Committee approves $10.31 million GMP amendment for Rowayton School HVAC improvements

The Land Use and Building Management Committee voted May 5 to authorize Mayor Harry W. Rilling to execute a guaranteed maximum price amendment with Newfield Construction Group LLC for the Rowayton School HVAC improvement project in the amount of $10,308,938. Committee members voted unanimously.

Staff described the Rowayton work as one of six school HVAC projects submitted for a state reimbursement grant; staff said the state covers 60 percent of the eligible costs for these projects. The committee approved the GMP only for Rowayton at this meeting because bids for several of the other schools—Marvin, Brian McMahon, Silvermine, and Naramec—came in over budget and are still under scope review.

A presenter identified as Jim (staff member) told the committee the Rowayton package includes electrical and HVAC equipment replacements, a new building management system to replace an old pneumatic control system, and that a separate boiler replacement had already been procured to ensure delivery before the summer. “We have a boiler replacement at Rowayton, which we want to get done this summer. We previously purchased the boiler separate from the GMP number that you see here,” Jim said, explaining that the early procurement was to secure equipment delivery.

The committee approved the amendment to allow the project to proceed; staff said they will return with the other projects once scopes and budgets are reconciled.

What happens next: the city will execute the GMP amendment for Rowayton, proceed with the planned summer work, and continue scope/budget negotiations for the remaining grant-funded school projects.