Architects outline facilities assessment, propose Moharimet addition; district staff to refine costs

The Oyster River Cooperative School District heard a detailed facilities assessment and conceptual plan at its Nov. 20 meeting from Novo Studio principals Anne Keter and Steve Lapote and a construction manager assisting on cost estimates.

Nut graf: The consultants recommended immediate, short-term and long-term repairs across three schools and presented a conceptual east-end addition at Moharimet Elementary to restore missing student-service spaces and add general-education classrooms; the presentation included an outline of prioritization, estimated escalations for multi-year capital planning, and a proposed phasing approach that would keep buildings occupied during construction.

The consultants said all three buildings are "well maintained" but show age-related system and finish needs. Short-term items include parking-lot and exterior repairs, replacement of worn vinyl tile, and mechanical and rooftop-equipment replacement. For Moharimet specifically, the team documented drainage and ponding at the main entrance, exterior masonry and caulking repairs, some rooftop metal-roof repairs and ventilation/boiler-room issues flagged by mechanical engineers. The report identified roughly 7,000 net square feet of missing or dysfunctional space at Moharimet (tutor rooms, dedicated ESOL and OT/PT spaces, an art room with kiln access and conference/tutor rooms).

Architects proposed building an east-end linear addition to maintain a perimeter ring of general-education classrooms and locate student-resource spaces inland in a new core so services are distributed and accessible across grades. "We could maintain an academic ring around the outside, get our 20 classrooms for general education, put the art room back where it was next to its kiln and recreate the East Commons," the presentation said. The scheme was presented as conceptual; designers emphasized the need for a detailed site survey and further design work.

The team described a staged construction approach intended to keep Moharimet occupied: an addition that could be built with minimal disruption, interior renovations phased across two summers and one school year, and coordination with the construction manager to sequence long-lead items and work during breaks. Steve Lapote described the district-wide outcomes as a physical assessment to support a 10-year capital spending plan and an educational space audit of the elementary schools.

Cost guidance in the draft report included a methodology for escalation: a base material-and-labor estimate is increased by a suite of project costs (general conditions, insurance, contingencies) and then escalated by category — immediate items (to be done within a year) used an added escalation of 4.5%; short-term items (2–5 years) used a higher escalation factor (an additional 22.5%); long-term items (6–10 years) carried an additional 45% on the baseline, the presenters said. The team cautioned that these are estimates and that further work with the construction manager (Bown Corporation representative Jesse Fant was present) will refine pricing.

Board members asked about long-lead items and logistics. Presenters said major mechanical rooftop units and some piping can have lead times and should be ordered in time to hold schedules, but they did not identify any immediate shortages requiring forced pre-purchase beyond standard project planning. The consultants also recommended addressing immediate safety and life-safety priorities first.

Ending: The consultants called the report a starting point for board discussion; staff and presenters said they will finalize pricing and return a revised, final report in about a week to support the district’s capital-planning and budget conversations.