Property of the Month: BBS Architects, Stalco Construction, SCC, and PW Grosser complete $14.1m school project

Executive director and principal Raymond Ankrum, Sr. ABD, political and community leaders, and representatives of the design and construction team of BBS Architects, Landscape Architects and Engineers, Stalco Construction, and School Construction Consultants (SCC) celebrated the opening of the new Riverhead Charter School (RCS). RCS is the only K-8 charter school in New York State's Suffolk County. "Today's celebration marks a new chapter in our school's history. I would like to thank the project team of BBS Architects, Stalco Construction, and SCC for their dedication, skill, and hard work that has resulted in the construction of this beautiful, modern educational facility," said Ankrum. "The $14.1 million, 50,000 s/f school includes a two-story classroom wing with 16 classrooms, an auditorium/gymnasium, a library, an administration wing, and a kitchen wing," said Stalco president Alan Nahmias. BBS principal architect, Roger Smith, AIA, LEED AP, said, "The architectural team developed a hybrid building design system for the new facility. The new school features an innovative combination of a conventional steel frame building section and a pre-fabricated modular section." The project team for the $14.1 million building included Stalco, general contractor; BBS Architects, architect, interior designer, site designer, and mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) engineer; SCC, construction manager; and PW Grosser Consulting, civil engineer. RCS' current enrollment is 360 students and is expected to increase to 400 next year. Established in 2001, RCS is a non-tuition public school of choice and serves families from 14 school districts. The 5.8-acre site originally housed two conventional buildings and a modular classroom section. During construction, these three structures remain occupied, ensuring continuity of educational programs. Following the completion of the new building, the modular classroom wing will be demolished. Continuing, he said that "the conventional section includes a combination gymnasium/auditorium/cafeteria space. The large span of this space called for a traditional steel frame design. The other areas that were built conventionally include special architectural elements, such as the main entrance atrium and the library reading area, both with large expanses of windows. All of the remaining sections are modular." "The new school's design achieves the perfect balance between the maximum amount of space, architectural quality, and the available budget," said BBS Architect's architect and project manager Karalisa Grundner, AIA, LEED AP BD+C. Will Recce, SCC principal, said, "Logistical challenges included meeting the established budget and the January 2015 completion date. Technical challenges included coordination of two differing construction methods, conventional and modular, in order to create a cohesive building, as well as building a new facility on a tight site that contained an occupied, fully operational school." Financing The new school building was financed through two bonds totaling $21.3 million. Capital Markets Advisors (CMA) served as RCS' independent financial advisor. According to CMA president, Richard Tortora, "Riverhead Charter School was the first charter school in New York State to receive an allocation from the federal Qualified School Construction Bond (QSCB) program, which provides tax incentives to investors in school construction bonds." RCS received a $5 million allocation. "Charter schools do not have authority to issue debt on their own, so we had to develop a conduit to obtain financing for RCS," said CMA vice president Janet Morley. CMA enlisted Riverhead Industrial Development Agency to issue bonds on behalf of the school. The first bond, taxable and linked to the QSCB allocation, was valued at $5 million and termed at 20 years. The second bond, which was tax exempt, raised $16.3 million and will be repaid in 35 years. In order to find investors, CMA assisted RCS in obtaining an investment grade credit rating for its bonds from Standard & Poor's. RCS is one of a very few charter schools in the United States to receive an investment grade rating for its debt. Standard & Poor's Ratings Services assigned its "BBB-" long-term rating to Riverhead IDA's bonds issued on behalf of Riverhead Charter School. CMA then selected Roosevelt & Cross as an underwriter to market RCS's bonds. CMA prepared the "Official Statement" and helped in enlisting institutional investors by introducing the school and its leadership to potential investors. Design and Construction In addition to the new structure, the project included redevelopment of the entire site, construction of a drop-off/pickup loop, and a new asphalt access roadway. "The site features a new play area and landscaping," said Stalco superintendent Drew Schneller. "Site construction work consisted of a 110-car surface parking lot and a new self-contained drainage system that includes catch basins." Stalco director of field operations James Schuchman said, "The hybrid character of the new school required a dual foundation that consists of a slab-on-grade segment beneath the gymnasium, stage, and other conventionally-built sections, and a crawl space foundation system beneath the modular section. The crawl space foundation provides access to utility connections for maintenance purposes. The conventional section features a steel-framed structure and masonry walls. The modular sections contain pre-manufactured steel frames with inlaid concrete floor panels, C-channel floor joists, steel stud wall framing, and a metal deck roof." "The school features full-height glass and aluminum storefronts at the main entrance and library reading area; reeded textured glass for architectural impact at the upper part of the entrance; low-e aluminum-framed, bronze-tinted sliding glass windows; an exterior earth-tone color scheme; and an EIFS synthetic stucco finish with R-20 foam insulation," said Grundner. The interior program includes a 22,700 s/f, two-story floor classroom wing that contains 18 classrooms. The structure also houses a 5,740 s/f multi-use auditorium; a 1,200 s/f library; a music room and art and science rooms; an 8,686 s/f, two-story administration wing with offices, a conference room, and faculty lounges; and a kitchen wing. Interior finishes consist of painted drywall and concrete walls; acoustical tile ceilings, and a combination of carpet tile and vinyl composition tile (VCT) floors. The new gymnasium/multi-functional space features a dividing curtain in its center, allowing it to serve various functions simultaneously. This space includes a full kitchen at one end and a 1,200 s/f stage at the other end. The section adjacent to the kitchen also functions as a cafeteria. The space features a synthetic floor system and a folding 150-seat bleacher. "The pre-fabricated sections of the school consist of classroom, hallway, and office modules, manufactured at a plant in Pennsylvania, and then delivered by trucks to the construction site. The modules are 11 feet high, 14 feet wide, and vary in length from 30 to 50 ft.," said SCC project manager Keith DeLucia. The modules feature structural steel frames and concrete floor panels, and were delivered to the site already equipped with light-gauge steel framed partition walls, plumbing systems, electrical wiring and lighting fixtures, custom selected millwork, and windows. Upon installation, the modules were structurally welded with stitch plates. The exterior walls include weatherproof membranes, which, following installation, received finishes specified for the entire school building. Shown (from left) at the ribbon cutting are: Grundner; Smith; Nahmias; Recce; Riverhead town council member Jodi Giglio; John Stype, legislative aide to Suffolk County legislator Al Krupski; John Galla, legislative aide to New York State Assembly Legislator Anthony Palumbo; RCS board of trustees secretary Susan Heintz; Riverhead Industrial Development Agency chairman of the board Thomas Caruso; Riverhead town council member James Wooten; Town of Riverhead supervisor Sean Walter; Ankrum; DeLucia; and Riverhead Charter School students.