|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
SCC, Neptune Educators Break Ground For $22 Million Summerfield Elementary School
|
|
| Neptune Twp. (November 18, 2004) –
New Jersey Schools Construction Corporation (SCC) representatives and Neptune Township School District officials joined students, teachers and community supporters at a groundbreaking ceremony today to mark the start of construction of Summerfield Elementary School. The unique $22 million design-build project marks the final phase of a district-wide expansion SCC is fully funding and managing through New Jersey’s unprecedented $8.6 billion school construction program.
This is SCC’s first venture into design-build, a cost-effective approach that could save up to a year off the traditional process of design, bid and award while producing a 21st century school, according to John F. Spencer, Chief Executive Officer of the SCC created two years ago to streamline the construction of quality schools statewide. Spencer said, “I’m pleased with the way the school construction is progressing in Neptune Township. The work is representative of the strides that SCC – in step with district officials and the building trades – is making toward realizing our goal of providing top-flight facilities for our students throughout New Jersey.” School Superintendent Michael T. Lake stated, “Neptune Township's students, staff, Board of Education and the entire community are so proud to be breaking ground on the final facility project as was outlined in the district's approved Long Range Facility Plan. |
|
|
This event is the culmination of hard work by the SCC, the New Jersey Department of Education and district staff to prepare the best possible learning environments that will raise the level of instruction and achievement for Neptune's students. “Notably,” Lake added, “the school is the first design-build School that SCC has undertaken and embraces the sustainable and green building technologies that are so necessary to incorporate into today's construction.” Plans for the new Summerfield Elementary School call for the construction of a 109,000-square-foot, three-story barn-shaped building that will provide 21st century educational opportunities for up to 736 students in pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade.It will feature a farm-themed design incorporating LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) guidelines. Aside from traditional academic spaces, it will include a garden, with sections of the building exposed for students to study the various designs and materials used as part of their curriculum. |
 Superintendent Michael T. Lake |
|
Other projects in Neptune Township’s long-range facilities plan being fully funded and managed by SCC include: the recently opened Neptune Early Childhood Center ($7.4 million) and Neptune High School Annex ($5.5 million); the current expansion of Neptune High School ($47 million) and Shark River Hills Elementary School ($8.2 million); and the ongoing construction of Neptune Community School ($31 million.) SCC Board of Directors has awarded the Summerfield design-build contract to Patock Construction Company of Tinton Falls, NJ, which will work together with EI Associates, Architects and Engineers, of Cedar Knolls, NJ as one unit. SSP Architects of Somerville, NJ, will serve as bridging architect under a $249,500 contract to oversee the project and monitor its progress on behalf of SCC. Gilbane Building Company is the project management firm. Under the scope of the contract, Patock has agreed to complete the school within 22 months. Through the design-build approach, Patock and EI Associates will work as a team to evaluate alternative efficiencies, materials and concepts aimed at producing a higher quality facility and a lower cost. Time is saved for the project by an overlap in the construction and design processes. Since the design-build team has guaranteed the price and schedule ahead of time, it must meet both of these for additional costs savings. Traditionally a school project design takes 12 to 15 months, and construction another 22 months, with building materials obtained throughout the process. Using the design-build approach where the construction and design process overlap, design time can be halved and construction accelerated up to 75 percent using pre-purchased materials. This means the entire process could be completed in 22 months – since the foundation, enclosure and other construction can be done and ready for finishing while the design is in progress. The design-build approach provides SCC with a single source of responsibility for quality, cost and scheduling control. It is becoming the preferred procurement method for large federal contracts. Federal Agencies like the Navy, GSA and NIH have adapted it as their standard process since it has the contractor/builder working at a single point of risk. |
|
|
|
|
Top of Page