Voters approved the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District's (POB CSD) $49.8 million construction bond issue for infrastructure improvements and renovations. The district serves grades K through 12 with an enrollment of 5,200 students. Named "Building Futures Together," the program will encompass seven schools and two other buildings owned by the district. Construction work will be performed in four phases, which will prevent interruptions to educational activities. BBS Architects, Landscape Architects and Engineers is serving as architect; interior designer; mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineer; civil engineer; and site and athletic field designer for the construction program. The value of voter-approved school construction bonds for programs designed by BBS in the greater N.Y. area in the last 24 months totals $275 million. BBS principal architect Roger Smith, AIA, LEED AP, said, "The construction program will include building envelope renovations that aim at improving energy efficiency, classroom and other interior renovations, safety and security upgrades, new technology systems, renovations of outdoor sports facilities, and infrastructure and building systems upgrades. Energy efficiency improvements will result in annual savings of approximately $239,000 for the school district." "The upcoming renovations will result in increased energy efficiency and significant savings for our district," said Dr. Lorna Lewis, POB CSD superintendent of schools. "The construction work will bring our schools, majority of which were built in the 1950s and 1960s, to modern standards that will accommodate current educational programs and provide healthy and attractive learning environments for our students." The district's buildings, most of which were constructed in the 1950's and 1960's, currently feature original, outdated single-pane windows, which are very energy inefficient. The need to address this issue, necessity to reduce the district's energy costs, and desire to upgrade safety and security throughout all buildings occupied by students were the main factors that led to the development of the improvement program. Annual savings obtained through specific energy use-related upgrades will include approximately $110,000 from new LED lighting fixtures, $60,000 from new temperature control systems, $59,000 from new double pane, insulated glazing windows, and $9,600 from 50-kW rooftop solar panels. In addition to energy efficiency improvements, all educational buildings will receive comprehensive security upgrades, which will include interior and exterior IP cameras, expanded interior and exterior lighting, motion detectors, lockdown strobe lights, lockdown PA tie-in, lockdown IP phone, lockdown card access disable feature, new door hardware that locks doors from the inside of classrooms, and lockdown mass notification system. The district's leadership and security personnel will have the capability to initiate security lockdown procedures from cell phones. Safety improvements will also include fire alarm upgrades. "Work will begin in the summer of 2015, once the school year is over, and is expected to be completed in 2018. The majority of work, such as the replacement of all windows, masonry repairs, and other building envelope improvements, must be completed during warm weather," said BBS senior associate and director of engineering & technology Frederick Seeba, P.E., LEED AP. "There will be no interruptions to educational activities as each phase of the construction program will be completed during a summer break." Construction will take place at the district's seven schools located in Long Island communities of Plainview and Old Bethpage - John F. Kennedy High School, Plainview-Old Bethpage Middle School, Howard B. Mattlin Middle School, K-Center/Stratford Road Elementary School, Parkway Elementary School, Pasadena Elementary School, and Old Bethpage Elementary School. Two other buildings owned by the district, Jamaica Avenue and Fern Place, will also receive some renovations. Scope of Work - Middle School, High School, and District Buildings The two-story, 234,930 s/f John F. Kennedy High School was built in 1966 and underwent an expansion in 1991. The facility is a home to 1,480 students in grades 9 through 12. BBS project manager Steven Walsh, AIA, said, "Renovations, valued at $5.8 million, will include a combination of 87 new interior and exterior IP cameras, 33 motion detectors, a new fire alarm system with strobe lights and CO detectors, all new exterior doors and frames, new doors in 48 classrooms, new doors in the cafeteria and the gymnasium, new security and ADA-compliant hardware on corridor and primary doors, and new ADA compliant signage throughout the building. A new chairlift will provide ADA access to basement level spaces. The school's interiors will receive approximately 50,300 s/f of new ceilings and ceiling lighting fixtures, and 34,000 s/f of new VCT flooring." The high school's large group instruction (LGI) space, which also serves as an auditorium and performance facility, will receive $955,000 worth of improvements that will include a new sound system, new ductwork insulation, new seating for 610 spectators, a new projection location, new proscenium curtains and valances, new flooring, and upgraded acoustics. Site work at the high school's grounds will include two new tennis courts and four renovated and rebuilt tennis courts. Plainview-Old Bethpage Middle School took over the Old Bethpage High School three-story, 209,145 s/f building after it had merged its faculty and students in the 1960's with John F. Kennedy High School. Upcoming exterior and interior renovations, auditorium improvements, and security upgrades are valued at $10.9 million. Corridor, primary, cross-corridor, and stairwell doors and hardware will be replaced throughout the building with ADA-based and security feature locksets. A combination of 33 interior and exterior IP cameras and 21 motion detectors will be installed. Lockdown strobe lights, cell phone lockdown, lockdown PA tie-in, lockdown IP phone, lockdown card disable feature and lockdown mass notification will be included in the security upgrades as well. Approximately 20% of existing classroom doors, all exterior doors, and a portion of other existing interior doors and hardware will be replaced. Original windows are also scheduled for replacement. Additionally, four existing science rooms will undergo renovations. Another 50% of original metal pan ceilings and old lighting will have replacements with new suspended acoustical ceilings and energy efficient lighting- 18 classrooms on the first floor, 11 classrooms on the second, a total of approximately 20,100 s/f. Approximately 20,150 s/f of original flooring is also scheduled for replacement. Auditorium upgrades will provide new curtains and valences, 960 new seats, 4,500 s/f of new carpet, and newly painted walls. New ceiling and house lighting will also be installed, along with improved acoustics, and a new sound system. Howard B. Mattlin Middle School, a two-story building of approximately 207,584 s/f, will undergo a complete rehabilitation of its 138,000 s/f roof. Other renovations will include new corridor finishes and primary door and hardware replacements; upgrades to five science rooms, three art rooms, and a large group instruction room; security upgrades; and air conditioning installations. All improvements will be valued at $9.9 million. LGI upgrades will include additional lighting on stage and side bars, a new permanent location for the sound board, and other improvements. Air conditioning will be installed in the library, LGI space, and three music suites. Additionally, two new tennis courts will be constructed along with the renovations to four existing tennis courts. District-owned Jamaica Ave. and Fern Place buildings, both closed schools leased to third parties, will receive door replacements in selected locations. Jamaica Ave. will have ceilings and windows replacements in its all-purpose room, gymnasium, and senior computer room, at a total building cost of about $592,000. Fern Place will receive a new fire alarm system and undergo selective interior and exterior masonry reconstruction, totaling $726,000. Scope of Work - K-Center and Elementary Schools The K-Center and Stratford Road Elementary schools are located at 33 Bedford Ave. in Old Bethpage, inside a two-story, 141,145 s/f building. The structure will undergo $8.5 million worth of renovations, including a complete rehabilitation of its 110,200 s/f roof, masonry repairs, replacement of all exterior doors and frames, replacement of all windows and paint lintels, as well as auditorium and library renovations, cafeteria upgrades, replacements of selected interior doors and all hardware, a new security system, and air conditioning improvements in gymnasiums. Auditorium upgrades will include the following replacements: 702 new seats, new dimmer board, lighting, additional house lights, and new rigging and curtains. Some 3,300 s/f of aisle carpeting will also be replaced. The previously 60-ft. little league field will be converted to a 90-ft. baseball field. Parkway Elementary is located in a one-story, 58,084 s/f building. A $3.7 million renovation will replace existing ceilings and lighting in the corridor, cafeteria, kitchen, main office suite, and 50% of instructional classrooms, a total of approximately 22,000 s/f. Approximately 50% of original classroom flooring will be replaced. All of the building's original windows and selected exterior doors and frames will be replaced, excluding the upper gym windows, which were recently replaced. Selected interior doors and all hardware will be replaced as well. Air conditioning will be installed at the gym. The cafetorium will receive additional ventilation and upgrades that include the replacement of stage rigging and curtains and new theatrical dimming. Security system upgrades will include 19 interior and exterior IP cameras, 15 motion detectors, and other elements planned for all schools. Renovations to the one-story, 58,086 s/f Pasadena Elementary School will cost $3.2 million. Security upgrades will include 19 interior and exterior IP cameras; 14 motion detectors; lockdown strobe lights; and cell phone lockdown, lockdown PA tie-in, lockdown IP phone, lockdown IP card disable, and lockdown mass notification systems. The fire alarm panel system will also be replaced. As with Parkway Elementary, Pasadena will have all original windows replaced, except for upper gymnasium windows, which were recently replaced. All exterior doors and frames will be replaced, as will be aluminum doors in the Library Story Area. Construction crews will replacements selected interior doors and all door hardware, approximately 50% of original classroom flooring, and 8,000 s/f of corridor flooring. The building's roofing will undergo repairs as well. Renovations to the two-story, 52,985 s/f Old Bethpage Elementary will cost $2.6 million. Its entire SPF roof of approximately 30,000 s/f will be recoated with one skylight replaced. As with the other schools in the district, security upgrades will include 33 new IP cameras and 11 motion detectors, along with lockdown strobe lights, cell phone lockdown, lockdown PA tie-in, lockdown IP phone, lockdown card disable feature, and lockdown mass notification systems. The existing fire alarm panel will also be replaced. In the multi-purpose room, existing stage lighting will be replaced and new theatrical rigging added. Stage curtains will be replaced, and a new dimming system will be installed. Approximately 50% of original classroom flooring and 6,600 s/f of corridor flooring will be replaced. Original corridor ceilings and lighting fixtures will be replaced as well. 12 new and existing tennis fields will undergo construction and renovation as part of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District's $49.8 million improvement program financed by a voter-approved construction bond and designed by BBS Architects. Rendering courtesy of BBS Architects, Landscape Architects and Engineers