The Three Village Central School District undertook the expansion and renovation program with an aim to improve the district’s facilities. The program included ground-up additions and renovations at the Ward Melville High School; P.J. Gelinas Junior High School in Setauket; and R.C. Murphy Junior High School in Stony Brook; as well as renovations to all three high schools and four elementary schools including the Arrowhead Elementary and Nassakeag Elementary in Setauket, Setauket Elementary, and W.S. Mount Elementary in Stony Brook.
Additions and expansions at the Ward Melville High School included the two-storey, 50,000 square feet science wing housing 16 classrooms, 4,000 square feet fitness center, and 6,400 square feet music wing with 4,000 square feet band and chorus room and 2,400 square feet orchestra room. Renovations were carried out to the 16,000 square feet auditorium, library, classrooms, hallways, and bathrooms.
Renovations and expansions at both junior high schools included 3,000 square feet music wings, seating replacement in auditoriums, new suspended ceilings, and new and renovated masonry partition walls throughout the schools. The new music wings house choir rooms and offices.
The additions feature steel and masonry structural systems and several types of foundations as schools are located on sites with varying soil conditions. The new Ward Melville High School science wing’s structural system is designed for a potential addition of the third floor. The music wing features eight steel columns with four of the columns standing along the exterior perimeter of the new wing and four along the border between the new wing and the original school building. The location of interior columns allowed for creation of a 51-feet clear span within the new band and chorus room that encompasses both the newly built space and the old music room in the existing school building.
The design of the concrete foundation system of the music wing was modified by extending the piers down and locating footings at the depth of 9 feet 6 inches in order to reach soil with sufficient bearing characteristics. The dimensions of footings were also increased. The new piers and re-bar systems meet American Concrete Institute (ACI) and Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI) specifications.
In order to achieve the long clear span in the new band room, the design of the existing building’s section adjacent to the new music wing was revised by adding a large, 40-inch deep, 52 feet 11 inches long, I-shaped transfer beam above the existing columns. This solution allowed the removal of three old columns to create an uninterrupted performance space as well as transfer of some of the loads of the new building to both new and remaining pre-existing columns below the girder. The perimeter wall of the new music wing features a foundation wall system with several turns.
The Ward Melville High School’s new fitness center features masonry block and brick bearing walls, including the 80-foot-long, curved perimeter wall. The elevation of footings of the pre-existing section adjacent to the fitness center varied from 18 feet and 3 inches to 27 feet and 5 inches.
A concrete foundation system was designed for the space that combines deep footings, grade beams, and foundation walls with spread footings. The fitness center’s foundation features a total of nine square spread footings outside of the curved wall area. In the sections with poor soil, concrete grade beams located at elevations varying from 12 to 16 feet span the footings. A foundation wall with footings supports the 80-foot-long curved wall section. The 18-inch-thick, seven-foot-deep foundation wall follows the curvature of the wall above. It features footings that are 30 inches wide.
Upgrades at the Setauket Elementary included complete renovations to 40 classrooms in the science wing encompassing new cabinetry, ceilings and VCT flooring; fitness center; and bathrooms. The work at the Arrowhead Elementary included ceiling replacements in the gymnasium and cafeteria. The Nassakeag Elementary school saw gut renovations to the kitchen, cafeteria, guidance rooms and offices. A new septic system was also installed.
All additions and expansions meet The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) guidelines. Stalco Construction was the general contractor on the project. The project team also included the structural engineering firm of Eipel Barbieri Marschhausen, LLP (EBM).
