Hamilton International Middle School
Building Excellence III Program
Building Excellence III Program
As of the end of October, 2009, the main building is roofed in and skylights have been installed - the main building is dry and has temporary heat and the contractor has begun to install finishes. The gym is roofed in, weather proofing is complete and the gym lobby structure is in place with roofing to begin shortly. At the addition, the roof is complete and weatherproofing is underway. For the building as a whole, final masonry veneer and siding are underway.
The playground fill is complete and planting walls for landscaping on the west side of the playground are underway. Work is underway at the interface between the school and the park, plants and fixtures have been salvaged for parks and the interface area is fenced in as part of the area of work.
This month, November, 2009, the gym veneer and metal roof are being installed. New sidewalks are being constructed, skylight installation will continue and framing, plumbing, electrical, sheetrock and finishes will also continue.
Please contact the on-site Hamilton project manager, Michael Romero, at (206) 633-1000 or mbromero@heery.com at any time if you have any questions or concerns about the project or construction-related activities.
Please note - For safety reasons, visitor access is not permitted on the construction site at this time.
HIMS Aerial View Showing Structural Masonry Progress and Gymnasium Addition
As of the end of September, 2009, the structural masonry and the roofing for the gym are complete. Roofing work was also completed for the historic building and the addition. Exterior cladding, the siding that goes on the outside of the framing but underneath all of the weatherproofing siding, was completed at the addition and the installation of the skylight at the commons was completed. Sheet rock has now been installed on the third and second floors, and framing is nearly complete on the first floor.
This month, October, 2009, the gym weather shell will be installed and the gym lobby will be constructed. The park interface work will begin and sidewalk paving will take place. Work will also begin on the two historic gyms. Framing, electrical, and plumbing work will continue, and classroom painting and finishes will begin. Some utility work, such as installing the electrical transformer and new natural gas hookup, will also take place.
Please contact the on-site Hamilton project manager, Michael Romero, at (206) 633-1000 or mbromero@heery.com at any time if you have any questions or concerns about the project or construction-related activities.
Hamilton gymnasium addition - masonry progress photo.
As of the end of August, 2009, the gym footings, steel framing and floor slab are complete as are the lobby, commons and kitchen floor slabs. Roofing at skylights at the commons is also complete, and gym masonry installation is underway.
This month, September, 2009, the gym structure will be completed and roofed over, and construction on the gym exterior brick will begin. Work on the playground will begin and the playground fill and paving will be installed. Roofing will be completed. Work on the installation of the skylights will continue. Work will also continue on the electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fire sprinklers installation.
Please contact the on-site Hamilton project manager, Michael Romero, at (206) 633-1000 or mbromero@heery.com at any time if you have any questions or concerns about the project or construction-related activities.
Aerial view of Hamilton International Middle School under construction July, 2009.
The steel frame for the gym will be placed, and work will begin on the gym roof and masonry walls. The final siding for the classroom addition at the north of the building will be put in place and new windows will be installed. The skylights at the main building and the two small gyms at the north end of the building are being built and you will start to see them getting installed. Final earthwork will begin at the rear of the building and some final sidewalk work will begin around the building.
Roofing will be completed throughout the project, and the main building should be 'dried in' by the end of the month. A lot of the work from here on out will be indoors - most of the classroom framing is in place on the second and third floors, and electrical and heating/cooling systems are being installed. After that comes drywall and then final cabinetry, wood trim, and finishes like carpet and vinyl.
Eight classrooms were added to the north side of the building with steel-frame construction and concrete floor decks. Classroom wall framing, plumbing and heating and cooling systems were installed. The new Hamilton will be fully sprinklered for fire protection throughout, and most of this piping is in place. The roof over the center of the building was constructed, and roofing was installed over the high roofs at the historic building.
Keeping in mind that during operation of the school an average of seventy-five teachers, administrators, and staff were working in the building every school day, it's notable that June and July marked the first period when the construction forces at Hamilton averaged more than 100 people per day. We recognize that this is a lot of extra people in the neighborhood, and that there are unavoidably some impacts on the day to day lives of the project's neighbors - we're doing our best to keep the site tidy, keep the noise down, and keep all of the contractor's forces parked offsite at the Lincoln school parking lot. Now that the indoor phase of construction is beginning, there will be new employees and subcontractors on the site - both Seattle Public Schools and Graham Contracting want to be a good neighbor to Wallingford, so please get in touch if you have any questions or concerns about the construction activities.
All of the roofing, exterior siding and masonry, and windows should be in place by the end of September. After that some site work will continue while most of the work moves indoors. Note that the work at the entry to the school from the park will begin late this summer and should be complete towards the end of the year - look for the final Parks/Schools design as detailed on a poster at the kiosk at the corner of 42nd and Densmore. Late in the winter and into the spring, the wood floor will be installed in the gym. The main building and gym will be complete and ready for furniture early in the summer of 2010. Hamilton is scheduled to be ready for school in the fall of 2010.
Please contact the on-site Hamilton project manager, Michael Romero, at (206) 633-1000 or mbromero@heery.com at any time if you have any questions or concerns about the project or construction-related activities.
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Aerial View of Hamilton International Middle School – June 19, 2009
As of, June, 2009, structural work is complete at the historical building. Structural steel work is 95% complete at the addition and the gym footings are in place at the east wall. Stair forms on the northeast and south southwest are 25% complete.
This month, July, 2009, the final concrete at the addition and the final concrete in the first floor is scheduled to be completed. The contractor will continue the roofing of the historical building, which is currently 30% complete. Watch for skylight installation as the contractor prepares to finish the roofing. Work will continue on the electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fire sprinklers installation. The construction work on the gymnasium structural steel installation is also scheduled to begin.
Please contact the on-site Hamilton project manager, Michael Romero, at (206) 633-1000 or mbromero@heery.com at any time if you have any questions or concerns about the project or construction-related activities.
Aerial view of Hamilton International Middle School under Construction, June, 2009
As of, May, 2009, structural work is complete at the historical building. The new classroom addition at the north side of the building was constructed using the same crane erection methods as were used to construct the infill at the center of the building over the last months.
This month, June, 2009, the contractor will begin erecting the steel framing for the new gymnasium, and will continue construction on the historic building exterior. Work will continue on the interior steel partitions, electrical and mechanical work. Watch for skylight installation in late June or early July as the contractor prepares to finish the roofing.
On both the Densmore and Woodlawn sides of the building, underground connections to the in-street utilities work will continue through June. Seattle Schools will continue to distribute construction notices to all affected neighbors for any scheduled street work.
Please contact the on-site Hamilton project manager, Michael Romero, at (206) 633-1000 or mbromero@heery.com at any time if you have any questions or concerns about the project or construction-related activities.
Shear wall and stage opening completed at the commons.
Work on the relief air pits on the east and west side of the building will be completed and the areas around them filled back in with earth. The new classroom addition at the north side of the building will be constructed using the same crane erection methods as were used to construct the infill at the center of the building over the last month. Some work on the streets around the building may be required – please see the detailed explanation, "What’s happening on the streets?"
The steel structure at the center of the building is mostly in place (have a look from the park sometime, and you can see the steel frame for the roof and skylights at the center atrium). Concrete infill at the back of the building is in place. Classroom walls have been framed in on the third and second story, and plumbing and heating systems are being installed.
Earthwork has begun at the back of the building in preparation for the construction of the new gymnasium adjacent to Densmore, and for the new loading dock at Woodlawn. Foundations and underground retaining walls have been constructed, and will continue over the coming months.
On both the Densmore and Woodlawn sides of the building, underground connections to the in-street utilities are required as part of the renovation of the school. Sewer and water pipes, gas lines, and power and communications connections will all be required in the street.
The contractor is working with the City of Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to install these utilities and replace some portions of the concrete streets – pavement markings recently installed show where the work will take place.
In each location, the contractor and SDOT will work out a detailed schedule in advance of the work – Seattle Schools will keep the project neighbors on each street updated on the schedule regularly, and the contractor has committed to providing at least one week’s notice prior to doing any street work.
If you have any special concerns about the street work near your house, please contact the project manger, Michael Romero, at 206.633.1000 or via email at mbromero@heery.com at any time.
The contractor will begin erecting the steel framing and masonry for the new gymnasium, and will complete construction on the building exterior. After that, most of the work will be indoors for the fall and winter, as the contractor finishes installing electrical, plumbing, and heating, and moves on to installing drywall and carpeting. Watch for skylight installation in June as the contractor prepares to finish the roofing.
Please contact the on-site Hamilton project manager, Michael Romero, at (206) 633-1000 or mbromero@heery.com at any time if you have any questions or concerns about the project or construction-related activities.
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Preparation for reinforcement of existing shearwalls for new skylight trusses.
Most of the structural reinforcement is complete, so April will see the start of new structural construction for the addition. From Wallingford Playfield you’ll be able to see the new steel skeleton for the central atrium forming day by day – new columns will extend all the way up to the new roof line, followed by the steel beams spanning the commons atrium which will eventually support the commons skylights. Other work – floor infill, framing, plumbing and electrical installation – will continue inside the historic building.
To bring the building up to modern structural code and to prepare for additional classroom space, the contractor has been reinforcing existing concrete walls and adding additional walls. Together, these stiffen the building to resist damage from earthquakes. As the structural reinforcement is completed, new structural steel is added for additional bracing and as framing for new floors.
The historic windows have been completely refurbished, repainted, and weather stripped, and most have been reinstalled in the building. Some windows will remain filled with plywood as these will occasionally be required for delivering materials inside of the building. Now that the windows are back up keeping the inside of the building dry, the contractor has also begun framing for the new classrooms inside the historic building, starting on the third floor.
On both the Densmore and Woodlawn sides of the building, there are excavations for new air relief pits. The heating system in the building is designed so that it keeps each room under positive pressure (eliminating the chance for any drafts). Because of this, a way for air to be flushed out of the building is necessary to keep pressure from building up in some circumstances. The concrete structures on the side of the building are in fact connected to the series of tunnels underneath the building that will house most of the heating and cooling system – by the end of construction, they will be covered with metal grates and surrounded by landscaping.
The contractor will erect the steel frame for the interior commons, construct the structure for the additional classrooms at the north side of the building, and reroof the entire building at the same time the skylights are installed. Construction of the new gymnasium will begin later this spring, and the new play court construction will begin in early 2010.
Please contact the on-site Hamilton project manager, Michael Romero, at (206) 633-1000 or mbromero@heery.com if you have any questions or concerns about the project or any construction-related activities.
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This month, March 2009, the contractor will complete the installation of the windows in the historical building as well as finish the concrete shear walls in the main building.
Other construction work that will take place in March includes:
Work will start on the following:
Please contact the on-site Hamilton project manager, Michael Romero, at (206) 633-1000 or mbromero@heery.com at any time if you have any questions or concerns about the project or construction-related activities.
Please note - it is not safe to enter the construction site unaccompanied, and visitor access is not permitted through the vehicle gate.
The Building Excellence III program school hotline is routinely updated to provide you with the most current information and activities about your school of interest - dial (206) 368-4082 and press 4 for current information regarding the Hamilton International Middle School building construction or press 0 to be connected to an operator who will be happy to assist you if you would like additional information regarding this project.
Demolition is slated to be completed by the contractor in February, along with cleanup and the removal of the demolition equipment. Repointing, a process of replacing the eroded portions of the brick mortar, and sealing will continue on the exterior brick and the refurbished historic windows will be delivered to the site for reinstallation. The contractor will continue to pour new footings and concrete walls inside of the building, and structural materials for the building infill and addition will begin to be delivered to the site.
Structural demolition was completed, along with most of the demolition cleanup and hauling away of debris. Work on reinforcing existing concrete walls and placing new concrete structural walls took place, and the contractor began delivering heating and cooling equipment for storage and installation in the attic.
In addition to two performing arts classrooms, the renovated Hamilton will include a recording studio, a suite of practice rooms, and seating for performance audiences at the commons stage for 300 people, with student assembly space in the new gym with seating for 1,000.
Hamilton was designated as a City of Seattle Historic Landmark in 2006, and much of the building is being preserved as part of the renovation. The original 1926 construction included two small gymnasiums, one on each side of the building. A new full-size gym is being built as part of the renovation and addition. The existing small gyms will be refurbished as a fitness classroom with exercise equipment and space for fi tness activities, and a performing arts classroom.
The performing arts classroom will feature acoustic wall treatments, theater lighting and sound equipment, but will maintain the original ornamented wood beams and trusses overhead. At nearly 3,000 square feet, and with a capacity of more than 150 people, the room could even function as a theater for smaller audiences, allowing for flexible use of the space.
The contractor will erect the steel frame for the interior commons, and begin to construct the structure for the additional classrooms at the north side of the building. Construction of the new gymnasium will begin later in the spring, and the building should be ready for furniture in early summer 2010.
Please contact the on-site Hamilton project manager, Michael Romero, at (206) 633-1000 or mbromero@heery.com at any time if you have any questions or concerns about the project or construction-related activities.
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November’s big event for the renovation is the onset of major demolition. As part of the renovation, the middle of the north (back) wing and the center of the building will be completely demolished to make way for new classrooms, a new kitchen, and the new student commons. Previously, demolition has been mostly limited to removal of interior walls and other ‘soft’ demolition. November’s demolition will begin with the removal of the big smokestack at the rear of the building, and conclude with the complete removal of the center of the building. The outside will look pretty much the same, but there will be a lot going on inside.
The final stages of non-structural demolition were completed in October: everything inside of the building that isn’t being preserved has been removed. Some of the ornamented beams and other details inside the building will be maintained, but everything else in the building has been carefully separated from the structure and removed. The building is now a bare-bones concrete structure, ready for the new construction to begin.
A series of tunnels underneath the first floor have historically contained heat and vent ducts: these will be used for ducting after the renovation, but some additional tunnels are also required. Small excavating equipment inside the building has been digging these tunnels and removing the soil, which is being stockpiled for reuse as fill later in construction.
Demolition will continue through November and should be complete in December. Repointing of the brick and work on the exterior window frames should be completed in the same time frame. The contractor will begin work to level floors inside the building, will frame new walls and begin to build the structure at the center of the building. The contractor plans to begin reinstalling the refurbished exterior windows shortly after the structural demolition is completed.
Construction on the new gymnasium will begin next spring, and the building should be ready for furniture in early summer 2010.
Please contact the on-site Hamilton project manager, Michael Romero, at (206) 633.1000 or mbromero@heery.com at any time if you have any or concerns about any construction-related activities.
The Seattle Public Schools Building Excellence Hotline is routinely updated to provide you with the most current information and activities about your school of interest. To hear the latest information regarding the Hamilton renovation, dial (206) 368-4082 and press 4.
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Contact the Project Manager:
Michael Romero
mbromero@heery.com
(206) 633-1000
... or visit the Hamilton International Middle School Website.
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