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Assembly hears plan to close skylight at North Star Elementary as part of roof project; ARB recommended solid roofing over glazing
Summary
The architectural review board and borough staff presented a change order to close the North Star Elementary skylight: replace glazing on the top and sides of the skylight with insulated steel panels while retaining gable-end windows; staff said the change should reduce leaks and heat loss but may require sprinkler and structural checks.
Borough staff and the architectural review board recommended a change to the North Star Elementary roof and skylight design at the May 8 work session aimed at stopping chronic leaks and reducing heat loss.
The proposed change (a contract change order to the North Star roof and skylight structural design) would remove the glazing from the top and sides of the skylight ' leaving the gable-end windows ' and close the opening with insulated steel panels and conventional roofing. Staff said the building's owner and the ARB reviewed the options and recommended the change to reduce future leaking and to provide a more durable roof assembly.
Facilities staff cautioned that removing the glazing and altering the roof plane could require sprinkler-system modifications and might affect interior clearance or structural details; they recommended an engineer review before larger structural work or removal of other elements. The building inspector and facilities director noted that warranties and long-term maintenance were considerations given prior roof problems at borough buildings; staff said the project will be part of a larger roofing contract that would include standard warranty work.
Assembly members asked whether the problems were concentrated in the glazing or reflected a larger roofing failure. Staff replied that the glazing and the roofing assembly both contributed to the leaks and that consolidating to a metal roof over the skylight would reduce the most frequent leak path while the overall roofing project will address membrane and flashing issues elsewhere on the roof.
The ARB previously voted to recommend the approach; staff framed the change order as a less-exposed, lower-maintenance solution given the building's likely change in use (the school has closed and the borough is considering alternative uses). The assembly did not take a formal vote at the work session; staff said the contract change order would be finalized as part of the next meeting's packet for formal action.
Ending: Facilities staff and the ARB recommended moving ahead with the skylight closure as part of the roofing project, with an engineer review to confirm sprinkler and structural implications and to finalize contract language and cost estimates.
