PRELIMINARY PLANS PRESENTATION

Northwest High School

Addition

MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

OCTOBER 1999

SAMAHA ASSOCIATES, P.C.

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PRELIMINARY PLANS PRESENTATION

Northwest High School Addition

13501 Richter Farm Road

Gaithersburg, Maryland 20876

Montgomery County Board of Education

Mr. Reginald M. FeltonPresident

Mrs. Patricia O’NeillVice President

Mr. Steve AbramsMember

Mr. Kermit V. BurnettMember

Mrs. Beatrice B. GordonMember

Mrs. Nancy J. KingMember

Ms. Mona M. SignerMember

Ms. Laura SampedroStudent Member

Montgomery County Schools Administration

Dr.Jerry D. WeastSuperintendent of Schools

Mr.Richard G. HawesDirector, Department of Facilities Management

Mr.Mitchell M. BrownAssistant Director, Division of Construction

Mr.Michael P. ShpurArchitect, Division of Construction

Mr.James SongProject Manager, Division of Construction

Ms.Robin AdlerFacility Analyst, Department of Planning and Capital Programming

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FACILITIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Facilities Advisory Committee Involvement

The preliminary plans for the Northwest High School addition were developed based on the educational specifications prepared by Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) staff and Parent Teacher Student Association members. Through a series of conferences with the Facilities Advisory Committee, several design alternatives were developed and evaluated. The proposed plans were reviewed and subsequently modified in accordance with recommendations and suggestions from the committee which unanimously approved the proposed plans presented herein.

Facilities Advisory Committee

Dr.Edward ShirleyPrincipal, Northwest High School

Ms. Robin AdlerPlanner, Department of Planning and Capital Programming, MCPS

Ms. Joni AloiBusiness Manager, Northwest High School

Mr. Mitchell BrownAssistant Director, Division of Construction, MCPS

Ms. Bonnie JohnsonPTSA, Northwest High School

Ms. Adrienne KaramihasPlanner, Department of Planning and Capital Programming, MCPS

Mr. Michael ShpurArchitect, Division of Construction, MCPS

Mr. John SimpsonPTSA, Northwest High School

Mr. James SongProject Manager, Division of Construction, MCPS

Mr. William ThomasArchitect, Maryland State Department of Education

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PROJECT INFORMATION

Background and History

Northwest High School is located at 13501 Richter Farm Road, Gaithersburg, Maryland. The school was originally constructed in 1998. The current building capacity is 1,228 with a core of 2,000. The current student enrollment is 1,230 in grades 9 -12 with a projected enrollment of 1,525 students for school year 2001-02. The existing structure contains approximately 247,000 gross square feet on 3 floor levels. This addition project was master-planned in the original building design.

Educational Program Objectives

This project is to provide classroom space for the projected increase in enrollment into the next century, meeting the educational standards for a program for grades 9-12. The current master-plan includes funding for a 10-classroom addition that will increase the capacity of the facility to 1,424 students for the 2001-02 school year. An additional 8 classrooms will be designed as an add-alternate that will increase the capacity of the facility to approximately 1,604 students. Additional 18 classrooms will be master-planned to increase the ultimate capacity to 2,000 students. A new ADA-compliant elevator will be located within the new addition to provide additional handicap access to the auditorium. The high school philosophy of adaptable classrooms with the flexibility for accommodating various size groups and presentation formats, and maximum connectivity to outside resources have been incorporated in the design. Each instructional area will have adequate learning space, teacher work areas, and storage facilities. The following are the key elements of this addition project:

  • Provide 10-classroom addition at northeast corner of the existing building.
  • Provide an additional 8 classrooms, in two parts, at northeast and southeast corners of existing building as an add-alternate.
  • Master-plan additional 18-classroom addition along the building’s south side for future expansion.
  • Provide additional driveway exit at the student parking area.
  • Provide sidewalk connection from school to Great Seneca Highway.

PROJECT INFORMATION (continued)

Teaching Stations

The following teaching stations will be provided:

Standard Classroom7 classrooms

Science Laboratories3 laboratories

Total Teaching Stations Added10

As an add-alternate, the following teaching stations will be provided:

Standard Classroom5 classrooms

Art Classroom1 classroom

Communication Center1

Auxiliary Gymnasium1

Total Teaching Stations Added8

Core Facilities And Support Spaces

The following core and support spaces will be provided:

Math/Science/Technology Seminar Room

Textbook Storage

Science Preparation Room

Storage Rooms

Staff Toilets

Student Toilets

Building Service Closets

Recycling Room

Loading/Receiving Room

Elevator

The 10-classroom addition will be approximately 25,500 square feet. The additional 8-classroom addition as an add-alternate will be approximately 20,900 square feet.

PROJECT INFORMATION (continued)

Existing Site Information

Size of Site:34.5 Acres.

Site Features:Northwest High School is located on a 34.5 acre site on Richter Farm Road in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The site is bordered by single family residential properties on the north side, by Richter Farm Road on the west and south, and Seneca Highway to the east. Current site amenities consist of a faculty parking lot to the west, student drop-off lane with student parking to the south, bus loading at the northwest main entrance, a stadium and baseball field to the south, and practice and softball field are located to the north. The site falls 90 feet from the upper northern play area at the highest elevation to the southern baseball field at the lowest elevation.

Storm Water Management:Both quantity and quality for storm water management have been addressed in the original building construction.

Utilities:The existing building is served by an 8-inch domestic water line, 8-inch sewer line, and a 4-inch high pressure gas main with pressure regulators. The primary electric service is provided underground to a pad-mounted transformer. The service terminates in a 3000-amp, 480/277 volt, 3-phase, 4-wire switchboard. The existing electric service is adequate to accommodate the new addition. The capacity of the domestic hot and cold water system and hot water heating boiler and chiller systems are adequate to support the new addition project.

Number of Parking Spaces:The existing school has a total of 515 car parking spaces and a staging area for 30 buses.

Existing Building Information

Location:13501 Richter Farm Road, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20876

Number of Levels:Three

History and Square Footage of Existing Building:

1998 – The original building, located front center of the property, contained approximately 247,000 square feet

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PROJECT DESIGN

Site:

The proposed site plan makes optimum use of the limited area behind the existing facility. The 10-classroom addition will be a three-story building adjacent to the existing auditorium as master-planned in 1998. The 8 additional classrooms will be built in two areas. Five standard classrooms will be constructed adjacent to the existing auditorium along with the 10-classroom addition. The auxiliary gymnasium, a model office, and storage will be added adjacent to the existing second gymnasium. In order to accommodate the 8 additional classroom addition, the existing service driveway will be modified. The future 18-classroom is to be located adjacent to the gymnasium, which will require minor modification to the existing parent drop off loop and the student parking lot.

As a part of the addition project, an additional access from the student parking lot will be provided to alleviate the traffic congestion at the main entrance to the school site. A sidewalk, linking the rear of the school to Great Seneca Highway from Clopper Road, will be built to improve access for pedestrians.

PROJECT DESIGN (continued)

Building:

The new classroom addition will wrap around the existing auditorium. The building addition will be three stories high, aesthetically matching the existing facility. The classroom wing will have a staircase at the end to provide vertical circulation. In addition, an elevator will be added to provide accessibility to all three stories and the auditorium. The additional teaching stations are designed to be located on the same level as their departments.

The lower level will have storage and a corridor to maintain egress for the existing auditorium. The model office space is relocated to the proposed addition adjacent to the existing second gymnasium. A proposed auxiliary gymnasium is also located adjacent to the existing second gymnasium and is linked to the physical education department by a new corridor. The existing model office will be remodeled to an art classroom, adjacent to the art department.

The main level will contain most of the standard classrooms. The upper level will have science laboratories, preparation rooms, seminar room, and a communication center. A set of student and staff toilets will be provided on the main and upper levels. In addition, approximately 250 lockers will be added in the addition on the main and upper level.

Code Compliance:

All areas affected by this addition/renovation project will be designed to meet handicapped accessibility requirements as well as national and local building codes including fire, life safety, and health codes. The addition and renovated areas will accommodate the extension of all the current state-of-art data, telecommunications, and audio-visual systems.

Mechanical and Electrical Systems:

New mechanical and electrical systems will be provided to all new or renovated spaces in conformance with MCPS standards. The classrooms will be air conditioned and heated by four-pipe floor mounted unit ventilators. The outside ventilation air will be provided by a new roof mounted make-up air energy recovery unit. The unit will be furnished with a hot water heating coil and an air-cooled direct expansion refrigeration system. The two new toilet rooms and building service closets will be supplied from the existing domestic water system. A new gravity flow sanitary sewer pipe will run from the addition to an existing sanitary sewer manhole.

PROJECT DESIGN (continued)

Energy Management Statement:

A primary design factor for Northwest High School is conservation of energy. The importance and consideration placed on energy conservation is reflected in the configuration and orientation of the building and its additions, the selection of materials, and the mechanical/electrical systems utilized. The facility will be designed to exceed ASHRAE 90.1-89 energy requirements and BOCA Basic Energy Conservation codes as well as Montgomery County energy conservation codes. In addition, the design will incorporate the ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Energy Efficient Design for New Buildings.

Energy design features that will be incorporated into the facility are as follows:

  • Horizontal window blinds to control solar heating loads.
  • Thermal break windows that will be double-glazed.
  • Operable windows for ventilation.
  • An efficient relationship of fenestration and building materials to produce an efficient building envelope.
  • HVAC system controlled by the MCPS Energy Management System.
  • Separate domestic hot water heaters controlled by the MCPS Energy Management System.
  • Electrical systems of lighting and power utilizing techniques of energy conservation.
  • Plumbing systems that minimize the use of water, including domestic hot water requirements.

Building Security:

The building will have a motion sensor alarm system monitored by the MCPS security office. Higher risk areas, including the communication center, will have stand-alone security systems.

PROJECT DESIGN (continued)

Technology Infrastructure:

Classrooms will have computer outlets on the walls that allow multiple group teaching areas within a classroom. Individual classrooms are designed to provide flexible teaching spaces; i.e., small group sessions or lecture sessions. Students can be organized into small groups for project-oriented teaching, or in a traditional teacher-centered lecture format.

The building-wide data network infrastructure includes category 5 cable that is capable of supporting switched Ethernet (10 Mbps dedicated), fast Ethernet (20-100 Mbps) and FDDI (100 Mbps) configurations. These bandwidths will likely meet normal requirements for the next 4 to 8 years. The design also includes a dark fiber optic cable to every classroom and office for future use. Installation provisions will be compatible with systems that may be developed in the near future.

In the future, video may be fully digitized. When that occurs, the digital signal can be transmitted via the category 5 network and/or fiber optic cables which are part of the network. This design will include a 1000 MHz broadband distribution system that concentrates all equipment at the head end with only cabling, taps and outlets within the addition, simplifying maintenance. This system offers full cable spectrum to every building outlet in the addition, provides 3 dedicated channels for in-school broadcasts, and gives every outlet television origination capability.

Design Team Members

ArchitectSamaha Associates, P.C.

Civil EngineerGordon Berlinsky, P.E.

Structural EngineerStructron Engineering, Inc.

Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing EngineersJohnson Engineering, Inc.

Project Schedule

Preliminary Plans PresentationOctober 1999

Construction Documents CompletedMarch 2000

Award Construction ContractApril 2000

Project CompletedSeptember 2001

Estimated Construction Cost

10-Classroom Addition8-Classroom Add-Alternate

Existing247,000 SF

New 25,500 SF 20,900 SF

Renovated 3,000 SF 3,500 SF

Total Gross SF 272,500 SF 293,400 SF (WITH THE BASE BID

10-CLASSROOM ADDITION)

Total Costs $ 3,200,000 $ 2,500,000 (8-CLASSROOM
ADD-ALTERNATE COST ONLY)

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