001we get anybody else in um they can just kind of pop in. Um but I want to call the sites and facilities meeting to order at 602. Um we have um some really exciting information. Um another great uh sites meeting set up by our uh chief operations Mike Celix. So uh without any further delay, I'm going to move it right over to you. So yeah, pardon me. Yes. Get a list of the people that are here. >> Oh, yeah. Absolutely. So, I'm here. You Glattis Cara. >> Yep. Jalbert Celig Allison. Uh Yep. Brady Johnson. Yep. Kate and Al is phoning in. So Al is here as well. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. Okay. Just want to make one quick adjustment here. Okay. Uh I'm going to share my screen. I've got a couple things
002here. Um let's see. There we go. Everybody sees the agenda? >> Yep. >> Okay, great. Uh so there's really just one item on the agenda for today. overview of current projects and space utilization. Um the feature today is really going to be talking about um what we're going to be doing with uh 63 Beaverbrook, but then also some options for programs uh that we also want to get out of leased space around the district. And we've got a few different things that we've been looking at. So we'll run the full committee through uh through those concepts. I just want to be clear there is nothing here is written. Um you know nothing is set here. We haven't you know signed any new contracts or entered into any you know negotiations. We are we are still
003looking at what is the going to be the best um options for us. Um you know you have to imagine there's a lot of different things to consider from um bus accessibility to you know capacity to grow a program. uh whether the offices are are um you know compatible with our needs and um you know are the neighbors there uh you know okay with having a school and a bunch of kids nearby. So um all of these things are are are sort of swirling right now and uh uh you know Rich and I have have you know scoped out some good opportunities here. Cara's seen some of them as well and uh and we'll talk through those. So all right let me start here. All right, everybody sees the big slide. Sites and facilities. >>
004Yes. >> Okay, great. Okay, so I want to address just some recent concerns before we dive into it. These were a couple questions that came up in our last board meeting. Uh board chair Cooper, I know this was one that you were concerned about. Uh was our no dog signage. Um so we did receive the signs. they are in and we'll begin installations uh next week. Uh we were just waiting on some feedback from the city to make sure that we had all the correct authorizations. So we'll be putting those up um those starting next week. >> Thank you. >> And I think we've got enough for two at every school. So one on the playground and then one on a field just where they'll be in clear sight. >> And that's on all elementary
005schools, right? >> Uh it'll be on the middles as well. We're going to put some at Rogers, Broadview, and and West Side. >> Yep. >> All right. And then the other one, I wanted to pay some special attention to this. This was the curb um that you were talking about at South Street. Um that was really bumpy. So, um just for context here, this is the the driveway that exits South Street. So, if you see that golf station, that's the golf station on Main Street when you're pulling out of South. Uh the buses come out this driveway and then they turn right towards the golf station. And based on this picture, you can probably see what the issue is with the bumpy turn. Um if you zero in here on this little curb, you can
006see all the tire marks that are over this. Now, when the buses come out, I talked to our uh transportation director and I said, "Listen, is there a way to have the buses swing out a little wider so that rear right tire doesn't catch the curb and then send the bus rocking?" And she said, "It's really hard to do that because of the size of the buses. If they turn any wider, then they cross the double yellow and they turn into oncoming traffic." So, there's a few different things we're going to try to do here. Um, one is, uh, Rich is starting to have some conversation with the city to see if it's possible just to grind that down and make it flat with the little driveway, uh, apron there next to it. So, that's
007one option. The other option though, uh, which is actually makes a little bit more sense. It'd be nice if we could do both. U,, but currently a lot of the buses that turn right out of there, um, have to go, uh, follow this green line and they go up into the Price Right shopping center. then they turn out to come back and make a left. The reason for that is you can't make a left coming out of that driveway. So, uh what we're asking the police, we have a call on to the police right now to ask them if we would be able to get an exception for the school buses uh during pickup and drop off time so that they could come out, make a left, then they wouldn't be driving over that curb
008and also just create an efficiency for the route. They wouldn't waste the four or five minutes it takes to go into the price shop uh price right and and turn back out. So, we're waiting to hear back from them uh about that. We're we're going to have that conversation about ground grinding down the curb and then uh hopefully one or potentially both of those could um could come into play in in the next few months here. So, we will keep you posted on that at a later date. Uh but just so you know that that is in conversation and uh we're we're going to work to get it resolved. >> Mike, before we move on, can we open up to questions like each each little >> Yeah, sure. each problem. So, um, does anybody have
009any questions on on these first two items that we talked about? >> Nothing. >> I've got a question. >> Go ahead, Rich. It just comes to mind that when I used to pick up my kid, my grandkids, the timber standing outside waiting for the doors open and the kids bagged for those that didn't ride the bus, but there were parents who brought their little pet, you know, on on a leash with them. Now, does this policy to sign, you know, prevent people from bringing their pets to meet their kids? >> Yeah. I mean, the the the posting really, I mean, it states on on school grounds and that that is the ordinance from the city as well, as I understand it, from parks and wreck. Um whether that would apply to say the parking lot
010while you're waiting if it's you know on a leash near a car. Uh I I I don't know if that's a loophole or not. Um I could certainly look more closely into that and and get an answer, but my understanding is dogs are are um prohibited from school grounds writ large whether it's the parking lot or the field but but I can look more closely at that for you. just something that I had experienced and and uh so I just you know wanted to bring it to your attention so it's not >> potential problem you know later on for when these signs go up. Thanks Mike. >> Yeah that's a good question. We'll find out. >> Anything else before we can't see everybody? So um hey >> can I just ask Mike for caution please?
011>> Sure of course Glattus. Uh Mike, uh you know, I really appreciate looking into this. My only question is and I think looking at the buses when they come out of South Street and what has been done is on the side of the street there used to not be any parking. >> Okay. And since since they have that parking lot and and this started u about a year or so when the mayor was doing all this stuff. >> So when you come out of South Street to turn on Main Street before you get to that uh uh gas station. >> Yeah. >> Cars are loaded are waiting to go into that food eating place. >> Right. Right. >> For Dunkin' Donuts. And it's very hard to see because now when you come out of South
012Street, you can only make a right-hand turn. Unfortunately, I saw a guy the other day making a left-hand turn, but you know, the cops weren't there. But I'm just saying that extra traffic parked there on Main Street creates a lot of visualize that you can't see where you're going and how you get over because you're taking a a extra chance just trying to relax and what make sure and catch the light when the people are coming down South Street to get out of that driveway. Right. So, uh I don't know if it it would be wise to, you know, >> uh to, you know, have a certain time that people park there >> on uh beside those diners and things where they're eating at >> and the bus driver can see how they coming out
013of there. >> Right. Right. >> So, just something of thought. Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. No, it's it's it's a very it's it's very helpful. And you've obviously seen this, you know, a lot more times than I as as as you're there every morning. Um, so let me let me talk to police and see if there's anything we could do about, you know, maybe there's a no parking sign there at certain hours of the day. Um, let me talk to them. See if they have any ideas cuz because you're right that anything we can do to just sort of eliminate traffic around that corner, >> cars on the street, create better sight lines, uh, would would be helpful because that is a that is a challenging corner um, no matter which way you're coming. >> Yeah,
014it is. It really is. >> Yeah. >> And all our schools are most our schools don't have ample parking. Yeah. >> And and that's a you know, you talk about South Street, you talk about Park Avenue, Great Plain. There's not enough parking. >> Right. Right. Okay. Well, I'll put this on the list for my next conversation with the police and see if they have any ideas. >> And Mike, can you add to that? Like I know you suggested make when you come out of that driveway to make a left instead of the right. >> Yeah. >> Is that where the road splits off into like it's >> I think the boulevard is further up here. You could Can you see my cursor >> up here on the upper left? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> So
015that's where the boulevard starts. So this is just a double yellow line here. >> Okay. So it doesn't split yet. Okay. >> Yeah. Yep. >> Okay. >> So it should be and um >> so it should be okay when they're if they come out and try to make the left. >> Yeah. Assuming assuming they're okay with it. Now, as I understand it, years ago, before my time here, um there was an officer stationed here to to hold traffic to allow the buses to come out. But, um like I said, that was something I've I've never witnessed. I've just heard about it anecdotally. So, maybe that's that's a possible solution as well. >> Yeah, because I mean I I agree with Glattus. I mean, when you know, for those of us in this in the ward
016here in that area, Yeah. >> that that area of Main Street just gets really congested. >> Yeah. to come out and go either way. You know, your sight line is really impaired whether you're going left or right into there. >> Definitely. >> Yeah. >> And it's all about keeping everybody uh safe. >> Safe. Exactly. Exactly. Exactly. So, appreciate that, Mike. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> All right. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Am I good to uh to move on to the next item? >> Yep. Move on. Thanks. >> Okay. So, next we're on to space usage. So, this is the thing the the the site that we're most concerned about right now, two and then 1012 Crosby Street. Um, as everyone knows, this houses uh two different programs for us, the Reach and Endeavor
017program um at uh 1012 Crosby and then uh I'm sorry, at 12 Crosby and then 2 and 10 houses uh our Wii Race adult education program. Uh we've been in these buildings for a number of years. Um, and now that we and we've explored possibilities of leaving these, uh, locations in years past, um, but just from a combination of finding the right site at the right price, uh, we've just never been able to to to find the right place. Um, now that we as the board of ed have left 63 Beaverbrook, that creates an interesting opportunity for us u because that really is a great building that that could house uh, one of these programs. So, just a little bit of a recap here. Our total rent in these buildings is about $120,000 a year.
018So, if you just keep that number in mind, and you'll see how the maths here um starts to work out. So, so adult education, this is the the building here uh in in in black on the right. Um one of the early ideas that we've had is to move this over into 63 Beaverbrook. this this really is a is a good fit for um the relocation uh to 63. Um there would be an easy conversion of about four to eight of the office suites into classrooms. Um the estimated costs, we haven't got a full uh um uh estimate yet from our contractor, but Rich and I are sort of guesstimating here based on other work we've done of similar scope, we'd probably be in about the $1500 to $200,000 range. could be lower, could be
019higher. I I I don't know. Um and we think the timeline here could be uh potentially six to eight months. Um which would allow the program to um be in there and get situated by the start of school next year. Um because we own the building, the annual rent would be zero. That's my favorite part about this arrangement. And uh here's a just a little map. So you know um over here um this is the current Crosby Street location. And then right over here is is 63 right above the red star Danbury superintendent. Okay. So this was a a kind of a a crude drawing we had done a while back um just as we as we started to explore this possibility. Um I there's still a lot of discussion about whether this is the
020right the right drawing. Um if you remember all of these pink rooms right now are chopped up into offices. So, it would really be just about taking out some of the interior walls, um, you know, moving a few doors. And we think this could be done, uh, pretty simply, um, and and without, you know, too much too much to do. Um, there would have to be some considerations made for things like making sure the electrical is in place, uh, the HVAC is routed properly and that there's a supply and a return in each space uh, in accordance with the square footage of the room. Uh, but we we think just based on the way that it works now with offices that the majority of those things would be in place. I put these red dotted
021lines here because there's still discussion about whether they'd like to to break these up into into two smaller classrooms or just keep them as one big classroom. Uh Rick Rusi has already begun using um the old boardroom for some of his weekend events um and fairs uh just because it's it's it's a great space and it's not being used. Um and we like the fact that people are still in this building. There's nothing worse than a building that just sits unused. um starts to get get stale pretty quickly. So, this is just one of the schematics. Uh we'd probably leave this office suite as is and then that would be, you know, the old superintendent suite. Um that would probably remain as is and be the administrative offices. Uh there was talk about adding a
022little window here so that the secretary would then be able to buzz people in. Um keep this as a little kitchen area and then potentially this could be a classroom as well. Uh we've talked about doing this in a couple different phases. Uh the the first phase being just just enough to sort of get get uh Rick and some of his folks in there. Um and this is uh probably a little bit more space than he has right now at the current Wii race. It's certainly a more appropriate space. Um he has better parking options here. Uh the parking's not really good down at Crosby Street. um especially since that parking structure came down there behind uh behind mothership. So um this is a very very attractive uh proposal u and it's something I've mentioned
023before uh what we like about it is um the the codes uh that you have to meet uh the building codes that you have to meet are very different for a building when you have adults in there uh as opposed to when you have kids in the building. So to have kids in this building would require a whole bunch of changes to um you know electrical panels and fire suppression systems. Um that would you send us well into the millions. Um and a lot of that wouldn't wouldn't have to be done if we were going to uh ju just have it for adult ed. Um you know running at at at you know sort of a medium capacity. So again nothing is nothing is in in writing yet. Uh we've we've just begun talking to
024Frier about some possible plans. Uh we haven't talked to our contractors yet to even explain try to figure out what what the cost would be based on those plans. Everything is still very preliminary. Um but but we're hopeful that this is going to work out. Um and uh then we'll have adults add in a great space um that would be uh rentree. um we would just have to maintain the building and um and take care of it um in a way not dissimilar from the way we we take care of Crosby now um with custodians. Of course, this would be our building. So, a lot more of the um you know, if there was a leak in the roof, things now that we call a landlord for, we would have to take on. Uh but
025we we know the building and and we know it's it's pretty durable. So, uh we feel good about this. >> Rich, did I miss anything on this one? >> No, I think you covered it all and and actually that that it's a city building. I would think that uh public buildings would take care of the the plumbing and HVAC and electrical on that. >> You're right. Yeah, that would be city. You're right. >> So, I let me ask you a question. Who owns the building? The city own the building? >> It's the same as all of our other school buildings. City owns it and and you know, we're the uh we're not tenant, but it's it's you know, I guess we're the What would you say, Rich? We're the operator. What's the word I'm looking
026for? Uh yeah, we're the uh we're the occupants, I'll say. >> And and so you mentioned a cost, a rental cost of 120,000. What does that put into? >> That's that's the current rent over at Crosby Street for those three. >> Oh, I see. I I Crosby Street. >> Yeah. >> Okay. And the construction cost since the city owns it, the construction cost would be our cost. Yeah, though we would because we we would handle anything, you know, relating to our educational program. So, >> putting the classrooms in place, desks, doors, you know, any anything like that, you know, >> whiteboards, smartboards, all that's going to be on us. >> All right. >> Um, any questions from board members? >> Uh, Mike, quick question. Is anything that building now or did is everything gone? >>
027Oh, no. We still have a lot of stuff there. Um we're still going through our our file file consolidation. Um that that's going to be an ongoing process uh probably over the next couple months. Um we're trying to you know there there were just there not to get too too granular about it but you know things like um payroll had their own files, HR had their own files. So if I was an employee I had a file in two places. we want to finally put those together, right? So, it's um it's not a huge task, but it is time consuming. So, we want to start to create those efficiencies um because it'll just make life easier for everybody working too. So, we ideally want to do that all in one shot as we move these
028over. Um so, we're we're you know, we're trying to schedule that out so that as as they come over those those, you know, uh consolidations are happening. So we're not just dumping boxes into a file room that you know now we people have to go through and you know u can't find things you know we we want to do it right the first time. So a lot of that is in there and there's there's some you know um there's some old stuff in there. I mean you saw all the old stuff in the boardroom old textbooks that were on the shelves in there you know old old copies of you know tests and um you know yearbooks and things like that. And a lot of that we'll probably save and bring over, you know, as
029as sort of archival stuff, but u but a lot of stuff too that just just needs to get tossed, old old learning materials that are, you know, 10 15 older, you know, years older or more. >> Good. So, do you have like a timeline of when you would like this to be if this actually goes through? Yeah, I think um I mean I I I would ideally love to see this, you know, uh really moving probably by, you know, the new year. Um you know, as the as the plans come together and we have a construction timeline, that'll that'll help us help motivate us. You know, if we know that they're going to be in there doing demolition on on a certain date, then that'll that'll dictate what our what our timeline is. Uh but
030but we're ready to expedite it now that everybody seems to be comfortably settled in into the new space and you know we're still waiting on some new file cabinets and and some you know some things like that that are necessary for for this conversion to happen but for the most part you know we can you know we really have begun it already. It would just be a question of of dedicating the time and the staff to to sort of accelerate it a little bit. Now, are we still in a lease with that other building? And how long? >> Are we month to month? >> Oh, no. We Well, we we are monthtomonth in Crosby Street. >> No, I think we it's a 60-day notice or something like that. >> Okay. Yeah, that was my concern.
031Okay. >> No, we can leave any time. >> Excellent. >> I Bever the servers and stuff like that where the movie >> What? I'm sorry I couldn't hear you. In Beaverbrook, I thought downstairs we have the service for the district. >> Yeah. >> And are they still there or continue to be there? >> There is a server room. If you see my arrow here, um the server room is is right around here. That will stay there. Um and we have a few different ways to >> kind of not conceal it, but move the door. There is a maintenance room adjacent to it and we would make that the entrance way just so anybody who's down there doesn't you know find their way in there and and you know mess anything up but the servers are
032there. There is discussion of bringing them over to West. Uh but at this time we're expecting them to stay there for the foreseeable future. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Okay. >> All right. Okay. So the second uh program in Crosby Street is reach an endeavor and that is to a location yet to be determined. So there's a few options for this. Um there's one possibility here which is uh unit 43A on Beaverbrook. And if you've ever been uh this was a space that we were temporarily leasing uh for about two and a half years. It's the front area of the building uh that Rich and his team now have in the back. The facilities team is in the back with offices and then our warehouse is there. The front of that is offices and uh
033for about two and a half years our IT team and our HR team was housed there. Um that provides some conveniences because our key scan is already in the building, our alarm systems are already in the building. uh we have access to the building so we're able to go in there and you know take measurements and and see what works. Um the problem is it really is set up for offices and it would it would require some internal you know demolition and construction. Uh again Rich and I sort of are just eyeballing it. We haven't brought anybody in yet but uh uh we're you know we think this would probably be in the 150 to $200,000 range. timeline would probably take about three to six months. Um, and the annual rent on this building based
034on the contracts that we had as we previously rented it would be about $60,000 a year. So, roughly half of uh what we were paying at Crosby Street. So, I have some artwork on this one. Oh, yeah. So, it's here. It's literally just down the street from from the old Beaverbrook. Um, and this is some shots of the interior. So when you walk in, it really is kind of split, which is kind of unique. There's a a stairwell and a double door that splits the two sides. And I' I've done the right and left here, as you see it when you walk in. If you go to the right, there's this long hallway of offices. That was our our HR department for for the two and a half years after they left Beaverbrook. And then
035there's this sort of big room where it had kind of all their stuff, the broken computers, the monitors, the keyboards, and everything was just piled up in there. Um, and that's now been uh relocated to partially uh the BOE and and and some of it to the warehouse. Um, if you walked in that building and went to the left, you saw the, you know, this big room here with all these little offices out to the side. Um, all those walls are they're they're there's nothing structural. They don't go up to the roof or anything. They're they're just, you know, um just framing in um in sheetrock. they'd come down really easily and we'd be able to open that space up. There's actually a lot of windows around the perimeter. Um, so every room that you
036had in there would have a nice window and and some natural light. So, like we said, we we like this uh option because it it's it's inexpensive. It's on a property that that is right adjacent to our facilities building. Um, it's on Beaverbrook, so the it's a very easy stop for the bus right on Beaverbrook. it would open the door and the kids would have less than 100 ft to walk to get into the building. Um, we could have dual entrances uh if we needed to have separate entrances for the uh for the middle middle school kids and the high school kids. Um, the only real drawback here is parking. Uh, it wasn't great when we had a lot of adult staff in the building. there was always a few people that that had to
037go drive around and park in back and then sometimes they'd either just walk up the hill and get their exercise or they'd walk through the warehouse and come up the steps. Um but uh given that there's only uh about eight teachers, administrator, custodian, you know, people popping in and out there, um we could probably make do with the limited spaces without too much pain. Um and I think this would this would divide up nicely and certainly the price is very attractive. Um, you know, like I said, it's it's about half what we're paying at Crosby Street. Um, we know the landlord and and have already sort of, you know, uh, mentioned the idea of converting this and he seems to be on board with it. So, um, that is one one possibility. Uh, 43A at
038Beaverbrook, >> right? >> And Mike, would this be considered? I mean do you have the restrictions in terms of what he was talking about earlier in building the facility and all the restrictions you know that go with the school would there be any restrictions >> like that on this particular facility >> some yeah some of them would and that would be part of the conversation with the architects as as we divvied up um because we wouldn't own that building that would then be a conversation with the landlord about whether he'd be willing to upgrade it um but yes some of those certainly would would come into play and and that that would be a conversation once we had drawings in place. We'd have to sit with the architect and figure out whether it was whether
039it was it was feasible. So, >> and I'm also thinking about zoning issues, too. I'm not sure, you know, in terms of whether that area zoned for >> Yeah. >> for schools. >> Yeah. Rich, this is is this zone commercial? Do you know offhand? >> I think that's something we would have to look into. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Thanks. >> All right. So, that's one option. Um, and this is another option uh that we saw. We actually just went and visited this property this week. Um, it's over on West Street. If you know where the Social Security offices there across from Amigos, uh, this is in in that building, uh, complex there. Um, so there's a a partially finished office space there that that could easily be carved up into classrooms. Estimated cost again, $150
040to $300,000 depending on, you know, what what we need to do there. and and um you know again code issues and all that. Uh timeline probably a little bit longer 6 to 12 months. Uh the annual rent in this space uh would be almost double what it would be in in um in the Beaverbrook building. It's about 115,000 a year. So um this one is over here. Like I said it's across from Amigos. It's just west of downtown. And again, this is all very very preliminary. So if you're getting your bearings here, um this is the shopping center with amigos in it. Here, this G building here is where uh social security is. Um back here, this is VA. Um so we looked at we actually did look at all these buildings here. C is
041just way too small. Um there's nothing we could do with that. D was just completely raw. Um there's there's nothing in the building. uh you we'd have to install our own doors and toilets and doorork knobs and sinks. Uh it would just be cost prohibitive to to even um explore that. We looked at E um and E is a it was it was used as some sort of um lab for the hospital for years and it's set up as as sort of uh it looks like a very sterile, you know, um environment. There's there's kind of lab tables in there. um you know it it it feels kind of hospitalally on the other side of it. Um but the bigger problem with this is there's no windows at all in the building. Um and it's
042just it's just it doesn't have the right feel at all for um for a school building. Um so so we didn't uh we didn't want to pursue this one any further. So the one that we're really looking at here is G. It's the second floor of this building. Um as I mentioned, social security is on the first floor. So, there are some uh some security guards there provided um by the social security office. And uh there is quite a bit of space here. It's about 10,000 square feet. It we could have all three of these units or or even uh even less than that. Um and one thing I really liked about this space was that our landlord would be on the third floor. So any issue affecting the building heat or plumbing would be
043affecting the landlord as well, making it a lot harder for them to ignore. Um they seem to be amanable to having a school uh in in the building. And one of the things they're always concerned about is bus access. And if this is this is on the right here, this is actually the back of the building. Um, and in talking to one of the building managers, he said that they could they could make arrangements to u knock out a few parking spaces to make sure the bus had room to to swing through here and then we'd have our own little entrance here in the back um that the kids would go in and then if anybody came in on, you know, in a wheelchair or crutches or whatever, they could come in the front and
044use the elevator. Um, so there there are some conveniences here um uh that that we could take advantage of. Um, you know, Beaverbrook 43 is is all on a single level. So, so handicap accessibility is not really an issue there. There's there's no need for stairs or an elevator. Um, but but here, you know, some of these things get get kind of worked out. >> Mike, I'm sorry. Can I just ask a quick question? Uh, Louisa, if I may. >> Um, where is this in relation because I did not go on the visit with you. Where is this in relation to the Harami Center? >> It's a little ways away. So, let me go back to my map here. >> So, Yeah, this is right before the underpass going up >> Lake Avenue that you
045took right after that you >> right >> to the uh the elementary school >> probably. I I'm guessing this is a half threequarters of a mile. Harambe is right around here. >> Okay. I I'm just thinking because we have a relationship with them and during the day I would imagine that their facilities are are available for PE classes to get the kids out. They have rec they have recreational space there. >> Yeah. >> Um so just a thought. >> No, it's a really good idea. Um yeah, probably too far to walk the kids down, but you know, if you had a a mini bus running shuttles, it'd be two minutes, you know. >> Yeah. Yeah. Okay. >> This is what they call plaza, right? >> Uh it Oh gosh, what is the name of it?
046>> Say it again. >> It's Salam. >> Salam. Yeah. >> Yeah. Salem's own it. Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. He had he had passed away and I think the family still own >> the family still does own it. Yep. >> Yeah, it is. It's uh Yeah, that the realtor said as much. So, >> Yep. >> Okay. So, this is this is another option. Um and the inside, I mean, it looks like a dated office, you know, I think it was a call center or something like that. and um a bunch of spaces that you know we'd up the carpeting and you know put some paint in there and and we could certainly make it a lot more conducive to a learning space. Um but you know that's what an old 80s 90s office looked like and
047um you know if we we had you know if this was the the pick we'd go in there and and rip it apart and and make sure it looked good for kids. So, >> I think the IRS has an office there, too. >> Oh, are they? >> Yeah, I know there's a there's a couple federal um Yeah, somebody else is in there. DCF, I think, is in there as well. So, >> they have a vet center there as well. >> Yeah. Yeah, that VA that was in the back that that back building off the back lot. Um this one here below E, that was the VA. So we'd be able to have that building so there wouldn't be interaction between like people going in for the other businesses and the students, right? >> Yeah. So
048that's why we liked this back entrance. You know, this would be just for us and like I said, unless somebody needed the elevator and and needed to go into the front, but we'd swing the buses through here and and the kids would all be directed to the back entrance and then we wouldn't be in any crosspollination with the >> So the back entrance doesn't have access to the lower level offices. It does, but there's a door. You would just keep the door locked. >> Okay. >> Yeah. It's not for the public to use. It's like maintenance or whatever. So, >> understood. Okay. Thank you. >> All right. And again, this is just, you know, we are we are still in the early exploration stages figuring out if if you know these even make sense. Um,
049and this is, you know, this is on the list. So, we we you know, we're staying in touch with uh with this realtor. Uh we're going to be looking at a few more properties in the coming weeks. Um and we'll, you know, we'll we'll step back and do an assessment when it's all said and done and and make sure we have the right decision. So, okay. So, that that's that's all we have so far on Reach Endeavor. I I did want to talk a little bit about uh some other building updates that we have going on. Um specifically AIS. So, we are expecting the population to grow there. the enrollment to grow. Whether it's going to be an expansion of the special ed program or an additional kindergarten section, we do not yet know and
050we won't know until the year gets a little further along and we see what the early enrollment numbers are starting to look like. Um, however, there is a massive storage room there that um about 23 by 87 and we think that that would would break up nicely into two classrooms. Uh so we've just begun having a conversations with the contractor to see you know that we have to take into account all the considerations here you know lighting HVAC uh you know you're going to have to sheetrock the walls make sure the the right doors and and and um natural light are in the area for the kids um you know carpeting flooring all of that stuff access uh um access to the bathrooms you know ADA access so all of those are now you know
051kind of kind of swirling as we start the conversation about what it would take to convert these uh this space. Um but it's something that that uh we're we're looking into um and could potentially create space for about 50 more kids um at AIS. So, >> um quick question. Are there windows down there? >> Um there well uh there would >> no uh there's no windows. >> Yeah. Uh, one of the first things we'd be doing is getting fire architects involved. Uh, because it would be a change of use from storage to a classroom space to see what we would need to do to convert it. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, that's actually the end of the presentation. Um, any questions? Any questions? Committee members, non-committee members, I can't see every Oh, now I
052see everybody. >> Is this something that we would take into consideration next year's budget, this construction cost? >> Yeah. So, you know, there it it everything, you know, depending on how this year goes and and how budget goes this year, you know, as we as we kind of head into the second half of the year, you kind of know where you you you start to have a sense of where you'll land at the end of the year. And so, sometimes we're able to get some smaller projects done and sometimes not. Um, you know, I think the what we're trying to do is to be as proactive and be as ready, shovel ready as possible so that, um, we're, you know, we're scoping out space, um, getting some, you know, understanding of how much places would
053cost. So, like just, you know, having the work done that Mike and Rich has already done to date gives us a, you know, readies us to make decisions about which projects we might be able to implement this year versus we have to put it in the budget for next year, um, very deliberately. So, um, just, you know, trying to be as proactive as possible. The the conversation at AIS is like very preliminary at this point, but it was just, you know, hey, if we were to pick up another kindergarten class there, um, you know, because recruitment's going well, you know, how might we use that space differently? Maybe it's not a classroom, but maybe it's a maybe it's a a different room. It's a performance room. It could be a PT room, an OT room.
054um if we don't get that enrollment that we're looking for AIS for the from the surrounding participating towns um perhaps then we can convert it to more specialized space for other programs um that we desperately you know need more space for um and you know of course I know there's always concern about students having access access to natural light or or windows um you know I we would look at the options of you know what what can we do to get natural light into this into the room um maybe even you know have the glass along the wall as it is in some other places as well. So, there's always options to for those types of things. But, um, in terms of the budget, Rich. Um, you know, I like to be ready. Um, I've
055asked Mike, you know, can attest to it and and we were like, I want all the things that we need, you know, kind of on deck. Let's be as ready as possible. If we can pick away four or five of them, partner with the city on a few more, um, if we have the funds, um, and if not, then we then we kick it over to the next year. But I it is good to be ready um and to have a good sense of what the needs are um and to start those conversations as early as possible. >> There any possibility of outside funding grants or from things that you can maneuver or forget as a case in AI if you said you would think that if special ed would there be any money that
056would be given to us for programs like that? >> Sometimes there are Oh, I'm sorry Rich. You're you're cutting in and out a little bit. So, it's I didn't know if you were finished. >> Yeah. Sorry. Just Okay. You know, think think out of the box so that it minimizes whatever impact it has on our pocket. >> Sure. There's there's definitely more money on the special education side right now with the state because they are trying to fund in more in-house um startup programs for special education because that's been a huge concern. Um and and if that was the way that we went, there could be some funds to tap into that. Um and you know we'd have to be able you know again to be to be ready to go all the time what
057comes down the line when it when um things get posted with the state. Um our basically they don't use the term shovel ready. I'm using the the term shovel ready but you have to have already have seen an architect already have a plan design. You you already know the cost and you've estimated it. Your board's aware of it. you can get quick approval on something because the board has already been oriented to the idea and you're not going to go through a lengthy process. So, um we'll be ready. We're always looking for grants and we're but we're also always looking to maximize current year budget if should there be some available funding at the end of the year. >> Thank you. Of >> course. Any other questions? I want to thank uh Mike and Rich
058for putting this presentation together. Um it's it's really great to talk about these things when we actually get to see the you know see it and um you know especially with cross street and all of those things it helps us to understand better what the problems are and what solutions you have. So I want to appreciate you for keeping us updated on all this and putting this all together for us. Um I know it's it's a lot of work really helps better us understand you know and and keep up to date with what's happening. So thank you to all. My pleasure. >> Um, if we have Cara, did you want to say something? Okay. If we have no other questions, um, if I can have a motion to adjurnn. >> I'll make a motion. >>
059And, uh, motion made by Rich. Second. >> I'll second. >> Thanks, Glattus. Um, okay. Uh then we will