Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Capital Projects topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board hears CS March HVAC audit, schedules design and a May vote on a 2026 capital reserve
Summary
CS March presented a districtwide HVAC audit and summer 2026 capital-project scope; the firm recommended ASHRAE-based prioritization of equipment replacements and identified PA/security upgrades and controls integration as health-and-safety priorities ahead of a May 19 public vote and a March board resolution.
Cohoes City School District officials on Feb. 11 heard a capital-project and HVAC-audit briefing from CS March and were given a preliminary schedule aimed at permitting and bidding work in time for construction to begin in summer 2026. Superintendent O'Shea introduced Greg Clokey and Paul Nickerson of CS March, who led the presentation.
CS March outlined the summer-2026 package as site lighting at Manor Lane and Pickett Way, hard‑surface refresh in the high‑school cafeteria courtyard, a new metal storage building, replacement of auditorium house lighting, and new walk‑in coolers at Lansing and the middle school. Designers said they plan to submit design drawings for permitting by the end of the month, with bidding targeted for April and May and construction beginning in summer 2026, with substantial completion of some elements before year’s end.
The audit team described three parallel tasks: a district inventory of mechanical equipment, on‑site verification of systems, and an assessment of which spaces currently have fresh‑air conditioning. Team members said they used ASHRAE life‑expectancy guidance to classify equipment into four priority tiers (priority 1 = far beyond normal life expectancy down to priority 4 = near end of life) and will combine those rankings with on‑site findings to produce an order‑of‑magnitude budget and a recommended phasing plan.
"We turned to ASHRAE," presenters said, citing industry life‑expectancy tables that guide replacement timing and budgeting. The firm stressed that field verification is ongoing and that priority rankings and cost estimates will be refined after site visits.
Presenters also flagged public‑address and security systems for inclusion in the 2026 capital plan: recommended upgrades included classroom message boards for PA functions, corridor speakers, larger message displays in public spaces, blue‑light notification stations, intrusion detection, cameras, and access control integration. The team said those elements are being treated as health‑and‑safety priorities that the board should consider as part of a capital‑reserve proposition. Staff asked the board to consider a March resolution so the district could support a May 19 public proposition; presenters said design and SED (State Education Department) review would follow if voters approve the reserve.
What’s next: the administration will return in March with a recommended resolution and refined priorities after CS March completes field verifications and more detailed pricing for PA/security scope and mechanical replacements.
