GENERAL

The original Natick High School was constructed in 1954 providing an 189,000 s.f. facility to serve the secondary educational needs for the Town of Natick.  Student populations increased and 94,000 s.f. of additions were constructed in 1965 including a two-story general classroom wing, a two-story science classroom wing and expansions to the library, cafeteria and physical education facilities.  In 1985, the entire school building was partially renovated to improve the interior finish quality and the exterior appearance.  An elevator and corridor link were added in 1999 to improve handicapped accessibility to the science wing A.  A new fire alarm system is being designed and the building has been wired for technology.  No other major additions or renovations have taken place for over 15 years.

Knight, Bagge & Anderson, Inc. (KBA Architects) was retained in August, 2000 by the Natick High School Renovation Committee to prepare a study.  The focus of this study will assess not only the anticipated pupil growth but also the existing building capacity to allow for a quality educational program to be provided to the high school students of Natick.  

Physical assessment of the present conditions in the building were made by KBA Architects along with the consultant team members including, Richard D. Kimball, Inc., who reviewed the Fire Protection, Plumbing, Mechanical and Electrical component conditions; Universal Engineering, who reviewed the hazardous materials; and Souza, True and Partners who analyzed the structural integrity of the building.

Education program analysis and pupil growth forecasting were done by Dr. Arthur Wagman of Merrimack Educational Center.  The research into the population trends were done with the assistance of many Town departments including the Assessors, Board of Health, School Department, as well as the State Census Bureau.

FINDINGS

Physical Plant Analysis

During the 1985 renovation attention was given to the exterior of the building.  One striking and important observation that was made is that the building finishes have been well maintained.  However, the plumbing and mechanical systems while well maintained, are generally from the 1954 era and most are at the end or have long surpassed their useful lives.  Since the original construction, codes have changed and there are many areas where the building is not code compliant, including handicapped access, plumbing, mechanical (ventilation), fire protection, and electrical.

The exterior, including walls, windows and roofs, must be updated to improve the integrity of the envelope and to improve the inside environment as well.  Although the quantity of exterior glazing was reduced substantially in 1985, the original single pane wood and steel windows remain.  The windows are aging and are in poor condition and as such have become a very costly and time consuming maintenance item.  The rubber membrane roofs are approaching the end of the warranty period and replacement, including insulation, should be considered. 

Asbestos containing materials exist throughout the building.  All asbestos has been well documented and there are no health risks posed to the occupants.  If renovation is proposed, the asbestos would have to be abated at that time.

It should be noted and highlighted that there are major building components such as the boilers, unit ventilators, waste piping, electric service panels, emergency generators, etc., that are at the end of their useful lives.  Therefore, as part of this overall study, major items will be identified and prioritized as needing work performed immediately. (Within the next year to 3 years.)
Pupil Population Study

The school department data anticipates a student population rise to approximately 1,400 students in 2010.  This was confirmed by the findings of Dr. Arthur Wagman.  This population will be evaluated in the context of the curriculum requirements and existing physical space capacities. Also, existing core facilities, including the library, cafeteria, physical education, guidance, health and administration will be analyzed with the focus on meeting the program needs for a 1,400 student High School.

Recognition must be given to the fact that current utilization of classroom spaces is markedly divergent from the initial design due to current teaching needs such as computer labs, special education classrooms, dedicated program space, collaborative spaces, and preschool spaces, none of which existed when the building was first constructed.  Therefore, although the square footage of the high school has remained the same, current space usages have changed with technology demands and changing teaching methods.

PRELIMINARY CONCLUSIONS

Required/Recommended Alterations

Two major factors that require action are the need to comply with current codes and the need to address major building components which have surpassed their useful life expectancies that are now a constant strain on the maintenance staff, as well as a constant and growing drain from the fiscal maintenance budget. 

Although many deficiencies do not need to be addressed until a major project is proposed, handicapped access codes and the ADA law do require that efforts to make the building accessible be continuous and ongoing.  Recent projects have included making various floors linked for wheelchair accessibility and program accessibility, however, the barriers throughout the entire building remain and should be addressed.  There is an extremely limited amount of accessible hardware throughout the building, clearance at classroom doors is not adequate for wheelchairs, very few toilet rooms are accessible and locker rooms are not accessible.  Although there are several existing ramps in the building, they are too steep to be negotiated by a wheelchair user and do not meet the access code.  Signage, fire alarms, site access, drinking fountains all need to be reviewed and a remedy provided to allow handicapped access.

The major plumbing, mechanical and electrical components are 47 years old and are showing signs of failure.  These should be a priority for repair/replacement within the next 1-3 years.

NEXT STEPS

The teachers, staff and students are being polled for their input as to the adequacy of the existing building.  Likewise, their input into what priorities should be considered for possible additions is being evaluated.  Interviews with various boards in town including the Building Department, Police and Fire Departments, Plumbing, Sewer, Board of Health, Conservation Commission have started and will continue in order to gain their input for this study.  

The educational consultant is in the process of establishing the program needs and will establish the space demands and requirements that need to be handled over the next 10 years.

The overall cost estimates to perform all of the required renovations are ongoing but are expected to be within previous stated ranges.  The final report shall isolate the costs to repair/replace the mechanical components mentioned in the Physical Plant Analysis section of this Status Report.  

The study and report shall be completed by the end of December 2000.