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January 13, 2010 • Vol. XXXII • No. 20
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PageNJSBA Building Renovation |
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NJSBA’s decision to renovate its existing headquarters at 413 West State Street in Trenton has earned it praise from Trenton’s mayor. “I commend…your decision to retain your building, enhance it and maintain your presence in the capital city,” wrote Mayor Douglas H. Palmer in a recent letter to the Association. In May 2009, the NJSBA Board of Directors voted to renovate the Association’s headquarters. The 46-year-old building has been plagued in recent years with infrastructure problems such as extensive roof and window leaks, old plumbing and inefficient heating and cooling. “Over the past five years, committees of local school board members explored various options: leasing space, purchasing a structure or building new,” said Marie S. Bilik, executive director of NJSBA. “Since we have full ownership of 413 West State Street, taking on a long-term lease at another location is not prudent; renovating the building is the best financial option.” While the decision is based on finances, it also reflects a strong desire to maintain a presence in the state capital,” Bilik emphasized. “As the Association considered where to locate its future operations, we determined that we wanted to stay in the city that’s been our home for 95 years.” The project will result in a completely renovated building with “Silver Level” certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. The upgrades will include solar panels and energy efficiency features. The renovated headquarters building will also incorporate a technology-communications center to expand online training and information services to board of education members, as required by state law. The project is running on-time and on-budget. Interior demolition work is scheduled to be complete this week, and work on the roof will begin next. Bids for the general contracting work are due on Jan. 26. “So far bids have been under the amount we have budgeted,” said Francis Pullo, NJSBA’s Director of Finance and Operational Services. “I think we have benefited from the fact that many contractors are looking for work. We had more than 25 general contractors at the mandatory pre-bid meeting that was held on Dec. 29.” The architect for the project is The Vaughn Collaborative of Trenton. NJSBA had seriously considered building a new headquarters in Hamilton, complete with a conference center that could be used for member training. However recent laws require the Association to deliver a larger share of school board member training through regional programs and the Internet, rather than statewide conferences. State regulations also restrict board member travel for training purposes. These changes made previous plans to build a new office building and conference center near the N.J. Turnpike impractical, according to Bilik. NJSBA’s board of directors approved the allocation of $7 million for the renovation project earlier this year. The appropriation is three times less costly than constructing a new building in the suburbs; the funds will come entirely from a capital reserve account created for the previously planned conference center with no impact on members’ dues and no borrowing. The Association is on track to complete the renovation, and move from its temporary offices at 850 Bear Tavern Road in Ewing by August 2010. |
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Copyright © 2009 New Jersey School Boards Association. All rights reserved. |
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