Grafton Public Library

Library Updates

STEM Videos

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Have you watched all of our amazing STEM videos? Learn all about oil spills and crystals, and even learn how to design your own chicken coop in this series of video for kids in grades K-2 and grades 3-5.

 

Catch up now!

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Weekly Report Nov 2-7

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The Board of Library Trustees voted to waive fines for the duration of the pandemic – going forward, no new fines will accrue for Grafton items (two exceptions: equipment and museum passes). Please call 508-839-4649 if you currently have fines on your account. The Library traditionally goes fine-free every November and December and encourages patrons to donate the Grafton Food Bank in lieu of paying fines. They are hoping to do their gift card distribution next week, so time is of the essence for donations!

Fall reading programs are going well – 84 new registrations, 228 badges earned, and 730 books read. Watch for our Star Wars themes winter program which will begin Dec 1. Visit graftonlibrary.beanstack.com to participate.

We had 461 curbside pickups in September, added 558 new items and answered 475 reference questions. We delivered 7 items to four homebound patrons and made an outreach trip to Crescent Manor, delivering 47 items to nine patrons. There were 92 pickups last week, and on Halloween we plastic-bagged items to weatherproof them. We are strategizing how to handle the increasingly inclement weather.

Thanks to our library page Taylor who made sanitizing wipes since we can’t seem to purchase them anywhere.

We certified five senior work off volunteers through October 2020 – thanks to all who volunteered!

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April Construction Report

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The Library Planning and Building Committee met via Zoom on Monday April 6 and approved the following Change Orders:

  • Change order #8 $9750.10. Existing handrail in the front of the building is not AAB compliant. This was made as a requirement. John Stephens mentioned that the design of the handrail must be approved by the Grafton Historic Commission.  
  • Change order #9 $4500.00 credit for deletion of insulation.
  • Change order #10 $11729.08 for time and material work for soil testing. 
  • Change order #11 $ 2,873.85 for removal of an existing equipment pad in the mechanical room that was not documented and to avoid a trip hazard. 

Minutes are online at
https://www.grafton-ma.gov/sites/graftonma/files/minutes/library_planning_and_building_committee_minutes_04-06-2020.pdf

The construction team met Tuesday April 7, 14, 21, and 28 via conference call with CTA Construction, OPM, Clerk of the Works, and DRA Architects. 

We were advised on April 4 by MBLC that our project was not considered essential and we should take steps to shut down. We estimated about 2 weeks, but it turns out to shut the project down safely, we needed to take the following steps:

  • Complete excavation and backfill the hole.
  • Complete the removal of contaminated material per DEP/EPA regulations.
  • Ensure that the existing building is stable given the adjacent excavation.
  • Install some site drainage during this temporary condition so that the new building footprint stays protected while we’re shut down.

The goal is to have a complete shutdown of the project by May 12, 2020.

We don’t have a timetable on the impact of the shutdown at this point – it will depend on when the Governor re-starts construction projects across the state.

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May Construction Report

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The Library Planning and Building Committee met via Zoom on Monday May 4; minutes are online at
https://www.grafton-ma.gov/sites/graftonma/files/agendas/library_planning_and_building_committee_05-04-2020.pdf

The construction team met Tuesday May 5, 12, 19, and 26 via conference call with CTA Construction, OPM, Clerk of the Works, and DRA Architects. 

Our project made huge progress during the month of May – Please see photos on our Facebook page!

Construction: https://www.facebook.com/pg/GraftonPublicLibraryMA/photos/?tab=album&album_id=3005138386209267

Excavation: https://www.facebook.com/pg/GraftonPublicLibraryMA/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2840413639348410

Sitework

The site contractor has begun installing site drainage – pipe and structures.  We had a good call/review with the DOT, their review of the project will require that a new catch basin and drain manhole are added at the street, replacing the existing catch basin that is in poor condition. The parking lot area has been graded; 80% of the detention pond has been dug. It was determined that the area drain in front of the building will be held off the building by about 10’ in order to pull water away from the foundation. There will be waterproofing added to the interior face of the basement. The unintended benefit is that the majority of the gardens will now not be impacted. 

50% of the concrete building footings and 60% of the foundation walls have been completed. Concrete sleeves for water, sewer and electric have been placed in the foundation. 

The north gable end of the existing building had the surface brick removed where it had failed. It was determined that the backup brick had (unsurprisingly) also failed. We expect that masonry work to be completed in the next couple of weeks. Due to the high percentage of breakage when removing the bricks, the mason is going to be suggesting a matching brick to mix in with the old bricks that can be reused. This brick and mortar color will need to be reviewed by the Historic District Commission.

Some carpentry work has been done to the existing building including the addition of hurricane clips at the roof, the addition of a hatch entrance in the roof, and plywood for better attic access/safety. 

The GC has determined that there are no significant costs due to COVID-19 protocols. Unfortunately, the tonnage of site material removed is double the original estimate. There has been some over-excavation required for structural reasons; there were also 19 days of rain in April that added to the weight of the material being removed. It also seems like the original estimate was not accurate. 

Overall, work is on schedule – the biggest risk right now is the work that needs to be done at the 8.4 line which is where the old and new buildings come together.  Submittal review and approval has been good; RFI response times could be better (from a field perspective). The ‘shutdown’ for the State didn’t really slow the project down – our shutdown schedule pretty much ended when the mayor re-opened the Commonwealth.

There has been very good adherence to standard safety practices on site. A weekly safety review by an independent consulting company has been implement. COVID-19 protocols have been implemented and followed on site.

Additional consultants include:

  • A UTS representative has been on site to perform reviews of rebar and concrete. 
  • LGCI (geotechnical engineers) has been on site for any excavation to provide guidance on the structural quality of the bottom of the hole. Regular communication has occurred between LGCI, Derenzo, the Town and CTA whenever warranted. LGCI has submitted reports for the work when they’ve been on site. 
  • Weston & Sampson has been on site for groundwater monitoring well testing and to take soil samples from specific location around the excavation. 
  • MEP coordination has been ongoing and successful. There have been a few typical issues to be resolved but it is moving forward. 

 

 

 

 

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June Construction Report

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The Library Planning and Building Committee met via Zoom on Monday June 6; minutes are online at https://www.grafton-ma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif4461/f/minutes/library_planning_and_building_committee_minutes_06-01-2020.pdf

The construction team met Tuesday June 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30 via conference call with CTA Construction, OPM, Clerk of the Works, and DRA Architects.

Change orders from previous months are attached.

Over the last month, there was a lot of progress! Drainage (pipe and structures) is about 80% complete. Areas to be paved are 95% backfilled, compacted and to grade. Another! Underground Storage Tank (UST) was discovered approximately 8’ off of Upton Street adjacent to a telephone pole. It was removed and the impacted soil around it was tested and removed. Soil test results are pending.

No further concrete work has been done on the foundations but the new footings that are directly at the east face of the existing building are currently going in, after weeks of discussion and varying plans about how best to do this work.

Approximately half of the steel frame is erected, from column lines 1-5. The remainder will be in place in July. No significant issues, we have a good steel subcontractor.

The masonry work at the north gable end of the existing building has not yet been completed; an RFI associated with the work took a long time to be answered. The Historic District Commission approved the color of mortar to be used on the north gable end repairs. It may look a little light at first, but will age to match the existing building. The existing chimney was slated to have the top 6’ removed and due to the adjacent footing work starting now it was removed for safety purposes. The plaster walls in the basement have been removed. Underslab plumbing, Underground Tel/Data, site lighting conduits and underslab conduit are all scheduled to begin the week of 7/6/20.

Soil removal is nearly complete at this point so we’ll have a final tally on that massive change order in July. There have been a number of other PCOs generated that have been heavily reviewed, revised and combined into a Change Order for the committee’s review. The total for those PCOs is $155,027. As of the end of June, our contingency is at $765,699.

Work is on schedule – the key to maintaining the schedule was to get the steel erected so that masonry can begin on time. The work at 8.4 line took a long time to resolve and has held up foundations and steel but has not impacted the overall schedule. Submittal review and approval has been good; RFI response times could be better (from a field perspective). We are expecting to pave (binder course only) in the second week of August.

We have had very good adherence to standard safety practices on site, with a weekly safety review by independent consultant, and COVID-19 protocols in place and followed on site.

Our UTS representative has been on site to perform reviews of rebar and concrete and compaction testing of structural fill at roadways. LGCI (geotechnical engineers) has been on site for any excavation to provide guidance on the structural quality of the bottom of excavation. They will be involved in the work at 8.4 line. Weston & Sampson has been on site for groundwater monitoring well testing and to take soil samples from specific location around the excavation. The discovery of an additional UST was handled quickly by them including an additional filing with MA DEP. They are preparing a comprehensive report for the site which is required to be filed with the DEP in July.

We expect the mockup to be completed in July. The only remaining major item to be decided is the color of the siding — colonial yellow or pewter grey?

Check out photos in albums on our Facebook Page.

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July Construction Report

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The Library Planning and Building Committee met via Zoom on Monday July 6; minutes are online at
https://www.grafton-ma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif4461/f/minutes/library_planning_building_committee_minutes_07-06-2020.pdf

The Interiors sub-committee met Monday July 29.The construction team met Tuesday July 7, 14, 21 and 28 via conference call with CTA Construction, OPM, Clerk of the Works, and DRA Architects. 

Two Change Orders were issued: #11 for $8,908.58; #12 for $164,081.17; please see attached.

Two events are being planned: a topping off ceremony, and a beam signing (after beams are installed) for staff, trustees, friends, and the project team. 

The Capital Campaign brochure has been completed and printed.

Site drainage (pipe and structures) is complete with the exception of new DOT structures at the street.  Gabion walls are being constructed at the detention pond. 

A third Underground Storage Tank (UST) was discovered approximately 8’ off of Upton Street adjacent to a telephone pole. It was removed and the impacted soil around it was tested and removed.  Test pits at the front of the existing Library found buried brick and an unmarked rain leader but nothing else of significance. The rain leader (which runs to a dry well under the front lawn) will be replaced when perimeter drain work occurs in August. There is no more site excavation to be done! While soil excavation is complete, not all soil has been trucked from the site yet so final cost is not yet available. 

The remainder of the footings and foundation were poured. Concrete testing has occurred with every pour and results have been good.

The remainder of the steel began to be delivered and erected on Monday 7/27/20 and was completed on Friday 7/31/20. We expect the connections, deck and stud work to occur over the next two weeks.

The work at the north gable end of the existing building has been completed; the match of new bricks and mortar to the existing is excellent.  The masons are currently working on their portion of the on-site mockup.  

Additional structural angles have been installed at the lower level per the plans. 

Underslab plumbing is about 95% complete.  The underground Tel/Data run from the building to the pole at the street has been completed. Underslab electrical work will begin shortly now that the rest of the steel has been erected. 

There have been a number of smaller PCOs that have been combined into CO#12 for the committee’s review. Most of these were reviewed at the last committee meeting and have not changed significantly. The total for CO#12 is $176,538 . Our contingency is at $725,429. 

Work is on schedule – CTA’s overall schedule has been conservative to date and activities have taken less time. We are expecting to get a revised project schedule from them next week and get updates through the superintendent’s ‘Two Week Lookahead’ at every construction meeting. 

Submittals and RFIs are in good shape and should not have an impact on the schedule. 

We are expecting to pave (binder course only) in the second week of August along with light pole bases. 

There has been very good adherence to standard safety practices on site. Weekly safety review by an independent consultant has been occurring. COVID-19 protocol has been in place and followed on site. 

A UTS representative has been on site to perform reviews of rebar and concrete and compaction testing 

of structural fill at roadways. 

 

LGCI (geotechnical engineers) was on site for the underground work at 8.4 line (where the new and existing buildings meet). No issues. 

Weston & Sampson has been on site for groundwater monitoring well testing and to take soil samples from specific location around the excavation. The discovery of a third UST was handled quickly by them. Their RAM report to the DEP was completed and filed on time in July. Their turnaround time for soil samples has been slow and has caused some concern for the site contractor. 

The on-site mockup is still not completed; the masons were late returning to the site. We are working with CTA to get the rest of the mockup completed as soon as the masons are done so that the siding colors can be reviewed. 

Check out photos in albums on our Facebook Page.

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August Construction Report

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The Library Planning and Building Committee met via Zoom on Monday August 3 and August 31; minutes are online at https://www.grafton-ma.gov/library-planning-building-committee.

The Interiors sub-committee met Tuesday, August 18.

The construction team met Tuesday August 4, 11, 18, and 25 via conference call with CTA Construction, OPM, Clerk of the Works, and DRA Architects.

Change Orders issued: 11 & 12

Gabion walls are completed around the pond and parking lot areas. Paving was completed (binder course only); the pavement is draining correctly with only a couple of very minor puddles evident. The paving contractor also filled in some potholes in the Grafton Inn parking lot as a goodwill gesture.

The second floor slab was poured. The steel erection is complete and detailing (finishing all the connections) and welding metal floor and roof deck was completed in the last week of August/first week of September. Our independent inspection missed some items which were subsequently caught by the structural engineer and corrected by the steel sub.

South end gable work was completed; the masons actually did more than anticipated and re-pointed the brick in the top portion of the gable as well as removing/cleaning/resetting the stone caps. They also repointed much of the chimney. The masons completed their portion of the on-site mockup.

The major opening in the side of the existing building has been created. Metal studs at the exterior walls have been started and are progressing very well. Conduit for site lighting has been installed. Electrical sleeves in the second floor deck were installed prior to the concrete pour. HVAC sleeves were installed through the second floor deck ahead of the slab pour; they have also started to install ductwork in the existing building, lower level.

Soil excavation is complete except for the work in front of the existing building; final numbers are not yet available.

Work is on schedule – we received an updated schedule from CTA and the end date in June 2021 remains the same. Submittals and RFIs are in good shape and should not have an impact on the schedule.

There has been very good adherence to standard safety practices on site. An independent consultant has been conducting a weekly safety review. COVID-19 protocol has been in place and loosely followed on site. Generally speaking, many subs don’t wear masks when working within their own team or at appropriate distance.

A UTS representative has been on site to perform reviews of rebar and concrete and compaction testing of structural fill. Weston & Sampson met another major DEP filing deadline this month. Their testing results of the soil under the existing building indicate no lingering issues with leaking from the UST formerly adjacent to the south end of the building. Their turnaround time for soil samples continues to be slow and has caused some concern for the site contractor but no schedule delays have occurred.

The on-site mockup is still not finished; masonry is completed and the siding is on site waiting for the carpenters to install it. The glass sub will retrofit the sample in CTA’s trailer and install in the mockup.

The Capital Campaign board members have been meeting with donors.

Similar to July there have been few cost increases to the project, these are primarily associated with adjustments needed to the existing building. Our contingency is at $675,993.

Change Order 12: $146,081.17
PCO-018R2 Remove plaster wall areas for installation of steel angles at underside of existing first floor and install spray foam insulation.
PCO-019 Window & Storefront Batt Insulation
PCO-020R1 RFI-043 Existing Foundation Modifications
PCO-022R2 Griffin Elec Extended GC & Labor Escalation
PCO-023 Add’l material-hurricane clips at existing roof joist
PCO-024 PR-003A Revision 1 Floor Plan ChangesPCO-025 PR-012 & PR-003A Signage
PCO-027 Direct costs incurred to date related to COVID-19.
PCO-029R1 RFI-115 Brick Repair @ North Gable

Check out photos in albums on our Facebook Page

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September Construction Update

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The Library Planning and Building Committee met via Zoom twice in August due to the Labor Day holiday and did not meet in September. Minutes for all meetings are online at https://www.grafton-ma.gov/library-planning-building-committee.

The construction team met Tuesday September 8, 15, 22, and 29 via conference call with CTA Construction, OPM, Clerk of the Works, and DRA Architects.

Concrete and granite curbs around the parking lot are installed. The remaining curb may wait until spring to prevent damage during fall/winter work. A discussion was held with the Landscape Architect and site contractor about planting methods for trees and bushes. I have requested that the library’s on-site gardener be included in the plant selecting and tagging at a local nursery.

First floor concrete slab on grade is expected to be poured the week of 10/12. Some additional steel welding was required at the skylight structure; that work has been inspected and passed. Minor masonry work this month was related to the brick over the new beam at 8.5 line.

A new window opening at Children’s Librarians office has been cut in existing brick. The opening below it for electrical conduit is underway. The exterior metal framing is substantially complete as is the exterior sheathing. Interior framing on the second floor is 90% complete, some sheathing at beams, column tops and tops of some walls has been installed. The drywall crew has coordinated with the HVAC sub on duct penetrations. Door and window frames have been installed.

The flat roof is substantially complete. Work on the sloped roof started today and is going well. The vapor barrier installation on the exterior walls started today.

Hollow metal frames, storm windows and the skylight are all on site and protected. The skylight structure required some additional rework but it has been thoroughly reviewed and is now ready to receive the skylight.

The temp piping for roof drains was installed. Underground conduit has been installed at the ground level and is currently being backfilled. There has been coordination with the electrician on the location of the RFID panels at the new main entry. The Director shared the MBLC recommendations for HVAC in light of COVID and asked for the engineers to review the current specs and report back. No physical progress for HVAC this month; as mentioned above there was coordination with the framer to provide penetrations through interior walls on the second floor.

Soil excavation is complete; final numbers are not yet available.Work is on schedule and the schedule revision is attached. Our current substantial completion date is June 8, 2021! There has been some minor slippage to the start of masonry and to the slab on grade pour date but no apparent impact overall. Submittals and RFIs are in great shape.

There has been good adherence to standard safety practices on site. Weekly safety review by the independent consultant has been occurring and there has been a trend in the last several weeks for repeat minor issues that need to be addressed. This will be discussed at the 10/6/20 construction meeting. Covid-19 protocol has been in place and loosely followed on site. Generally speaking, many subs don’t wear masks when working within their own team or are socially distanced.

The UTS representative has been on site to perform a structural weld review at the skylight structure.
The on-site mockup was completed. The Historic District Commission reviewed the color choices and voted on gray siding (Pewter Tankard).

The Interiors Sub-committee met in July and August and is waiting on revised CAD drawings and additional carpet and tile samples and a furniture requisition from Tucker. Delays from DRA have been addressed by Mary Fritz, chair of the building committee, and we now have scheduled interiors subcommittee meetings weekly through the end of the year.

Change Order 13, for repairs to existing building, soil and materials removal and tank excavation, totalling $193,158.19 will be presented to the Select Board in November. Please check out photos in albums on our Facebook Page!

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March Construction Update

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The Library Planning and Building Committee met Monday March 4 to pay bills. We reviewed the contractor’s proposal of cost and time changes due to soil and groundwater challenges. The Interiors Sub-committee also met briefly. 

The Library Planning and Building Committee met Monday March 16 to review potential change orders.

The construction team met Tuesday March 3, 10, 17 and 24 with CTA Construction, OPM, Clerk of the Works, and DRA Architects. 

The oil tank was removed in late March and it had indeed been leaking into the ground. Because of the indicated levels on the high-tech ‘sniffer’ that our LSP was using we needed to call the DEP and report that an IRA (Immediate Response Action) was required. This is an additional plan for remediation of this particularly impacted soil and in this case, it shouldn’t impact the excavation schedule and is relatively straightforward. It will require some additional testing to determine where the material can be removed to but will likely be the same Fitchburg site that a couple of other cells are being trucked to. It will also mean that some monitoring wells will be put into place very shortly and will remain for about a year.

Wells to control groundwater were installed, and a generator was connected to a water management system. Excavation and trucking began at the end of the month.

Photos: www.facebook.com/pg/GraftonPublicLibraryMA/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2840413639348410

Time Lapse Video: http://grafton.cablecast.tv/CablecastPublicSite/show/5539?channel=1

There were daily discussions about whether or not the project will be allowed to continue under the Governor’s Emergency Order and for the moment it appears that it will continue — we seem to be on the list of essential services that can keep going for now. At least one subcontractor locally has made their own decision to shut down for a couple of weeks but we don’t foresee that happening with the limited number of subs and people on this job. Nevertheless we are taking precautions so that everyone stays healthy. Weekly construction meetings are now (mostly) a phone call, a handwashing sink has been established on site, and staff are wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.

March MBLC Report

Building Committee Minutes
March 4, 2020

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