FAIRFIELD, Conn. Slanted floors, exposed support beams and a backward security design are a few of the problems Fairfields selectmen have found with the renovations at Roger Sherman School. The group called in building committee Chairman Richard Speciale and architect Craig Wiles for explanations last week.
The design looked pretty sloppy from a first impression standpoint, for the uninitiated, First Selectman Michael Tetreau said to Wiles on Wednesday. Id hate to walk away with that impression.
Fairfields town boards have approved $3 million in renovations to the school so far, with more work planned over the next three years. Phase one of the project, which includes changes to the front office and cafeteria, will be done by the end of the school year. The project so far is under budget, Speciale said.
Tetreau and fellow Board of Selectmen members Cristin McCarthy Vahey and James Walsh toured the school a few days before Wednesdays meeting to check on the progress. The group called in Speciale and Wiles for answers on problems they saw with the construction.
One of the issues the selectmen pointed out was the floor running from the main office to Principal Eileen Roxbees office. McCarthy Vahey described the tiles as wavy and uneven. The issue was a mistake on the contractors part, and would be fixed this summer, Speciale said.
We know the cause, we know the effect, and were going to repair it, he said.
The selectmen also criticized the layout of the front office. One of the driving reasons for the renovations is to add a window between the reception area and the front entrance, to allow staff to see visitors as they enter. But because of space issues, staff members are not facing the windows.
The issue comes from an awkwardly placed radiator that made it difficult to fit office furniture in facing the window, Roxbee said. We just put it in there to fit at the moment, and we will change that over the summer, she said.
Fairfields executives also had issues with the ceilings installed. The administration areas dropped ceiling tiles would add too much empty space to heat, Walsh said. But Speciale assured the board that the building exceeds efficiency standards.
Tetreau and Walsh were also concerned about a stretch of exposed support beams in a front hallway. The area looked unfinished, Tetreau said. But Wiles said the section was left without a ceiling not only to save money, but also as a design feature.
That was the look that we were looking for something that evokes creativity. You can see what was behind the drop ceiling, Wiles said. Not everyone agrees with it, but thats what we were going for.
Speciale said he expects to handle some of the selectmens concerns with money left over from the first phase. He will report back to the Board of Selectmen this summer with an update.
Click here to follow Daily Voice and receive free news updates.
