU. Wall pads protect the masonry walls. The pads are torn at several locations from wear around receptacles. A7 A8 The locker rooms have been converted into classrooms. The floor level between the corridor and these rooms changes by up to 1 ½ with a ramped 6 threshold. This floor change does not meet code because the change in level may cause tripping. The ceiling is open to the painted roof structure above with suspended fluorescent light fixtures. At the time of the survey, lighting appears to be sufficient when combined with daylight, but may be insufficient during overcast days when using artificial lighting alone. The Gymnasium equipment appears original but in working condition. A wall clock is missing and the wires are visible, the clock should be replaced or the wall opening should be closed. Storage space is shared with an electrical room, which also functions as the PE office. The electrical equipment must be kept clear and not be blocked by equipment or a desk. Learning Resource Center: The Learning Resource Center is strategically located at the center of the Core building. It is a spacious and welcoming space with support areas consisting of work room, A.V. storage, and access to the computer lab. Reading and stack areas are delineated within the overall spaces for proper function. The circulation desk is centrally located on one wall and has good visual control of all areas. The support spaces are inadequate. The casework is original and does not provide enough storage for the AV equipment and many things are stacked in the A/V room on counters. Floors are typically carpet in the Library and VCT in the support spaces with 4" rubber base. Area carpets were also observed in the A/V room. KBA No B - 5 Last Edit 09/28/11

6 Walls are masonry CMU around the main space and movable partitions around the support rooms. Though the semi-permanence of the casework and equipment presently make partition rearrangement restricted. Ceilings are suspended acoustical panels with recessed 2x4 light fixtures. The quality of light is adequate; the ceiling is in good condition. Miscellaneous equipment such as TV s on a cart, projectors, and video recording equipment are observed. These are used for school wide broadcasts by the students. The Resource Center is a very functional and pleasant space. However, there is a lack of storage. Typical Classrooms: The classrooms are typically 810 square feet. Floors are typically carpeted with 4" high rubber base. The carpeting is showing signs of wear and tears and ripples in the carpeting pose tripping hazards. Walls are painted CMU in the 1964 construction and moveable panel partitions with wall covering in the 1976 addition. The ceiling is painted exposed roof structure in the 1964 portion of the building with surface mounted light fixtures in good condition. The 1976 ceilings are typically suspended acoustical panel recessed light fixtures, in good condition. Concern has been expressed about corrosion on portions of the exposed roof structure and assembly. Artificial light fixtures have been replaced with various energy efficient units in several rooms for testing and natural daylight is accessed with skylights in several locations. In the original construction the exterior window system is original, single pane glass in aluminum frames. The windows in the addition are insulated double pane glazing in aluminum frames, but the seal on many units is broken and dried. Whiteboards and/or chalkboards and tack boards are present in all classrooms. A mounted projection screen is present in some rooms. A clock and speaker system is present in each classroom. The perimeter heating units are original. They are located behind the built-in casework, in most classrooms. Refer to MEP report for additional information. Window shades consist of horizontal blinds, in good condition, in all classrooms. Casework consisting of plastic laminate provides storage within each room. Furniture consists mostly of tables and chairs. File cabinets and other storage systems were observed. Computer stations were present in some classrooms. Overall the classrooms are in good condition. Special Education Classrooms: The Special Education areas are dispersed throughout the school. The spaces appear to be adequate for the function and population being served. The floor finishes in these rooms was noted to be carpet. Fabric shades have been hung from light fixtures to adjust the color temperature and brightness of the light for special needs students. Refer to typical classroom notes for additional information. KBA No B - 6 Last Edit 09/28/11

7 Toilets: The 1964 section of the school has: o One Boys Bathroom with 12 lavatories, 16 urinals and 6 toilets o One Girls Bathroom with 12 lavatories and 16 toilets o One men s room with 1 toilet, 1 urinal and 1 lavatory o One women s room with one toilet and one lavatory o One each of a private bath with 1 toilet and one lavatory in four kindergarten classrooms. These rooms are very small and cannot become ADA compliant without adding space. o One nurse s bathroom with a lavatory and a toilet. The 1976 section of the school has: o One Boys Bathroom with 5 lavatories, 6 urinals and 3 toilets o One Girls Bathroom with 5 lavatories and 7 toilets o One men s room with 1 toilet, 2 urinal and 2 lavatory o One women s room with 3 toilets and 2 lavatories o One special education bathroom with a lavatory and a toilet. None of the plumbing fixtures in the building have proper accessibility compliance. Floor finishes in the 1964 bathrooms are ceramic tile and have been patched repeatedly, giving the floor a mottled appearance. The floor finish in the 1976 bathrooms is VCT or ceramic tile, generally in good condition. Walls are painted masonry units. The 1964 ceilings are gypsum with surface mounted light fixtures. The 1976 ceilings are suspended acoustical panel with recessed light fixtures. Toilet accessories are present including: mirror, paper towel dispenser, toilet paper dispenser and soap dispenser. They do not meet accessibility requirements in their location or mounting height. The toilet partitions are metal and are showing moderate signs of corrosion and damage; some have been replaced and do not match the existing. Storage: The storage spaces are dispersed throughout the facility. The amount of storage is typically lacking. Some uses share space with storage. Some rooms have been taken over to become storage. Mechanical Room: The Boiler is located in a sunken area of the school. The painted walls are peeling and should be stripped and re painted. All the mechanical areas are enclosed and separated by rated assemblies as required by code. Refer to MEP reports for additional information. KBA No B - 7 Last Edit 09/28/11

8 Recommendations: Repaint janitorial office room walls. Provide fire separation door between janitor s office and boiler room. Investigate masonry veneer issues and repair. Remodel smaller rooms with small doors to become code compliant. Replace acoustic tile ceiling in Multi-purpose room. Provide backer rods and caulking to close vertical open expansion joints. Remove carpeting throughout and replace with a hard surface finish, provide quality walk off mats a t the entrances. This is recommended to reduce the pollutants and contaminants that can become trapped in carpets and cause health and developmental issues in children. Remodel the existing bathrooms to provide ADA compliance, and fully updated finishes, partitions, and accessories. Upgrade entire facility to fully comply with ADA requirements. Provide additional security measures around facility. Remove raised floors into bathrooms and classrooms to provide a level transition along the path of egress. Repair and replace gymnasium wall pads. Refer to additional portions of the report for additional recommendations. KBA No B - 8 Last Edit 09/28/11