Planning & Design Meetings 12/8/2010 - Minutes
FSC Meeting
Palo Alto High School
08 December 2010
Page 1
PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL
Palo Alto Unified School District
FACILITIES STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING
DATE: 08 December 2010, 3:30 – 5:00 pm
SUBJECT: Palo Alto HS Facilities Steering Committee
ATTENDEES: Sign-in sheet (attached)
The following are the highlights of the meeting:
1. Introductions:
Tom Hodges (TH) welcomed the committee and initiated the meeting.
Construction Update (Multi Purpose Field):
2. Heidi Rank (HR) noted that the following changes came from a meeting with the
Landscape Subcommittee:
One third of the planting island between parking spaces would be paved with
permeable pavers over rock base for a cost increase of approximately $7,000.
Ten trees were added at a cost increase of approximately $1,000.
3. Mary Gordon (MG) added that the pavers will minimize maintenance and give the
trees more root room to breathe.
4. TH noted that the project budget could handle this cost increase but he wanted the
group to be aware of the proposed changes.
Construction Update (Group 1, Site Logistics Plan)
5. HR handed out a Building Construction site plan that delineated the construction
coordination required for the Group 1 projects during the 2011-2012 school year.
HR covered the following:
Over 60 bike spaces within the construction zone will be lost and the gates at
the bike path along Caltrain will be closed.
Access around the track side to the Corp Yard will be limited to emergency
vehicles.
Pedestrian passageway to the crosswalk at Embarcadero would be preserved.
A portion of the parking lot adjacent to the path would be fenced and gated for
construction parking and storage.
About 67 parking spaces will be taken for construction purposes.
FSC Meeting
Palo Alto High School
08 December 2010
Page 2
6. Group discussion followed:
Stephen Pond (SP) noted that he felt the construction zone shown (green) on
the site plan was too small and optimistic.
Stephen Sowa (SS) asked if there were plans to restore damaged areas within
the construction zone. HR replied that yes these areas would be repaired.
Performing Arts Center (Project Status):
7. Erwin Lee (EL) updated the committee on the status of the Performing Arts Center
(PAC) and handed out a PAC Budget Review. EL noted that PAC subcommittee
had agreed to present the FSC with 4 PAC options including:
No. 1: original enlarged program with 2 classrooms and lots of storage.
No. 2: first pass of reductions reduces the program but not the functionality.
No. 3: option 2 with changes in functionality such as re-allocation of equipment
to FF&E, manual orchestra pit in lieu of mechanical, defer landscaping, revise
lighting spec, simplify lobby ceilings, exterior plaster downgrade, lower
mechanical well, simplify interior walls at house, eliminate balcony seating,
create additive alternates, reduce number of line sets at stage.
No. 4: redesign project to a single story structure that falls within budget.
8. TH noted that the option 3 is the base PAC project. He recounted that shortly after
the last FSC meeting, Kevin Skelly (KS) and Phil Winston (PW) met to discuss the
budget overrun of the PAC. KS had indicated that an acceptable increase would be
approximately $23.4 million or the sum of the original budget figure of $17.7 plus the
CTE Grant that totals $5.7 million. His message was to bring the project cost within
this amount and avoid option 4 as the project was too far down the road to reverse it
now.
9. TH noted that given the situation, he recommends that schematic design be
suspended for 11 months in order to implement a fund raising effort. As construction
of the PAC cannot begin till summer of 2013 or when the Media Arts and Classroom
buildings are complete, the design process can be delayed without impact. Come
November of 2011 DLM will receive direction to proceed with either option 3, 2 or
even 1 depending on the success of the fund raising efforts. A PAC preliminary
schedule was handed out.
10. EL gave a power point presentation of the PAC and made the following points:
Original Scheme B is very much like option 2 with the program intact.
First floor lobby was initially reduced by 4 feet but then enlarged by 2 feet in
order to fit seating for events. There is a strong desire that it retain a multi-use
aspect. A seating/table layout (128 seats) was shown.
New Basement plan has less area but still retains an approximate 380 SF room
for piano and storage.
FSC Meeting
Palo Alto High School
08 December 2010
Page 3
New Site plan shows that the scope of the site improvements has been reduced
and the entry plaza is now an additive alternate.
11. Discussion followed:
Paul Kandell (PK) asked if the plaza could be done by fund raising. TH noted
that yes it could.
SP noted that the plaza was quite important as it was the theater entryway.
SP asked how the PAC subcommittee took the reduction in scope. TH noted
that there were both negative and positive reactions. Holly Ward (HW) added
that the committee was disappointed but understood that the scope had
increased from the original discussions. They also understood that many items
on the list for option 3 could be added back with fund raising.
Performing Arts Center (Fundraising and Next Steps):
12. TH noted that the project was on schedule to be presented to the BOE in January
and permission will be asked to use option 3 as the base project, proceed with fund
raising, and resume the design process in 11 months.
13. HW noted that the first step in fund raising will take 3 months and will entail
engaging an expert, finding out how involved the committee will be and how close
they need to monitor the process.
14. Discussion followed:
Stu Berman (SB) noted that he‘s done fund raising before and it seems to him
that the scope of this is do-able.
PK expressed concern that if the CTE grant does not materialize the Media Arts
Center will also be in need of fund raising and was concerned with competing
with the PAC.
SP noted that large donors will need to be in place within the first 6 months and
that ¾ of the total should come from them. Only after this should the general
public can be solicited for funds.
TH noted that the FSC would be given status reports on the fund raising efforts.
Stadium Renovation Project (project review):
15. EL noted that the project is now called the Athletic Field Improvements and gave a
power point presentation of the latest plans and noted the updates:
Home bleachers will have a capacity of 1704 and visitor bleachers will
accommodate 794 spectators.
A center stair at the Home bleacher was added for safety and the access ramp
was reconfigured for a better access and entry.
Existing trees and memorial are located in the Picnic area
FSC Meeting
Palo Alto High School
08 December 2010
Page 4
The interim site plan has been coordinated with the master plan design when
the field will have a strong relation to the rest of the campus.
The gateway from the Churchill parking area is aligned with the sycamore trees
and the access of El Camino.
Stadium Renovation Project (schedule):
15. EL noted that the project has been divided into two to expedite the bleacher work
but the goal is to finish both by fall of 2012:
o New Bleachers and site improvements (including jump pits and accessible
parking).
o New Concessions Building and site improvements (including entry tower,
fencing/gateways, plaza and picnic area).
16. Group discussion followed:
TH noted that a track resurfacing (maintenance) project is required and EL
noted that ideally this would happen right after the installation of the bleachers.
PW noted that the timing of the work must happen to least affect downtime
preferably between January and June as well as summer.
EL noted that the bleachers can go up in 100 days or within the summer.
Jerry Berksen (JB) asked if the track can be used during the bleacher install and
EL noted that he thought it could.
TH noted that at the February BOE meeting the complete schematic design will
be presented and will seek approval.
17. Aimee Lopez (AL) noted that the next Stadium Renovation committee meeting will
occur tomorrow, December 9th.
Public Comments
18. An audience member asked if there was a fund raising target amount for the PAC.
TH noted that between $2.2 and 2.8 million was needed for option 3 and to get back
to option 2, $6.6 million would be necessary.
Next Steps:
Next FSC meeting dates are January 5th, February 2nd, March 2nd, and
March 30th.
END
Prepared by Christopher Ades of Deems Lewis McKinley. Please advise in writing if you feel that any of the
above items are inaccurate.
cc: Attendees, File