Manager: Belmonte project on schedule, touts AC system

SAUGUS – Skanska Builders USA Project Manager Jim Dowd said the Belmonte Middle School repair project is on schedule as $11.7 million has been spent on the project so far out of the $18.9 million budget.?We?re proceeding at the pace we should be,” he said during Monday?s Belmonte Middle School Building Committee meeting.The committee reviewed $16,000 in change orders, including $7,000 for pipe insulation in the utility tunnel, $3,600 for additional cleaning in the wood shop and first floor lockers and $3,500 for upgraded controls for air-handling units.?This money will easily be saved in energy savings with these being controlled automatically,” said Dowd of the new controls.Dowd said there is currently $243,379 remaining in contingency money with $152,780 in potential future change orders forecast.?This is everything we see on the horizon,” said Dowd. “We?re in decent shape. It?s a little tight, but we?re definitely improved from where we have been in the middle of the project when a lot of contingency was spent.”The committee did not vote to approve the change orders, however, because it did not have a quorum.?We can certainly review but we can?t take official action,” said School Committee Chairman Wendy Reed.Michael Fazio of architecture firm Fletcher Thompson said work is currently in the middle of phase three and construction management firm Consigli was able to get a head start on some phase four work, including starting the handicapped ramp to the gymnasium.?The third floor classrooms are going really smoothly,” he said. “Last week they painted all the ceilings and walls ? Things are really moving along.”The committee also discussed some confusion that arose at the last meeting about whether the new roof, which is black, was supposed to be white. Dowd said early discussions on the original plan called for it to be white, but it was changed to black to save money.?We looked into that ? there is an increased cost ?” he said. “There are also some questions about durability and it?s not often used. My experience is, if you put a white roof on ? there?s a significant price increase.”Dowd also noted the black roof helps more during the heating season because “you really don?t have a cooling season.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].