Questions & Answers - General

1. What does “owner’s representative estimates of pre-conceptual options and costs” mean?

RESPONSE: An owner’s representative is a professional service that ensures that building and facility owners’ best interests are represented in every decision and throughout each stage of the project from conception to construction and close out. The Methacton School District hired D’Huy Engineering of Bethlehem PA. In the February 20, 2024 presentation to the Board, The owner’s representative presented four preconceptual options with estimated costs for the Board consideration in the next steps to develop a comprehensive campus plan. The Owner’s representative applied recent costs for similar projects to the options. These preconceptual options allow the Board to see a range of costs associated with each option.

2. Who calculated the referendum threshold? Where can we find it?

RESPONSE: The calculation was made by the district’s financial advisor Public Financial Management (PFM). That information can be found here.

3. Is there a listing of what is included in the $70M minimum cost?

RESPONSE: See chart below

4. For option 1,

a. What % is 278K square feet of the total HS square feet?

RESPONSE: It is approximately 86% given the current sq’ of HS at 320,000 sq’

5. How intrusive is an option 1 renovation in occupied schools (phasing discussion)?

RESPONSE: One way to recognize the estimated impact of intrusion in each option is to see the “Phasing Costs” listed on the detailed preconceptual options. Option 1 has a phasing estimated cost of $5M, option 2 is $5M, option 3 is $7.5M and option 4 has $250K. Option 3 is considered the most intrusive and option 4 the least.

6. What is MEP?

RESPONSE: Mechanical (M), Electrical (E), Plumbing (P)

7. What does $215 per square foot renovation cost get you?

RESPONSE: This is a square-foot estimate that reflects recent renovation costs for similar projects per square foot. The specific details of a renovation are identified in the facilities assessment report as well as other cosmetic matters. You can find the facilities assessment report here.

8. Will asbestos removal impact the students?

RESPONSE: Asbestos removal, if needed, will take place under the safety practices outlined in Federal law and is often done in summer months outside the window of normal student or other public access.

9. HVAC vs. MEP?

RESPONSE:

HVAC – means Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning

MEP – means Mechanical Electrical and Plumbing

10. Has your firm prepared an estimate to repair the pool?

RESPONSE: There are reports on the issues associated with the pool with most recent found here. The district has asked D’Huy Engineering to provide a review of the pool conditions and to issue recommendations on how to best address the matters. There are no specific costs provided to address the pool at this time.

11. What would be the number of seats in the new auditorium?

RESPONSE: There have not been definitive determinations on seating count. Feedback from the Methacton High School Campus Planning Committee range from seating for 800-1600. Furthermore, the seating in auditorium is associated with seating in other spaces including the gymnasium. The challenge is that there are no spaces in the high school to bring the entire student body together. This is feedback that we need to consider in greater detail.

12. Could a balcony be added to the existing auditorium?

RESPONSE: It has not been determined at this time if one could or could not be added.

13. Will 2000 students fit into the 4a sq ft?

RESPONSE: Option 4A is estimated at 308,000 sq’ for 1,700 students.

14. Where would the new classrooms in option 3 be located?

RESPONSE: This requires engagement of an architect to demonstrate the best location(s) for classrooms.

15. Is there a plan that shows how the options extend the life of the building?

RESPONSE: The extended life of the building will be dependent upon two things:

1.The manufacturer’s warranty/life cycle of products/equipment installed

2.The number, type, location, flexibility, and purpose of spaces within the building to deliver the instructional program today

and in the future.

16. Where would the new school be built on the existing campus?

RESPONSE: The district will engage an architect to provide recommendations in the development of the three concept designs assuming option 4 is further developed to determine where a new school can be built.

17. Can the admin office be relocated to the Audubon School?

RESPONSE: The Audubon School is currently being prepared for demolition.

18. What is the current capacity at sewer plant?Why is it necessary to move it offsite?

RESPONSE: The high school sewer plant is permitted for 27,000 gallons per day. There are a number of advantages to eliminating the existing sewer plant.

i. Eliminate environmental liability for the school district

ii. Add space on the property for other uses

iii. Reduce energy costs and operation and maintenance (O&M) costs

iv. Eliminate planned capital improvement costs

v. Eliminate unplanned emergency repair costs

vi. Eliminate sludge hauling costs

vii. Eliminate regulation, permitting, and reporting costs

19. For options 3 and 4, the plan is to move the district admin into the high school. Given the potential for intruders into schools, what is the rationale for putting the decision makers in a potential crisis in the same space as the intruder / hostage situation?

RESPONSE: There are a number factors to consider in making a final determination with these two options. Safety and emergency response is certainly one of the most critical along with efficiency and cost savings potential. Further review of this is certainly required.

20. Does options 1-3 remedy the water infiltration issues in classrooms?

RESPONSE: There are several classrooms that have water infiltration challenges. Those challenges need further investigation prior to assuming that they are or are not included in the said preconceptual options at the estimated costs outlined. It is certainly going to be a priority if choosing these options to address water infiltration wherever possible.

21. What concerns us is the lack of detailed quantitative or professional analysis of the current condition of the school, the educational benefits and drawbacks of the four options presented, or any context for / illustration of how the committees conclusions were reached.

RESPONSE: The organization, process, and outcomes from of the Methacton High School Campus Planning Committee is clearly outlined here. The final report from the Methacton High School Campus Planning Committee can be found here.

22. Projected enrollment for the next 50 years, and the basis for the projection. Will a new building (or renovated building) be the right size going forward? Which options are more flexible if the projections turn out to be incorrect?

RESPONSE: The current enrollment projections are for the next 10 years and can be located here. The current high school is a combination of the original junior high and high schools. This now has a capacity for 2,150 students. Using options 3 and 4, the district can right-size the building to accommodate a student population of about 1,700.

23. Inspection reports of school systems deemed in need of renovation (such as the HVAC system) documenting in detail their inadequacies, failings, and needed improvements.

RESPONSE: The 2023 Facilities Assessment with Conditions report for the high school, administrative building, and transportation garage were accepted by the district. A summary of the outcome is provided here.

24. Can parking issues be managed other than by expanding parking lots? Can events be scheduled differently, or driving among students curtailed to those who strictly need to drive independently? Better “late bus” options?

RESPONSE: Parking recommendations were reviewed by a subcommittee of the Methacton High School Campus Planning Committee and can be found here.

25. What are the average ages of the buildings here?

RESPONSE: The high school was constructed in 1961 and the administration building in 1965.

26. Cost of pool and auditorium looks to be $?? Based on the two options?

RESPONSE: The pool and auditorium construction costs listed in the February 20, 2024 presentation are approximately $15M.

27. What would happen to the current pool and auditorium spaces?

RESPONSE: While we need specific architectural recommendations, it is estimated that the auditorium would be rebuilt with options 2 and 3 in place and the pool would be built on the perimeter of the building to allow for greater accessibility and use by students and the school community. Options 2 and 3 would then allow the building to recoup space for other program spaces.

28. What are the advantages of doing away with the Farina building?

RESPONSE: The Farina Admin Building will require $1.9M in renovation/improvements. The building operates on its own systems (HVAC, etc.) and requires regular maintenance. Lastly, the removal of the building avoids the renovation costs and ongoing maintenance and energy costs while freeing up space for parking and allowing the district and building offices to support each other where and when appropriate.

29. How did the visited schools populations compare to ours?

RESPONSE: We visited Pottsgrove and Upper Merion, both having slightly smaller student populations. We visited Avon Grove who is planning their high school for 1,700 students, which is about 100 more than Methacton has at the current time.

30. Relationship with NMTCC considered in this project?

RESPONSE: Our relationship with North Montco Technical Career Center is strong. They are currently having issues with space in their building. Where and when appropriate, the district will consider options to support our students and this program when considering options 4A & 4 B.

31. Capacity and enrollment, if it’s 2150 in this building, are there empty classrooms here now?

RESPONSE: There are no empty rooms. Some rooms are empty at certain times of the days based on schedule. There are rooms not used due to water infiltration. There are rooms used for storage, because there is little available storage.

32. Grants: It looks like PA has a couple of programs for reimbursement. Plancon?

RESPONSE: PlanCon is an acronym for Planning and Construction Workbook, and is a set of forms and procedures used to apply for reimbursement. The forms are designed to: (1) document a local school district's planning process; (2) provide justification to the public for a project; (3) ascertain compliance with state laws, regulations, and standards; and (4) establish the level of state participation in the cost of the project. Currently, no new applications are being accepted and the state legislature has not funded new projects for over last 15 years.

33. How long is the longevity of these earlier options?Would we be back here doing this again in 10 years for a renovation?

RESPONSE: Each option has a level of longevity in terms of the life span of the equipment and products used in renovation/new construction. Each will require future investments in terms of replacements once they reach their end of life. The challenge is determining if the replacements should incorporate improvements to address the recommendations outlined by the campus planning committee. This means that investments are or are not being made with consideration to the future, solving of the identified challenges, and potentially limiting operational and programmatic value for the next 50 years.

34. We were shown the infamous “Heat Map” in the forum. Were the metrics used to color code the map based upon subjective “Gut” feel by one of our consultants? Was the decision purely subjective?

RESPONSE: The Heat Map is designed to visually represent what is reasonable to accomplish given the option and priorities.

35. Were members of the Methacton High School Planning Commission instructed to create a wish list of “Big Ideas”?

RESPONSE: The Methacton High School Planning Committee was asked to provide recommendations from each of the 11 subcommittee topic areas. The recommendations were to be summarized as big ideas on large Post-it pads for sharing with fellow committee members.

36. Were those “Big Ideas” than prioritized by Superintendent, the District and/or the Committee?

RESPONSE: All 63 recommendations were prioritized by committee vote.

37. Were those “Big Ideas” then used to create the “Heat Map”?

RESPONSE: The recommendations were used to create the priorities listed on the heat map.

38. Is the Heat Map a compilation of “Big Ideas”?

RESPONSE: The heat map is designed to visually represent what is reasonable to accomplish given the option and priorities.

39. Please explain why voting on a path forward for a new High School (Option 4), while completely ignoring all of the other more cost-effective alternatives, is not locking us into building a New High School?

RESPONSE: Options 1, 2, and 3 are estimated to be less costly and at the same time address fewer of the priorities.

40. Why would the District and/or the Board invest roughly $150,000 to develop Option 4 and then abandon it?

RESPONSE: The district needs to proceed further with one of the four options. It will cost the district more to explore effectively options 1, 2, and 3. To this end, the option that addresses nearly all the Methacton High School Campus Planning Committee recommendations is option 4.

41. How do you know that moving forward on Option 1, Option 2 and/or Option 3 are not better and more cost effective options compared to moving forward on Option 4? Could you provide us with the information?

RESPONSE: Options 1, 2, and 3 are estimated to be less costly and at the same time address fewer of the priorities.

42. Where did the $380 per square foot figure used to calculate the $119,914,40 replacement value of the High School come from?

RESPONSE: Bureau Veritas conducted the calculations.

43. How accurate is the estimate of $380 per square foot in the calculation of the Replacement value?

RESPONSE: Bureau Veritas is a national firm that regularly conducts these types of calculations.

44. Is the $380 per square foot figure used to calculate the $119,914,40 replacement value of the High School estimate or an actual cost?

RESPONSE: Bureau Veritas is a national firm that regularly conducts these types of calculations and did so based on their methodology.

45. Does the $119,914,40 replacement value of the High School include all soft costs, inflation and/or escalation similar to those found in Options 4A and 4B?

RESPONSE: The replacement cost is the amount it costs to replace the school with same equipment, features, and materials.

46. Can you provide the public with the data used to calculate the $380 per square foot figure?

RESPONSE: Bureau Veritas conducted the calculations based on their methodology.

47. Can you provide the public with all of the calculations used to obtain the $380 per square foot figure?

RESPONSE: Bureau Veritas is a national firm that regularly conducts these types of calculations.