Norwich school construction advances amid increased blasting, switchgear delays and a fallen tree complaint

The Norwich School Building Committee received progress reports on multiple school construction sites and discussed a string of schedule and site issues, including an uptick in blasting activity at the Greenville site, long lead times for electrical switchgear and a public complaint that a construction-related tree fell onto a private property.

CSG project staff told the committee that blasting frequency has increased in recent weeks. “We are blasting twice a day, almost every day now,” the CSG presenter said, reporting that activity and rock removal have ramped up and that the contractor had begun modular-block retaining-wall installation on the Greenville site. Downs Construction’s project manager, Kyle Ontini, said the project had completed 43 blasts as of the meeting and expected blasting to continue for approximately two months while undercutting and rock removal proceed.

The committee also reviewed procurement actions intended to reduce schedule risk for long-lead electrical equipment. CSG and the design team described an “early procurement package” for electrical switchgear, automatic transfer switches and emergency generators that would allow fabrication to begin before the larger building contract is awarded. The presenters said the state school-construction reimbursement rules require the state to review design documents before purchase; the early package narrows drawings and specifications so an electrical contractor can bid the electrical gear in advance.

CSG and construction staff discussed current delivery expectations for the primary switchgear. “They have a current ship date of mid-April right now,” one project speaker said, describing an eight-week improvement from earlier estimates but warning the items remain long-lead.

A member of the public, Heather Harris of Page Street, told the committee that a tree from the Greenville work area fell onto her property. “The tree came down from the Greenville project on my property,” Harris said in public comment. She said a contractor representative initially accepted responsibility but later told her the work was not the city’s responsibility; she said she was pursuing counsel and expected insurers and attorneys to be involved. Committee and staff members said the city and contractor had met with homeowners and with attorneys and insurance representatives, and that legal and insurance processes are proceeding off the public record.

Committee members pressed for more regular baseline-schedule updates linking blasting production and the planned concrete and foundation work. CSG said an updated baseline schedule was pending and that the team would report impacts if the schedule analysis shows a change to finish dates.

Project staff also reviewed site photographs and progress at Stanton (sometimes transcribed as “Stan” or “Stanley”), where structural steel erection and decking have advanced. The presenters walked the committee through interior-finish decisions, tile and durable wall finishes for toilet cores, and plans to present physical finish samples to school staff at a follow-up meeting.

On furniture and classroom equipment, the team said most classroom furniture will be procured via state contract to ensure local distribution and long-term durability; special-education and program-specific furniture decisions will be made with the school district’s special-education staff.

Why it matters: the pace of rock excavation and the availability of long-lead electrical equipment are schedule drivers for the first phase of the district’s school-construction program. The public complaint and the question of responsibility for the fallen tree also raised potential insurance and remediation costs that could affect homeowner relations and schedule coordination.

What’s next: staff said they will circulate an updated baseline schedule to the committee when available; the design team will continue PCR (project cost review) preparations for the next state review; and the contractor will continue to coordinate blasting and retaining-wall work with the design team and the city.