Pell Committee Looks to Save $300,000 in Project Modifications

The projected total cost estimate of the future Pell Elementary School came in $316,000 over the alotted $30 million, according to a recent development design cost estimate. The Pell Building Committee spent their meeting on Tuesday looking at ways to pare down costs of materials and construction to close the gap.

Although unable to officially vote on the matter, the members present at the meeting agreed to consider changing the gym floor to a resilient surface other than wood due to upkeep costs, reducing playground equipment, using asphalt shingles as opposed to metal, possibly using Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU) blocks as part of the exterior construction and using jumbo brick instead of traditional brick for the exterior as well.

The committee agreed it would be in the best interest of the school to keep the clerestory on the gym for additional natural light. They also agreed to keep the 13 individual small group study rooms, keep the gym at a regulation size and to keep the overhead recirculation ventilation at the cafeteria and gym. Predicted savings totaled $236,000.

Items already anticipated as accepted in the total cost estimates include reducing the clerestory windows, eliminating motorized shades at the clerestory, changing granite curbing to concrete, privately funding community gardens and reducing kitchen equipment. The recommended items totaled an estimated value of $148,300.

The discrepancy between the March 16 schematic design cost estimate and the May 18 design development cost estimate came from a $1 million jump in construction costs. The latter cost estimate projected elementary school construction would cost approximately $17.8 million due to rising steel and metal costs, while the previous estimate projected only $16.8 million. Both estimates projected furniture, fixtures and expenses at $866,000, and design estimates projected lower fees and expenses.

One of the most discussed line items was the material that should be used during exterior construction. HMFH architect Laura Wernick proposed either traditional brick or large concrete-like CMU blocks. Other committee members were in favor of the cost-saving jumbo bricks. 

Wernick said the use of jumbo brick tends to created a distorted view of a building to eyes accustomed to the size of traditional bricks, especially in a city like Newport that has many traditional brick buildings. She would rather use the traditional material or deviate towards another material completely, rather than using an unauthentic variation of brick, she said. 

Superintendent John Ambrogi said the cost-saving benefit seemed to outweigh the cons of the appearance of the jumbo bricks, which may be less noticeable due to the large scale of the school. Members used the as an example of a building constructed from the jumbo brick. 

Committee member Jo Eva Gaines also said it was important to keep the regulation-sized gym to keep the school a community resource that all Newport residents could use.