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Date: 6/11/2019
CHICOPEE – Work on the $11 million City Hall renovation and improvement project is well under way as a tour of the building on June 7 amply illustrated.
Rob Alger of NV5, the owner’s project manager, along with Lee Pouliot, director of Planning & Development, guided reporters through the construction area that included stops on the fourth floor – where new restrooms are being constructed – to the installation of new elevators to the City Hall Auditorium and the exterior of the building.
Pouliot said the project is “a balancing act because this is a historic building.”
Although not on the tour, the iconic clock tower is also being renovated. Alger said that while the tower is “structurally pretty good,” the bricks would be repointed. The original clock will be replaced by three new clocks that will appear historically accurate. The original weathervane would be removed and replaced by a replica. Alger added the weathervane would be part of a historic display in the auditorium.
In the auditorium, Alger pointed out how the curve in back of the stage will be eliminated. The stage is gone and in fact the original stage was found underneath it.
Alger said the work on the auditorium is on schedule. “There is no hurry to rush the auditorium because we want it done right,” he said.
The ceiling will be removed to correct issues and there will be new lighting installed. Pouliot explained the original lights for the room were gas lights that also served as a heating source. The flames that provided the light also heated metal plates to warm the room.
Pouliot said there would be recessed LED lights installed as well as a custom-made chandelier based on the original gas light.
There will be a radiant heated floor for the space, he added.
The stained glass windows are being restored and will be brought back with protection from the elements by a storm window for each. The restored windows will be illuminated at night from within so passersby will see them.
When completed the auditorium will be able to hold about 300 people, Alger said.
Alger also noted the entire building will have a new computerized heating and cooling controls.
“Controlling the building with the old system was impossible,” Alger said. He added of the entire project, “A lot of the work is unseen.”
All of the windows in City Hall and the Annex will be replaced with modern energy-efficient windows, Alger said.
On the building’s exterior, damaged bricks are being replaced. City Hall’s slate roof is “pretty decent,” Alger said. There will be some repairs made, though.
The following is a step-by-step list of the work that is being undertaken as part of the renovation project:
Weeks One/Two
• Relocation of staff breakroom to former HR file room
• Beginning and ongoing of demolition: staff breakroom/third and fourth floor bathrooms
• Annex basement abatement work - completed
• Closure and development of staging area between City Hall and Old Library
• Photo documentation of stained-glass windows in preparation for removal
• Plumbing work including cut/cap of old plumbing in third and fourth floor bathrooms; layout of new sewer stack in these facilities
• HVAC work including cut/cap of old heating lines in third and fourth floors bathrooms; layout of new lines in these facilities
• Removal of ductwork in the clock tower, third and fourth floor bathrooms, and auditorium
• Disconnection of electrical in auditorium & installation of temporary electrical service
• Installation of safety rails in the clock tower/removal of clock weights from tower
• Mock-ups of cleaning and cutting techniques for exterior masonry/surveying of stone on City Hall main building
Weeks Three/Four
• Demolition and removal of third and fourth floor bathroom floors
• Abatement of stained-glass window openings - north side of building
• Removal of stained-glass windows - north side of building
• New pipe installation for roof drains, temporary bathroom piping installation, layout of new sewer stacks in bathrooms
• Layout of new HVAC lines – 1st floor hallway
• Mark-out of locations for new thermostats in hallways and offices
• Installation of conduits for new control wiring
• Installation of ductwork on fourth floor & auditorium
• Installation of cable, security conduit and sleeves on the 1st floor – main building
• Stone surveying and mock-ups of brick/stone cleaning & cutting - exterior of both buildings
• Auditorium demolition of stage, stairs, and mezzanine
• Installation of return air duct drops on the first and second in the Annex and first floor of main building
Weeks Five/Six
• Ongoing demolition & removal - third and fourth floor bathroom floors (saw cutting of new doorway openings)
• Mark-out of locations for new thermostats in hallways and offices
• Radiator control valve replacements
• Installation of copper mains for auditorium radiant floor heating
Installation of ductwork in auditorium attic
• Installation of wiring for fire alarms in basement and Annex - fourth floor
• Temporary window protection for removed stained-glass windows
• Installation of protective fencing and jersey barriers at Annex Parking Lot and Front and Springfield Streets
• Masonry cleaning - south facades of both buildings
• Abatement of stained-glass windows - south side of the building
• Elevator equipment removal - Annex roof
• Removal of stained glass windows - north side of building
• Carriers and new water pipe installation in third and fourth floor bathrooms
• Installation of conduits for new control wiring - second floor of Annex & first floor of City Hall
• Rough wiring installation for fire alarms - fourth floor and third floor – Annex
• Floor infill installation – third and fourth floors – Annex
• Installation of new stair treads in Clock Tower
• Repointing of the brick on south side of Annex
Weeks Seven/Eight
• Ongoing elevator demolition and removal
• New water pipe installation in third and fourth floor bathrooms
• Installation of conduits for new control wiring - second floor of Annex and first floor of City Hall
• Wiring for control valves - fourth floor
• Valve replacements in Annex - attic and crawl space
• Rough wiring installation for fire alarms – first and second floors – both buildings
• Floor infill installation – third and fourth floors - Clock Tower
• Masonry cleaning, brick removal, and repointing – south façade of Annex
• Masonry washing and mortar removal – east façade of both buildings
• Installation of temporary roofing on Annex – where parapets are being rebuilt
• Framing of new walls in third and fourth floor bathrooms
• Patching and leveling of floors in third and fourth floor bathroom
Mayor Richard J. Kos said in a written statement, “City Hall was in need of extensive repairs and doing so now will prevent further deterioration and potential structural collapses of stonework from occurring. Completing the project now minimizes the potential for increased costs if further deterioration occurs.”