DRAFT – 11.9.03

 

Design Review Committee

City of Newton, MA

 

 

 

Comments on Newton North High School Feasibility Study

Study draft dated 9/17/03 with updates, presented by DRA Architects 11/04/03

 

The following summary outlines the collective comments of the Design Review Committee after consideration of the feasibility study, updates and discussion about the alternatives. The summary consists of two basic parts. The first part reviews factors of land planning and facilities development/renovation that were important in our discussions of all of the concepts. The second part highlights particular characteristics of the alternatives and lists pros and cons of each.

 

The factors listed below were developed understanding that an extensive list of considerations has been developed by the School Committee. This list is intended to supplement those factors and is focused on the planning, design and construction aspects of the alternatives.

 

 

 

Key Land Planning and Facilities Development/Renovation Factors

 

NNHS front door

            A new front door to NNHS is an important outcome of this project. Location of the front door relative to neighbors, community use, “Main Street” and building service functions are considerations.

 

Building Image

            The construction of a single new facility, or the combination of an addition and existing construction provides a great opportunity for a new image for NNHS. The massing, plan configuration and exterior envelope design approach will be key in the appeal of the overall building development. The concepts should be reviewed with an eye toward the construction and reconstruction of the school project as a cohesive whole when complete.

In each of the renovation options a significant portion of the existing building will be demolished along the Lowell Street façade. There is a tremendous opportunity to change and improve the overall image of NNHS with this project. A new entry, renovated and new building facades, and windows into programs and activity spaces will all add new life to the facility with any of the renovation options. Likewise, the landscape along this street will change with major opportunities for planting, circulation, seating and parking.

 

Future Site Development Options

            It is important to consider maximizing long-term development options for the site. Large parcels of city owned land are rare now, and as the city grows denser, the necessity for preserving future land development options becomes even greater. Some proposals spread out over more of the site than others and thereby impact future options in different ways.

 

Quality of Outdoor Spaces

            The analysis of a building-planning concept is sometimes overly focused on the building layout and may not adequately consider the “left over” spaces that a particular scheme causes. The addition options and the new construction alternatives have very different resultant outdoor spaces, the qualities of which are important to consider.


Design Review Committee

Comments on Newton North High School Feasibility Study

 

 

Athletic Fields/Courts

            Athletic fields to support the academic programs were reviewed. The options studied have a variety of impacts on current athletic fields – options include no change, loss, relocation, and/or reconfiguration of fields and courts.

 

Service Access/Parking

            Currently the major service access for the high school is on Lowell Street. In renovation scenarios it is considered too difficult and expensive to move due to its location central to major building functions such as the cafeteria and kitchen, which will remain in place. All renovation schemes plan for the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems in the vicinity of the current loading dock to remain in place. Additionally, the adjacent streets, Hull and Elm, were deemed too small to consider for the significant traffic and truck sizes required for this purpose.

            The impact on parking varies among alternatives; in no case are numbers of spaces reduced. In some cases parking lots are replaced with an addition and in all the renovation/addition options new spaces are developed on the Lowell Avenue edge.

 

Interface of existing and new construction, Town Center and Main Street

            In the renovation/addition scenarios much of the existing building area is comprised of common support spaces such as dining, library, theatre and the pool. These are spaces used by all students on a regular basis – these could be considered “Town Center” functions.  How and where a proposed new building addition meets the existing building was discussed. The connection of these is key to the organization of the plan, flow of students and staff, and the creation of a meaningful Town Center and how that connects to Main Street or other major circulation spline.

            The demarcation lines between existing construction and new construction are key junctures in construction. The size, location and configuration of these meeting points can result in quite different construction solutions. In order to maximize building longevity and durability these junctures need to be carefully detailed and constructed in future phases of the project.

 

Natural Light/ Environmental

            Options were reviewed for availability of natural light and ventilation to classrooms, workspaces and support spaces. Environmental considerations such as amount of building envelope were discussed – conditioning and heat loss issues increase with increased envelope area.

 

Plan flexibility

            The ability of an option to accommodate varying internal planning structures is important. The alternatives were considered for their ability to suit “houses” or “pods”, and for their potential to accommodate small and large meeting, learning and working spaces. The detailed planning of various layouts is a task appropriate for study after a concept has been selected – the goal at this point is to identify any scheme that might prevent future planning flexibility.

 

Design Review Committee

Comments on Newton North High School Feasibility Study

 

 

Constructability/Phasing

            Phasing and constructability were briefly reviewed. All schemes at this point are estimated to take 55 months to complete. In all options the new construction component is completed first, creating swing space for classrooms, followed by major demolition. Construction mitigation planning will be important to minimize the impact to the NNHS population, neighbors and the community.

 

Issues for Further Study

Several topics were discussed that will require further study as the alternative studies are concluded and an alternative is developed. Among the topics for further study are:

·         Underground utilities and subsoil conditions relative to planning concepts

·         Structural systems – compatibility of existing and planned

·         Soils and subsurface conditions for additions, site drainage

·         MEP system alternatives, equipment locations, alternative energy options

 

 

 

 

 

Option A/B/C1

Area

·   185K sf addition + 258K sf renovation

 

Cost

 

·   $84.7M const.

·   $400K stadium demo.

·   $1M bleachers

·   $650K synthetic track and field

 

Risks/ Potential Deal Breakers

 

·   Construction proximity to Elm Street  

·   Potential for awkward assembly of new and old construction

 

Considerations

Characteristics

Pros

Cons

 

NNHS front door

 

·   Planned at existing location

·   Location is major juncture of new and old construction at north side of site

·   In close proximity to community activities, theatre

·   Near important building juncture

·   Could easily be oriented to Lowell St.

·   Too close to Elm Street

·   Near important building juncture

Building Image

 

·   New Lowell Ave. façade, central wing flanked by 2 wings – athletic and classroom

·   Good options for Lowell Ave. facade

·   Awkward classroom addition configuration

Future Site Development Options

 

·   Semi-compact plan, develops western half of site

·   Half of site fully undeveloped by structures

·   Addition could be more compact

Quality of Outdoor Spaces

 

·   Unresolved spaces between new and old construction

·   Elm Street parking lot developed as classroom wing

·   Good options for Lowell Ave. space

·   Spaces between new and old wings partially protected from elements

·   Awkward spaces between new and old wings

·   Face of CR wing along Elm St. without any buffer

·   New wing juts into athletic areas

Athletic Fields/Courts 

 

·   Loss of soccer field

·   All other fields and courts as-is

·   Loss of soccer field

Service Access/Parking

 

·   New wing to be serviced from Elm

·   Parking at Elm now at Lowell

·    

·   Reduces parking and traffic along Elm

·   Service access logistics to new addition uncertain

Interface of existing and new construction, Town Center and Main Street

 

·   New wing attached at single, narrow point

·   Vertical Main Street

·   Meeting point of old and new near theatre entry

·   Limited options for old / new connections

·   Vertical Main Street least desirable

·   Town Center functions disconnected from Main Street

Natural Light / Environmental

·   Maximum natural light to CRs and common areas

·   New CR wing all new envelope area

·   Maximum natural light to CRs and common areas

·   Med. level new envelope area

·   Med. heat loss/gain with new envelope area

Plan flexibility

 

·   Classroom wings could be planned as houses or pods

·   Classroom wings could be planned as houses or pods

·   Classrooms not near common and support functions

Constructability/Phasing

 

·   Classroom wing construction stand alone

·    

·    

 

 

 

Option C2

Area:

·   225K sf addition + 179K sf renovation

 

 

·   $92.5M const.

·   stadium demo incl.

·   bleachers incl.

·   $650K for synthetic track and field

 

Risks/ Potential Deal Breakers

 

·   Most interface of new and old construction

·