As contractor commences on repair project, Belmonte Building Committee hears positive update

SAUGUS – Jill Rachubinski, project manager for construction management firm Consigli, said the Belmonte Middle School repair project is finally under way after breaking ground last week.”Everything is moving along smoothly,” said Rachubinski in an update to the Belmonte Building Committee Monday.Rachubinski said fire protection work has started with workers coring holes and waiting to get permits to bring in pipe. Rachubinski also said 50 percent of the windows have been removed on the first floor and demolition will start soon for the new elevator shaft.Mike Murphy, also of Consigli, said all bids have come in and presented the final guaranteed maximum price list for new contractors, which the committee approved.The total cost is currently at $15.7 million and includes $2.3 million for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, $1.7 million for electrical work, $1.3 million for roofing and $1.2 million for metal windows.”We’ve toed the line and kept our budget within the project goals,” said Murphy. “Our general goal is to sign up all of these sub (contractors) quickly.”Other costs include $655,000 for fire protection, $630,000 for plumbing, $624,000 for metal panels, $579,000 for drywall and $574,000 for metal fabrication.Jim Dowd, project manager for Skanska Builders, said the $15.7 million also includes renovations to the main office for $21,000 which is the first alternate to the project. He noted they could not get to the second alternate: renovation of the gym floors.”We looked at alternate two and we didn’t have a shot at it,” said Dowd.Dowd also presented a chart of “soft costs” for the project, which includes $90,000 for fire detail, $80,000 for moving and $15,000 for overtime for custodians.According to the chart, the total project cost is $18.93 million, which is around $5,000 less than the original approved budget. Saugus is responsible for $8.9 million while the Massachusetts School Building Authority will pay $9.9 million.Dowd said payment is due from the town to Skanska, Consigli and Fletcher Thompson on the first Wednesday of every month as the project progresses.Architect Scott Payette of Fletcher Thompson also updated the committee and said he’s looking to put together a subcommittee to go over some finishing touches to the design.”It’s really more refinements like making a final selection of brick color and metal panel color,” said Payette. “We have some interior paint colors to review, and carpet.”Payette said he will present the final decision to the full committee in August.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].