Holyoke school building receives temporary certificate of occupancy; finish work, window tests continue

The Holyoke City School Building Committee received a construction update reporting that the new school building has been issued a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO), allowing furniture move‑in while final construction, testing and commissioning continue.

Committee members were told the contractor, Fontaine, missed its original contract completion date of July 1 and that the project team is now tracking a substantial completion date of July 28. Administrative staff are scheduled to move in on Aug. 11, teachers on Aug. 13 and a ribbon cutting is planned for Aug. 14; the district anticipates the first day of school around Aug. 25 (date discussed but not finalized in the meeting).

The update emphasized active work on exterior site items and interior finishes: landscaping, bituminous walks, concrete plaza work, ceiling and acoustical installations, gym equipment, classroom displays and much of the furniture and loose equipment already delivered to the site. Construction management reported ongoing start‑up and commissioning of rooftop units, the fire alarm and communication systems, and planned training for building operations staff.

Committee members were briefed on windows testing and related delays. Under the project specifications a sample of windows is subject to intensive water- and air‑infiltration testing (the project team said the testing requirement equates to roughly 2 windows per 25% installed). Some windows initially failed water infiltration tests; the team said most failed units have been remediated and retested and that only one window remained failing at the time of the meeting. The windows are triple-glazed units manufactured by Pella, and the contractor and subcontractors have been coordinating remediation and retesting with the testing agency.

Fontaine and Pella have offered an extended warranty covering workmanship and periodic inspections beyond standard product warranties. The district told the committee it will receive a written summary of the pros and cons of accepting the extended warranty before a final decision is made.

Committee members discussed the practical effects of the window issues. Construction staff said the windows passed air‑infiltration tests and that normal weather has not produced leaks during recent heavy rain. The team described the water test as an intentionally exaggerated condition used to expose small defects so they can be corrected before occupancy.

On cost responsibility, the committee was reminded that Fontaine is contractually responsible for project delays past the contract date; the district may seek consequential damages for costs it incurs that are attributable to late delivery (for example, expenses tied to temporary food service arrangements if culinary areas were unavailable). Committee members said they are tracking any district costs that result from the delay.

Technology, elevator commissioning and final permitting remain critical path items. The team reported schedules for populating network closets and hanging classroom displays; however, the committee was warned that internet service activation and wireless configuration require separate vendor coordination and could extend past initial target dates. Elevator final inspection and permitting were described as likely to occur in late July, with official elevator inspection and final occupancy permit to follow.

The committee noted ongoing furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) deliveries are being staged to avoid interfering with finish work; district staff have allowed temporary warehousing to facilitate this coordination. Members confirmed the committee will meet again on Aug. 14, the day of the ribbon cutting, and maintain scheduled meetings in September and October while closeout work proceeds.

Votes at a glance: The committee unanimously approved the minutes from the prior meeting and later unanimously approved adjournment. (Motions were made and seconded during the meeting; no roll‑call tallies were recorded in the transcript.)