A Little More Fair Share...

Yesterday I posted about the City’s efforts to make sure that users of City services are paying their fair share in taxes – and that reminded me of a contractual agreement that we have with our neighboring township (Franklin Township) and the Village of Sugar Bush Knolls where we provide Fire and EMS services outside the City boundaries and we bill the Township and Village for their share of those services on a per call basis.

Same concept as the taxes:  City provides a service and the service recipients pay for it.

The good news is the Fire Service collections in the Township and Village is never an issue and they’re great partners when it comes to setting the annual rates and sharing in the investment required in new Fire and EMS apparatus when it’s time to replace old units.

These sorts of intra-jurisdictional partnerships make a lot of business sense and we’ve used these models to expand our partnerships in other service areas with cities like Ravenna, Stow and Aurora.  These types of common sense, functional partnerships don’t get a lot of fanfare in the media but I figure they are an expanding part of business that is saving our residents and our partner’s residents money year after year — so I’m happy to parade it around the blog.

Here’s the details on the Sugar Bush Knolls Fire Service contract:

It may not sound like a lot of money but these days every penny counts.

Power Outages...

In anticipation of the arrival of some potentially serious storms in northeast Ohio over the next 48 hours, First Energy circulated a press release describing what to do to report fallen wires and power outages.

I wanted to pass this information along and it dawned on me that if the power is out, there is not likely to be any internet access — so I guess you should print a copy of the information from First Energy so you can read it by candlelight if you need it.

FirstEnergy Corp. For Release: June 12, 2013
76 S. Main Street
Akron, OH 44308
www.firstenergycorp.com
News Media Contacts:
Mark Durbin – (330) 761-4365
FirstEnergy Utilities Prepare for Summer Storms
Company Offers Tips for Customers If Severe Weather Causes Power Outages
Akron, Ohio – FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) is preparing for the possible impact of
summer storms predicted to hit parts of its utilities’ service territory later today and
continuing through Thursday. Current forecasts anticipate the most severe weather could
occur in Ohio, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland.
As a result of the weather forecasts, which include the possibility of damaging
winds, FirstEnergy has implemented its storm preparation process. Company-wide
conference calls have been held, which include reviewing line, hazard, dispatch and
forestry crew staffing needs, and forestry and electrical contractors have been notified they
could be required to assist with storm restoration efforts over the next several days. In
addition, FirstEnergy has been in contact with utility mutual assistance groups to determine
if outside utility crews would be available to assist, if needed.
FirstEnergy customer call centers will be fully staffed. Customers who are without
power are encouraged to call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) to report their outage or
click the “Report Outage” link on www.firstenergycorp.comvia smartphone.
For updated information on the company’s storm preparation efforts, current
outages, FirstEnergy’s storm restoration process and tips for staying safe, customers are
urged to visit the 24/7 Power Center at www.firstenergycorp.com/outages. The operating
companies also will provide updates via Twitter:
 Toledo Edison: @ToledoEdison
 The Illuminating Company: @IlluminatingCo
 Ohio Edison: @OhioEdison
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 Mon Power: @MonPowerWV
 JCP&L: @JCP_L
 Penn Power: @Penn_Power
 Penelec: @Penelec
 Met-ED: @Met_Ed
 Potomac Edison: @PotomacEdison
 West Penn Power: @W_Penn_Power
FirstEnergy’s new texting and alert services and continued enhancements to its
website and outage maps have made it easier for customers to report outages and obtain
restoration information.
Customers can subscribe to receive alert notifications via email or text message that
contain information about bills, weather conditions that may impact electrical service, or
updates on reported outages. Customers also can use text messaging to report outages,
request updates on restoration efforts, and make other inquiries about their electric
accounts.
Customers can sign up for text messaging by texting REG to 544487 (LIGHTS).
Additional sign-up instructions, a guide to texting codes and terms and conditions, can be
found online at www.firstenergycorp.com/connect.
The alert and text message services are provided free of charge to FirstEnergy
customers; however, mobile carriers may charge customers to send and receive text
messages or utilize data services. Customers should contact their carrier for more details
about message and data rates.
The alert and text messaging services are the latest additions to the suite of mobile
technology recently introduced for customers. Earlier this year, the company launched
smartphone apps for AppleR iPhoneR and Android™ devices, and a mobile website that is
accessible by using a smartphone to visit www.firstenergycorp.com. Customers can also
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view power outages on FirstEnergy’s mobile-accessible 24/7 Power Center outage maps or
receive information, view photos and watch video on the company’s social media
accounts.
Outage Preparation Tips
Customers can take the following steps to prepare for the possibility of outages
caused by summer storms:
 Keep a flashlight and extra batteries handy. Use care when burning candles; open
flames are a fire hazard.
 If you have a water well and pump, keep an emergency supply of bottled water
and/or fill your bathtub with fresh water.
 Stock an emergency supply of convenience foods that do not require cooking.
 Keep a battery-powered radio with extra batteries on hand. Tune to a local station
for current storm information.
 Have a hard-wired telephone or a charged cell phone handy in the event you need
to report your electricity is out. Mobile phones can be charged in your vehicle
using a car charger when the power is out. If you have a smart phone, this will
ensure you have access to online information sources.
Downed Wires
 Customers should immediately report downed wires to their local utility or
local police or fire department. Customers should never go near a downed
power line, even if they think it’s no longer carrying electricity.
 Don’t try to remove trees or tree limbs from power lines. Wait for utility crews
to arrive.
Customer Generators
 Emergency power generators offer an option for customers needing or wanting
uninterrupted service. However, to ensure the safety of the home’s occupants
as well as that of utility company employees who may be working on power
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lines in the area, the proper generator should be selected and installed by a
qualified electrician. When operating a generator, the power coming into the
home should always be disconnected. Otherwise, power from the generator
could be sent back onto the utility lines, creating a hazardous situation for
utility workers.
FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company dedicated to safety, reliability and
operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation’s
largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter
@FirstEnergyCorp.

New KSU Hotel Occupancy Permit Approved...

It’s official, the KSU Hotel and Conference Center was issued its Certificate of Occupancy from the City so they can open their doors as soon as they sweep up their construction dust and fire up the kitchen ovens.

Paying Their Fair Share...

No doubt, no one likes to pay taxes but the desire for City services keeps going up, taking the costs up, and making taxes necessary to pay the bills for all those services that we expect in Kent.

Taxes are the deal we make to live in a community.

The City’s job is to make sure we’re providing real value with those City services, stretching tax dollars as far as they can go and getting the biggest bang for the buck.  The taxpayer’s job is to pay their fair share.

Sounds simple enough but in a community with a reasonably high turnover in residents year after year, it can be hard to motivate short timers to ante-up during their time in Kent and even harder for a small City office staff to track them down when they don’t pay.

As a result, over the last 4 years we had approximately 5,000 names on our list of Kent residents that had ducked out of paying their fair share.  Given the City’s mounting fiscal pressures, it became clear that we couldn’t look the other way and something had to be done to improve our tax collection rate.

In 2009 the City converted it’s tax services to RITA, the regional tax agency that is used by cities all over northeast Ohio, in order to upgrade our tax efficiencies and take advantage of the greater resources available through RITA.  We still have a City employee available as a point of contact for our residents with RITA but overall RITA manages the City’s tax services.

Like any big switch, there have been some bumps along the way (and I still think that our internal staff have a leg up on RITA in the area of customer service but I am admittedly biased) but as a business decision, the transition to RITA has proven to be a solid and effective move.

One area of that move that has proven particularly effective is using RITA to track down local non-payers through the access that RITA has to the Federal IRS tax reports that are not available to cities of Kent’s size.  Now, when tax scofflaws skip town, RITA can track them through their Federal income tax returns and subpoena them to pay back what they owe in Kent.

RITA has taken tax collections to a whole new level and after the first year of using the subpoena program RITA tracked down some 2,100 residents and collected approximately $125,000 in past-due tax bills to Kent.  RITA charges roughly $8 per subpoena so the City paid RITA about $16,000 and we should clear in excess of $100,000.

Believe it or not, we don’t actually like to use a heavy handed approach in tax collections but given our finance challenges, it seemed appropriate to step up our collection efforts to send a signal that we’re serious about everyone paying their fair share and no one is above the law in these tough times.

New Twist to Old Practice...

For as long as cities have had water lines, there’s been a need for routine flushing of those lines — and City crews have begun performing this annual rite of summer here in Kent so don’t be surprised to see them in your neighborhood or (for the first time) to get a call from them as they make their way block by block across Kent.

The City of Kent water crews are busy opening hydrants to make sure that the hydrants are in good working order and to give the water lines a good turn-over in water supply which helps flush out any mineral deposits in the line and keeps water quality high.

As former winners of the International Best Tasting Water award, we take water quality seriously.  Thankfully, we have a first rate aquifer that has an excellent balance of good mineral content and abundant water supply so our water source gives us a great head start over a lot of other communities.

Nature takes care of a lot but we still have to run the ground water through our treatment process before sending it out the door to be stored in the tanks or pumped into the water lines in your neighborhood before arriving at your faucet or the fire hydrant on your street.

Either way, we know that when you turn the handle you expect instant delivery of safe, high quality water with adequate pressure to supply a wide range of everyday needs — from flushing toilets, running your washer, to sprinkling your lawn.

It turns out that those simple conveniences are actually not so simple.  A lot of science, engineering and hard labor goes on behind the scenes in order to deliver each gallon of water — then multiple that by a couple of million gallons delivered a day and you get a sense of the magnitude of the job.

Throw in the fact that when it comes to supplying water, there is no margin for error — it has to be perfect every time.

The City of Kent is only about 8 square miles but we have thousands of miles worth of water lines serving Kent residents and businesses.  Our water source and our water plant produce outstanding water but by the time it arrives at the water meter at your home it’s only as good as the water lines that deliver it.

With thousands of miles of lines battling all kinds of corrosive soil conditions, freeze thaw cycles, pressure hammers, and traffic loads driving overhead you can appreciate the challenge of keeping the lines in pristine condition.

There are a seemingly infinite number of spots where trouble can pop up in water lines and City crews are busy patching, plugging, repairing, and rebuilding water lines and their joints and valves all year long — summer just happens to be a time when they are a little more visible flushing hydrants.

The new twist to our hydrant flushing this year is the use of our new automated notification system (SwiftReach) that has the capability to call residents on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis to let them know when the City crews will be flushing their hydrants.

We still do the old fashioned list of streets but at the end of 2012 we purchased a new mass notification system that we hope will be a valuable addition to City services as we plan to use it for a wide range of applications that can target certain homes that may be affected by a water main break or are next up for leaf collection, etc.

Any Kent resident with a land line in Kent last Fall was automatically added to our database and any new residents, or residents who want to receive cell phone notification can sign up at any time.

Click here to sign up or to be removed from the list.

KSU Construction in High Gear...

Reading that Kent State University is buzzing with construction activity this summer is hardly a news flash but seeing it all on paper gave me a new sense  of appreciation for what a lot of construction works translates into on a building by building basis.   Wow.

KSU Summer Construction Schedule

CAMPUS-WIDE ENERGY CONSERVATION PROJECTS:

Kent Campus Classroom, Laboratory, Auxiliary Buildings and Utility Assets

Energy Conservation Project, Phase 1

In mid-November 2012, The Brewer-Garrett Company commenced activity on their Performance Contract services for energy conservation measures in Kent Campus classroom, laboratory and auxiliary buildings, Summit Street Power Plant and utilities infrastructure. This project impacts over 3.6 million square feet of buildings, plus parking lot and roadway lighting and campus utilities (electricity, natural gas, chilled water, steam, domestic water and sewer). The potential $50 million project has been limited to a $25 million Phase 1 and potential, yet to-be-determined value, future Phase 2. External special bond funding was approved by the Kent State University Board of Trustees and the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority; funding all-in rate achieved 1.25% with a very positive effect on project cash flow. Expectation for Phase 1 of this project is that the majority of the House Bill 251 energy use reduction goal of 20% will be met. Select envelope deferred renewal projects include: window replacements for: Administrative Services Building (March 11 – 15), Bowman Hall (May 13 – August 17), DeWeeseHealthCenter (December 2013 – January 2014), Dix Stadium (May 13 – August 2013), Library (May 2014 – August 2014), RockwellMuseum (March 11 – 29), Nixson Hall skylights (summer 2013); new roofs for: Bowman, Henderson, Moulton, and Nixson Halls (summer 2013). General project scope items include select lighting retrofits, replacements of air handlers, chillers, boilers, pumps, heat exchangers and domestic water heating systems, installation of piping system insulation, building envelope repairs, and comprehensive utility metering. On March 4, six groups of contractor teams started retrofitting of interior lighting at many buildings. A substantial amount of noticeable Phase 1 work and select exterior improvements are planned for: Bowman Hall, DeWeeseHealthCenter, MACCenter, SchwartzCenter, Ice Arena, Dix Stadium, and the Library. The SchwartzCenter cooling chiller and cooling tower were removed during the winter semester break 2012/2013. New units were installed between March and mid-April in time for cooling season. In the MACCenter gymnasium catwalk area, ten existing air handlers are being removed and new units installed during the spring/summer 2013. A complete campus exterior pole lighting project retrofitting to LED will be completed (summer 2013). The Summit Street Power Plant gas and electric utility contract/operation re-negotiation is also included in Phase 1. The project is utilizing House Bill 7 Performance Contracting regulations for payback of the project costs with guaranteed energy savings and possibly operational and avoided capital costs over a maximum 15-year time period.
Kent Campus Residence Services Energy Conservation Project

This project encompasses approximately 1,800,000 SF of twenty-six residence hall buildings on the Kent Campus to address the House Bill 251 energy use reduction goals. Potential construction installation cost is $20,000,000 resulting in $1,800,000 total annual guaranteed utility cost savings. The Brewer-Garrett Company commenced installation processes in June 2011 and on-going as work is being coordinated with other residence hall projects planned outside of this project’s scope. This project exceeds the 20% HB 251 energy reduction goals with 37% annual energy consumption savings and avoided greenhouse gas emissions. The project is utilizing provisions per Ohio Legislation HB 7 for payback of project cost with guaranteed energy savings over the allowed 15-year payback time period. In addition, substantial deferred renewal items are being addressed: replacement of single-pane, original windows at Prentice, Verder, Dunbar, Lake and Olson halls; installation of air handling equipment in Beall/McDowell Center, and caulking, tuckpointing, lintel repair and replacements on the building envelopes. A student room energy conservation control system is being implemented throughout; this strategy will automatically reduce HVAC and electrical usage when rooms are unoccupied. Envelope repairs and windows replacements in Dunbar, Prentice, Verder, Lake and Olson Halls and envelope repairs at Tri-Towers Rotunda and Engleman Hall have been completed. Temperature controls in student rooms are operating in Centennial Courts A-F, Stopher, Johnson, Lake, Olson, Korb, Engleman, Beall, Prentice, Verder, Dunbar and Allyn halls. Room automation at Tri-Towers and the Eastway Complex has been delayed in effort to coordinate the work with other planned renovations in those buildings. The Tri-Towers Complex domestic hot water heaters have been replaced and the system is currently being upgraded to replace storage tanks in the towers with master mixing valves. Retro-commissioning of the hall’s HVAC equipment is being performed to correct any deficiencies and ensure efficient operation. A total of 2,051 water conserving low-flow sink aerators and approximately 1,600 reduced flow showerheads were installed in all of the residence halls. To reduce electricity consumption, lighting retrofits were completed in Stopher and Johnson halls, Centennial Courts A-F, Verder, Prentice, Dunbar, Engleman, Lake, Olson, Beall, McDowell, and Koonce, Leebrick and Wright halls. New motors with variable frequency drives were installed on the building heating systems in multiple resident halls. Kitchen hood controls were installed in EastwayCenter and Tri-Towers Rotunda that will automatically reduce exhaust flows by up to 70% when not required to capture heat and/or fumes from cooking. Condensate from steam heat recovery systems are in operation at Lake/Olson halls, Centennial Courts A/B, C/D, and E/F that save energy by extracting more heat from the condensate prior to sending it back to the Power Plant. The condensate heat recovery systems will reduce the steam required by buildings and help to provide more opportunities for waste heat recovery at the Power Plant. Utility meters have been installed in all of the residence halls and are reporting consumptions to the building automation system for billing. The foundation has been established for the potential development of a Web-based energy dashboard that could be accessed by parents, students and staff to promote energy conservation and review utility consumptions. Utility meter readings for individual residence halls will be used to promote and document energy conservation competitions between similar halls. This project is approximately 80% complete.

PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION:

Child Development Center Outdoor Learning Laboratory

An Outdoor Learning Laboratory is being expanded and improved at the playground of the ChildDevelopmentCenter in order to enhance the mission and philosophy of the Center. Designed by Behnke Associates, Cavanaugh Building Corporation’s on-site work continues, as weather permits, and is scheduled to be completed by the end of May.
Clark, Fletcher and Manchester Halls HVAC and Student Room Improvements

In the Eastway Center Residence Halls Complex (Clark, Fletcher and Manchester Halls), the two-pipe heating-only system will be replaced with a four-pipe system capable of providing heating and cooling to student rooms. The flooring will be abated and the existing built-in closets will be removed. Corridor finishes and lighting improvements are also included in this project. Dynamix Engineering, Ltd. is the Criteria Architect/Engineer for this project. Turner Construction Company is serving as the Design-Build firm. On May 13, construction commenced in Clark Hall. During the summer of 2014, work will begin in Fletcher and Manchester halls.

Henderson Hall Parking Lot and Walkways

A new, 200-vehicle parking lot, designed by Knight & Stolar, Inc., is being built in the vicinity of Henderson Hall. Adjacent sidewalks and pavements need to be installed to continue service to Henderson Hall and to provide pedestrian circulation throughout the site. Perrin Asphalt Company’s work on the project commenced on May 1.
Library Roof Replacement and Parapet Repairs

URS Corporation designed this project to replace the Library’s tower and main building roofing systems. Work involves installation of lighting protection and fall protection, and the removal of old chillers and cooling towers no longer in service. On May 13, Terik Roofing, Inc. commenced construction.
Library Third Floor Renovations for the School of Library and Information Science

The School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) currently occupies an area on the third floor of the Library and the program has grown significantly. Additional space is needed to accommodate students and faculty. This project, designed by Payto Architects, involves interior renovations and systems upgrades to the approximately 10,000 SF of vacated space on the third floor of the Library. The program includes additional faculty office and research spaces, as well as instructional spaces. Stitle Construction Corporation’s construction activities are scheduled for completion in July.
McDowell Hall Elevator Modernization

All of McDowell Hall’s elevator equipment is original to the construction of the building, circa 1966. Modernization of McDowell Hall’s two elevators includes: replacement of the electromagnetic controls with a micro-processor control system; replacement of the AC to DC generator set with a variable drive AC motor; re-roping of each hoistway; constructing new elevator cabs on the existing slings; and installation of new lanterns and call stations at each floor. Elevator dispatch times and travel times will be shortened by new efficiencies in the micro-processor controls, taking advantage of updated technologies. This project was designed by Van Auken Akins Architects, LLC. On May 13, Stitle Construction Corporation’s commenced on-site construction.
McGilvrey Hall Building Envelope Restoration

Carl Walker, Inc. designed this project to replace McGilvrey Hall’s building roof systems and prepare for a major restoration of the building’s stone and brick facades. Work includes installation of lighting protection and fall protection, and removal of old mechanical equipment no longer in service. Hively Contracting Company’s construction work commenced on May 13.
Music and Speech Center D-Wing First Floor

Ceiling Replacement and Chilled Water Line Relocation

Chilled water lines in the D-Wing of the Music and Speech Center are being relocated from the ground floor to the first floor ceiling, the spline ceiling is being replaced with new two-by-two lay-in ceiling tiles, and the existing surface-mount lighting are being replaced with recessed, high-efficiency lights. The Standard Plumbing & Heating Company commenced on-site construction May 13 on this project that was designed by Pardo Consultants. To avoid disrupting daytime classes and business operations, noisy demolition and construction activities will be conducted during the third shift.
Prentice Hall Toilet and Shower Room Renovations

Prentice Hall was constructed in 1959 and houses 255 students in double-occupancy rooms. The shower and toilet rooms have had minor renovations, but in large part are original to the building. This summer, the shower and toilet rooms are being upgraded, the original systems and layouts replaced with new, private shower/toilet rooms similar to the facilities recently installed in the Tri-Towers, Lake/Olson and Eastway complexes. All failing piping, power and ventilation systems within the existing shower/toilet rooms are being removed and replaced and a new shower/toilet room complex for each floor and each wing of the building are being built. Domokur Architects is the Criteria Architect/Engineer for this project. Turner Construction Company is serving as the Design-Build firm. On-site work commenced on May 13.

Prentice House Relocation and Renovation

The May Prentice House, a residence of historical significance to KentStateUniversity was relocated due to the Esplanade Extension project and for future use by the university. Interior and exterior renovations are required to bring the building up to code for the university’s use. Rick Hawksley, Architect, dba Design with a Vision, assisted with planning and designing this two-phased project. Hummel Construction Company commenced work on May 6. A new foundation, basement and structural floor system is being built, new electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems installed, accessibility upgrades made, and interior and exterior improvements will be completed.
Recreation Field Pavilion

At the new Recreation Field, a new pavilion and secured field equipment storage building are being built for the convenience and use of recreation users and visitors. The pavilion will be comprised of a covered area with picnic tables for group gatherings, enclosed restroom facilities, electrical power and wireless Internet access. Site utilities, irrigation controls, field lighting and water well controls are being relocated from their current, temporary locations into the new building. This project was designed by Braun & Steidl Architects. DSV Builders, Inc., Synergy, LLC, and Becdel Controls, Incorporated were scheduled to commence construction on April 1; work on-site began on May 3.
Renovations and Additions for the School of Art

The School of Art currently occupies six different buildings on the Kent Campus: the ArtBuilding, Art Annex, Van Deusen Hall, SchwartzCenter, Olson Hall and the CeramicsBuilding. The intent of this project is to consolidate the school into two buildings and provide renovated and new spaces for their programs. The Art Annex is the university’s former central heating plant in which a two-phase renovation was planned to house several art programs. Phase one was completed in 2007 and this project will complete the second phase of renovations to provide approximately 32,000 SF. Recommendations to renovate Van Deusen Hall in lieu of the Art Building were approved, enabling the buildings to be linked together by the addition, thus creating space for the entire School of Art to be housed under one roof. Van Deusen needs significant renovations to accommodate the program space; the old Heating Plant section of the Art Annex will be partially demolished and rebuilt. In general, the project will provide new MEP infrastructure, interior finishes, and envelope repairs/replacement. This project will be registered with the USGBC for minimum Silver LEED certification. Payto Architects, Inc., the Architect of Record, has completed a study with several different renovation scenarios. Ozanne Construction Company is serving as Construction Management at Risk. The Ruhlin Company is serving as the Major Construction Program Manager, Doty & Miller Architects & Planners, Inc. is the LEED Process Consultant, and Four Seasons Environmental, Inc. is the Commissioning Agent. The construction manager, during the preconstruction services phase of the project, is assisting with evaluating and determining the final project scope based on estimates, schedules and constructability. Two early construction packages were bid in March and April to relocate existing utilities and perform abatement and demolition in the Art Annex and former Heating Plant. The utility work commenced during steam shutdown week, May 13, and continues through August. Portions of the buildings will remain occupied during the renovations.
Stockdale Dispatch Renovations

Designed by Four Points Architectural Services, Stockdale’s dispatch center was relocated into a larger, more secured room. Renovations entailed complete demolition and reconstruction of the new center and installation of furniture systems for five dispatch workstations. The Cornice Co., Inc. has completed installation of the new dispatch center. Window replacements and HVAC improvements are continuing through summer.
Taylor Hall Building Envelope Restoration

Braun & Steidl Architects, Inc. designed this building envelope repair project to replace Taylor Hall’s upper and lower roof systems; perform concrete repairs to the structural building frame; and replace windows. Work includes installation of lighting protection and fall protection, and removal of old cooling towers no longer in service. On May 13, Panzica Construction Company commenced work.
Tri-Towers Residence Halls Rooms and HVAC Upgrades

Built in 1968, the Tri-Towers complex consists of two ten-story residence halls, one twelve-story residence hall and a central connecting building for dining and student activities. The complex houses approximately 1,400 students and has received two large-scale, but partial renovations within the last ten years. This project addresses deferred maintenance issues, including aging HVAC infrastructure, building envelope failures, interior room configurations and finishes that were not corrected as part of previous renovations and extending the life of the buildings for another thirty years. Domokur Architects is serving as the Architect of Record to assist with designing and providing project management for all phases of the project. The AOR contracted directly with Scheeser Buckley Mayfield for MEP engineering design. Four Seasons Environmental is under contract with the university to serve as the Commissioning Agent. Gilbane Building Company is serving as Construction Manager at Risk for this project. Construction is being scheduled over a two-year time frame, with the majority of work completed while buildings are unoccupied during the summer breaks of 2013 through 2014. Work in Wright Hall commenced on May 13, and work in Koonce and Leebrick will be completed during the summer of 2014. As weather permits, building envelope work continues for the duration of this project.
Tuscarawas Eugene Tolloty Technology Center Incubator

Northeast of the KentStateUniversity at Tuscarawas Campus, the Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) of TuscarawasCounty constructed the 170-acre TuscarawasTechnologyPark in 2008. Currently all roadways throughout the TechnologyPark are paved and all utilities have been installed with the roadways. The Eugene Tolloty Technology Center Incubator will be the first building constructed in the TechnologyPark; it will be located on the 7.8 acre “Development Area F”. KentStateUniversity at Tuscarawas will own the building and it will be managed and operated by the CIC of Tuscarawas County. The scope of this project is to construct a 25,000 SF business/technology incubator which will include approximately 15,000 SF of office, conference and laboratory spaces. The focus of the incubator is to provide start-up space to high-tech companies involved in research and development. Efforts will be made to attract information technology, computer animation, polymer research and development, biotech and nanotech research companies, advanced materials research companies, and other high-tech research and development companies. Construction will also consist of all site work associated with the building, such as utility extensions from the existing roadway, parking lot and exterior lighting, and landscaping. The master plan for the TechnologyPark identifies future construction of buildings to take place in clusters on various multi-acre parcels. The terrain is heavily rolling with portions of the land previously reclaimed from coal mining. 48 acres are set-aside for LEED-certified structures, and along with the remaining 112 acres, have restrictive covenants and building review standards for a quality-controlled, unified development. KentStateUniversity at Tuscarawas desires to meet LEED certification standards for energy efficiency and to submit for LEED certification. Funding for this project is made up of grants from the Ohio Department of Development Job Ready Sites, the Community Improvement Corporation of TuscarawasCounty; and the US Department of Commerce, EDA. Additional funding is provided by the Tuscarawas County University Branch District. Poggemeyer Design Group designed this project. On April 22, Jeffrey Carr Construction, Inc. commenced construction on-site and must be completed by April 2014.

CONTRACT AWARDS PENDING:

 Gym Annex Pool Adaptive Reuse Renovations

In the Gym Annex, the 10,000 SF former aquatics area, vacant for the past ten years, will be renovated to provide classrooms and laboratories for the School of Visual Communications and Design. The existing pool mechanical rooms and pool diving area will be converted to facility maintenance space and storage. Repointing of the existing masonry brickwork will be performed on the building exterior. The project scope also includes replacing the roof over the former pool area and the gymnasium north of the former pool. This project is critically needed to address temporary classroom space while major campus improvements are completed over the next three to four years. This project was designed by Braun & Steidl, Architects, Inc. The contract award is pending for the Apparent Low Bidder, Summit Construction Company, Inc. for construction bids that were opened on April 26.
Music and Speech Center Renovations to Lecture Hall D022

Music and Speech Center Lecture Hall D022 was planned for a future lecture hall and is currently vacant. This room needs to be utilized as swing space for other campus classes while major lecture halls are taken offline during the construction of the major bond projects. The existing shell space will be renovated into a lecture hall for multiple disciplines. The contract award is pending for the Apparent Low Bidder, Summit Construction Company, Inc. for construction bids that were opened on April 16.
Rockwell Hall Atrium and Lab Renovations

New lab spaces will be built-out in the existing atrium and third floor classroom areas of Rockwell Hall to accommodate additional program changes and class structure of the School of Fashion Design and Merchandising. Work involves a floor extension on the third floor to recapture the space at the atrium. The contract award with the Apparent Low Bidder, R. L. Hill Management, Inc., is pending for construction bids that were opened on April 18 for this project that was designed by Van Auken Akins Architects, LLC.
PROJECTS ADVERTISED FOR BIDDING:

Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative Expansion

The College of Architecture and Environmental Design will begin offering a Master of Landscape Architecture program that will be taught at the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative (CUDC). The existing space is not large enough to support the additional students that will be enrolled in this new program. This project, designed by Westlake Reed Leskosky,  entails enlarging the CUDC space by expanding into the adjacent 2,500 SF unfinished tenant area with finishes and furnishings to create twenty-two additional student stations in the design studio. Contractors’ bids for construction will be opened on June 7.

PROJECTS UNDER DESIGN:

Centennial Research Park Lab Improvements

Swing space will be needed during the science facilities renovations and research space is also needed for new hires. Van Auken Akins Architects designed renovations to CentennialResearchPark’s former 4,000 SF wash bay area, which includes installation of lab casework, window openings, new restrooms, HVAC, fire protection, electrical distribution and lighting systems. Construction documents are being prepared to advertise this project to bidders this summer.

Field House Locker Room Expansion

The Field House will be expanded along the south side of the building to provide locker room facilities for Women’s Softball, Women’s Field Hockey, Women’s Soccer and both Men’s and Women’s Track teams. Braun & Steidl, Architects, Inc. is the Criteria Architect/Engineer for this project. Regency Construction Services, Inc. is serving as the Design-Build firm. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on May 3. Within the next two weeks, utility relocation work should commence with construction to be completed in December.

Multiple Science Buildings Renovations and Addition

Two science buildings, Cunningham and Williams halls, will be renovated and an Integrated Sciences Building (ISB) will be built to increase academic and research spaces. Exterior envelope improvements will be made to Smith Hall. Renovations will address deferred maintenance needs, focusing on replacement of aging and failing infrastructure and systems and reorganization of the program spaces within the existing buildings’ general layouts, and at the same time, will establish state-of-the-art science facilities for teaching and research. Renovations of these buildings are being treated as a single project to provide a cohesive approach to science instruction and research space in these areas; this project will be registered with the USGBC for minimum Silver LEED certification. Additionally, all three buildings and programs will need to continue to operate portions of the buildings during construction. Sharing of temporary facilities in all three areas will be part of an overall sequencing plan for the construction period. The 93,000 SF Williams Hall, built in 1967, provides space for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The 47,000 SF Smith Hall, built in 1968, provides space for the Department of Physics. The 93,000 SF Cunningham Hall, built in 1968, provides space for the Department of Biological Sciences. Cunningham Hall also includes an addition that was completed in 2001; work in this addition is anticipated to be modest and limited to systems that interface with the original building, such as building automation, security and fire alarms and re-commissioning of the HVAC system. Ayers/Saint/Gross, Incorporated, the Architect of Record, is designing and providing project management for all phases of the project. The Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing engineering firm, Prater Engineering, is under contract with the Architect of Record. Turner Construction Company is serving as Construction Manager at Risk. In addition, separate consultants are under contract to assist Kent State on this project: The Ruhlin Company is serving as the Major Construction Program Manager, Doty & Miller Architects & Planners, Inc. is the LEED Process Consultant, and Karpinski Engineering is the Commissioning Agent. The design team completed the Program of Requirements (POR) and is starting the Schematic Design phase, while the Construction Manager is completing the POR estimate.
New Building for the College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability and Technology

In support of the recently redefined and renamed College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability and Technology, Kent State University intends to construct a new facility reflecting the level of sophistication envisioned with the college. The new facility is envisioned to be between 50,000 and 55,000 SF and two stories tall. The facility will house classrooms, labs and administrative and faculty offices. In addition, a portion of the building will be planned as shell space for future expansion as additional funding becomes available. The research activities of the college will be located in another building on campus. This project will be registered with the USGBC for minimum Silver LEED certification. Bostwick Design Partnership is serving as the Architect of Record; Hammond Construction, Inc. is serving as Construction Manager at Risk. In addition, separate consultants are under contract to assist Kent State on this project: The Ruhlin Company is serving as the Major Construction Program Manager, Doty & Miller Architects & Planners, Inc. is the LEED Process Consultant, and Four Seasons Environmental, Inc. is the Commissioning Agent. In early May, the utility bid package (1A) was issued by the CMR, to be followed by the site utilities, foundation and steel bid package (1B).
New Facility for the College of Architecture and Environmental Design

The College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) is one of KentStateUniversity’s signature programs. Currently, the program is fractionalized with classroom, studios and faculty offices scattered across the campus in three separate structures that do not reflect the caliber of the program. Taylor Hall, located in the heart of campus, is the base of operations and the location within the May Fourth Historic District makes it impossible to modify the existing building in a constructive way. Therefore, the university has set the construction of a new building for the program as a facility improvement priority. The proposed building is programmed at approximately 120,000 SF and will include studios, classrooms, administrative offices and various shop and research spaces. The new building will be located on the Esplanade walkway extension, a path currently under construction between South Lincoln Street and Haymaker Parkway to connect the Kent Campus with downtown Kent. The connection of the building to its surrounding site will be an important part of the design and the project will include all sidewalks, parking lots, landscaping and utility extensions to the site and building. The university has identified three primary drivers of project: the building must be architecturally significant and representative of the stature of the CAED program; the building must be a model of sustainable design and energy performance; and the building must be affordable while accommodating all of the programmatic needs of the college. After completing the interview and presentation process, KentState selected Richard L. Bowen + Associates, Inc., in collaboration with Weiss/Manfredi to serve as the Architect of Record for this project. Kent State recently selected Gilbane Building Company to serve as the Construction Manager at Risk. In addition, separate consultants are under contract to assist Kent State on this project: The Ruhlin Company is serving as the Major Construction Program Manager, Doty & Miller Architects & Planners, Inc. is the LEED Process Consultant, and Four Seasons Environmental, Inc. is the Commissioning Agent. This project will be registered with the USGBC for minimum Silver LEED certification. Maximizing energy conservation is a critical component of the design goals to comply with House bill 251. Contract negotiations are underway with the A/E and CMR and the initial kickoff meeting for the design team has been scheduled for May 17.
Olson Center Rehabilitation for Undergraduate Studies

OlsonCenter, located along the University Esplanade and adjacent to the Memorial Athletic and ConvocationCenter, was constructed in 1961 as a dining facility, but was converted to offices in the early 1980s. Building renovations will address the growing list of deferred maintenance issues, but more importantly, will enhance the building facade facing this highly-visited section of the campus. The Department of Undergraduate Studies is located in the OlsonCenter; the UndergraduateStudiesCenter for Excellence tutoring and other operations are located in the SchwartzCenter and the Library. Undergraduate Studies is responsible for assisting undecided students with degree and career planning; assessing the basic skills of all entering freshman students; providing tutoring services that promote student learning; and providing support tools and resources for low-income, first generation and precollege students. At 28,000 SF, the former kitchen and dining hall areas that currently house Undergraduate Studies and two departments from the School of Art will be transformed into a modern, student-focused tutoring and exploratory advising center. With its prime location in the center of campus, students could easily access tools to help them achieve success at KentStateUniversity, including group tutoring, walk-in tutoring, online tutoring and scheduled tutoring. The art programs, currently located on the north side of the building, will be permanently relocated into the new art facility once it is completed. Domokur Architects is assisting with designing this project. Investigation of existing building conditions and programming are underway. The project is entering the Schematic Design phase as the Program of Requirements estimates are being completed. This project will be registered with the USGBC for minimum Silver LEED certification. Maximizing energy conservation is a critical component of the design goals to comply with House Bill 251. Separate consultants are under contract to assist Kent State on this project: The Ruhlin Company is serving as the Major Construction Program Manager, Doty & Miller Architects & Planners, Inc. is the LEED Process Consultant, and Four Seasons Environmental, Inc. is the Commissioning Agent.
Prentice Dining Hall Renovation

Kaczmar Architects is assisting Dining Services to program options for a new dining facility to replace the Prentice Café which serves the north campus area. Recommendations and preliminary estimates were provided by the architect in April.
Schwebel Room Improvements

Bialosky + Partners Architects is working with Dining Services to plan improvements to the Schwebel Dining Room located on the third floor of the StudentCenter.

Safe Spring Party Season...

For as long as students have crammed for final exams, students have also celebrated the completion of the academic year with that other rite of matriculation – spring parties.

Spring weekends in college towns are notorious for year-end parties that begin as a well deserved break from the daily grind of student-hood but have an unfortunate tendency to mutate into something more spirited.

School spirit is a great thing but that’s not exactly the spirits filling up the cups at the parties which when consumed in large quantities often end in injuries, property damage and unfortunately arrests.

Spring parties are nothing new but the advent of social media has raised the stakes as a house party can combust into a flash mob in a matter of minutes, catching party hosts, landlords and safety crews off-guard and unprepared — all of which is a bad combination for safety.

Despite our best efforts, spring parties in Kent have made headlines for attracting party crashers from as far as Akron and Cleveland, filling up the City’s jail with out-of-town offenders and giving the Kent community a black-eye.

That is why we are proud to report that this year’s spring parties in Kent broke with tradition and were remarkable for what didn’t happen — there were no arrests, no fights, no property damage, and most importantly, no calls to parents to explain why their son or daughter was in the hospital.

The key measure of success for the Kent Police Department during the spring party season is how many people get hurt from parties that took an unexpected turn for the worse.  By that yardstick, Spring 2013 was our best year ever.

Our partnerships with KentStateUniversity officials have been instrumental in educating and informing the student body, and the partnership continues to test out new and better ways to keep students, residents and visitors out of harm’s way.  But this year’s success goes beyond the City and KSU, it includes the contributions of the fraternity houses, rental property owners and apartment complex managers who worked with the City to spread the word to their tenants to party smart, stay safe, and end their college years with graduation rather than academic suspension.

It is the Kent Police Department’s duty to serve and protect it’s citizens and every day they put themselves on the line to fulfill that mission.  Police Chief Michelle Lee reports that leading up to the spring party season she hoped for the best but prepared for the worst, lining up law enforcement officers from around the region to join her for a long day devoted to keeping problems from spinning out of control. Thankfully, Police services were unnecessary and their days ended early and uneventfully.

We know that it takes a community to keep the spring party season safe which is why Chief Lee and I wanted to extend our appreciation to the entire community who took a stand for safety this year and helped make sure that everyone got home safe and sound.  On behalf of the City of Kent and the Kent Police Department we want to express our gratitude to the many volunteers, students, administrators and community members that helped make the Spring 2013 party weekends safe and enjoyable for everyone.

It’s been great to celebrate all of the grand openings and ribbon cuttings in downtown Kent but keeping Spring 2013 safe for everyone may be our best accomplishment as a community yet.

Bump in the Road...

Nothing says Spring better than tulips, daffodils and pot holes.

Unfortunately, with temperatures staying colder longer this year, the local asphalt plants waited to fire up their burners so fresh hot mix asphalt was harder to come-by, leaving mostly cold patch to fill winter’s damage to City streets — which is at best a temporary band aid.

By this point, pot holes are in full bloom with most of the cold mix having long since popped out of the pot holes, leaving a bumpy reminder of the havoc the freeze-thaw cycle does to City streets.

The City bought equipment last year that will allow us to heat limited amounts of our own asphalt so that we can extend the hot mix season but it took some learning to get that up and running so we haven’t been able to get to the level of pot hole productivity that we’d like yet.

The good news is the hot mix plants are producing now, and we’re buying and filling as fast as we can.

With Summer right around the corner we’re geared up to spend over $1 million paving the following streets:

- Crain Avenue (Water Street to Willow Street)
- N. Depeyster (Main Street to Crain Avenue)
- Fairchild Avenue (Major’s Lane to Hudson Drive)
- Franklin Avenue (Cherry Street to Summit Street)
- Majors Lane (Main Street to Fairchild Avenue)

And, thanks to a little higher than expected income tax revenues last year City Council voted to put an additional $178,000 in extra street seal coat repairs on the following streets:

• Verona Avenue (north of Adamle Drive)
• Robert Drive
• Delores Drive
• Allen Drive
• Hudson Road
• Longcoy Avenue
• Majors Lane (north of Fairchild Avenue)
• Stinaff Street
• N. Chestnut Street (north of Fairchild Avenue)
• Randall Drive
• Cuyahoga Street
• Harold Street
• Short Street
• Grove Ave

Besides the annual rite of pothole patching and paving, anyone that has driven down Mogodore Road between Stow Street and Cherry Street probably had the misfortunate of being greeted by a railroad crossing in dire need of repairs.

The City has contacted the Shelly Company to perform a fix for that railroad crossing and I’ve been told that it will be a two-step repair process.  Step 1 will be a temporary repair which will by completed by May 7th, and Step 2 will be a permanent fix which would be done in mid-June.

In the meantime, if you care about the under-carriage of your vehicle, my advice is to avoid that section of Mogadore Road until after May 7th.

Paid Parking Downtown...

Second Hand Retail...

Earlier this year the Kent Police Chief, Michelle Lee, presented City Council with recommendations to tighten the City’s regulation of second hand retail shops, e.g., pawn shops, thrift stores, etc.

The new regulations put more burden on store owners to gather information and keep records of the transactions that occured at the point of re-sale, in order to give the Police a paper trail to trace in the event of possible stolen goods.

Whenever you propose to tighten regulations on a certain business sector you better be prepared to justify it, defend it, and show the value of it — and the Chief was ready to do that.   It took a couple rounds of meetings between Chief Lee and the local store owners to find common ground but over time they came up with terms that they mutually agreed to which Council subsequently adopted into law.

Chief Lee reported this week that as a result of the new administrative tracking requirements included in the updated regulations Police investigators were recently able to crack two burglary/theft cases that involved over $20,000 of stolen goods.

The new regulations created some more work for the store employees but when you bust-up two felony cases it’s a small price to pay.