NVCC Kinney - Hall Final Report - Summary.pdf

KINNEY HALL SPACE STUDY

Naugatuck Valley Community College

September 2020

ACKOWLEDGEMENTS CONTENTS INTRODUCTION

Built almost 40 years ago, Kinney Hall anchors the west end of Naugatuck Valley Community College’s campus. It houses important academic, student service and administrative functions, including the office of the CEO, Admissions, and multiple classrooms.

For years, the building’s deteriorated and obsolete conditions have impacted operations. A more recent roof failure and discovery of asbestos in the roof construction revealed the necessity of removing and replacing the roof. This will require vacating the building. Since mechanical, plumbing, electrical systems are past useful life and not energy efficient, and since the layout is out of date, vacating Kinney represents an important opportunity to renew this important building to meet code, to be more sustainable and to support NVCC’s mission.

The 2015 NVCC Master Plan recommended a comprehensive renovation. This study fleshes out the renovation with layouts by level, reflecting current and projected space needs for actual and revised projected enrollments.

This study is largely two-fold. It both addresses the space needs and concept design for Kinney’s renovation and the swing space needed to vacate Kinney. As directed by CSCU, the main thrust of the study was optimizing space utilization. A committee composed of College and CSCU personnel guided the study. The planning team extends its thanks to the committee members for their valuable input, provided during the challenging period of the Covid 19 pandemic.

A parallel task in the Kinney Hall Space Study was assessing the feasibility of relocating the Thomas Edison Middle School, currently located in Meriden, to the Naugatuck Community College campus. The background, space needs, assessment and conclusions for the ACES Middle School study are detailed in a separate memorandum (included in a technical appendix), which was provided by CSCU to the College and the ACES School administration.

In summary, the lease on the TEMS school expires in August 2021. As a result, the program, one of several run by ACES, needs to find a new location, or cease operations. The school envisioned evolving at NVCC from a middle school (grades 6-8) to a high school / middle college (grades 9-12), in keeping with former NVCC President DeFillipis’s vision for a middle college.

After comprehensive analysis, the planning team concluded that relocating ACES TEMS to NVCC unfortunately was not feasible. The main reason is the tight schedule. It is not possible to design and build two renovations – to consolidate / vacate College space and to provide new school space – in 13 months.

Uncertain funding was also a factor. Secondary factors included access, adjacencies, security and incompatibility of sharing dining and other amenities between young children and college students.

ACES MIDDLE SCHOOL

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CONSULTANT TEAM

CSCU

NAUGATUCK VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Architects / Planners Space Programming Cost Estimator

G3 Architecture Interiors Planning Scott Blackwell Page Toscano Clement Taylor

Armen Beermann

Dana Elm Abbie Calo Bob Divjak Linda Dresdner Sarah Gager Kathy Taylor Ronald Picard

Project Manager

Interim Dean of Administration Director, Center for Early Childhood Education Director of Facilities Dean of Academic Affairs Dean of Student Services Professor Professor

NVCC Aerial Site Diagram

INTRODUCTION

ACES MIDDLE SCHOOL

KINNEY HALL

EXISTING CONDITIONS

SPACE NEEDS

CLASSROOM USE

PLANNING PRINCIPLES AND STRATEGY

STACKING

RECOMMENDATIONS

SWING SPACE

STRATEGY AND SPACE NEEDS

MODULAR UNITS

RELOCATIONS/RENOVATIONS

EKSTROM HALL

ASL BUILDING

FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE SWING SPACE NEEDS

FOUNDERS HALL

COST ESTIMATE

CONCLUSION

PLANNING TEAM

Completed in 1977, Kinney Hall is a 4-story, brick-clad building at the west end of NVCC’s campus. It comprises approximately 49,000 assignable square feet and 78,000 gross square feet.

This represents 14% of the College’s total floor area.

Kinney’s four floor levels correspond to the campus-wide numbering system. Its ground floor is Level 4. Level 5 connects to the cross-campus pedestrian bridge, sometimes called “Fifth Avenue”. Its top floor is Level 7.

Site Kinney is elevated above the campus loop road that passes by its east side. Most people access Kinney from the parking area to the south. (This lot is not in the scope of the study but reportedly needs resurfacing.) A walkway leads from the parking lot to the main entrance at on the east side, under the pedestrian bridge. Kinney’s loading dock and exterior stair face the south parking lot. The playgrounds for the Center for Early Childhood Education (CECE) occupies the north side of the building and the elevated west side, which connects to Level 5. The north playground has some deteriorated stair conditions. Its layout is fragmented by walks and ramps, and not ideal as a play area.

Campus Connections While Kinney houses important functions such as Admissions, student services, classrooms and the CEO’s office, it is removed from the campus core. Kinney’s connection to “Fifth Avenue” therefore is very important to integrate it into the campus. But this walkway’s connection to Kinney is awkward and a missed opportunity. The quarter mile east west axis ends with no special view or space – just a view of a toilet wall. Creating a suitable hub at this important intersection should be a design goal for the renovation.

Vertical Circulation Good vertical connectivity is important for an effective multi-floor academic building. Kinney’s vertical connectivity is marginal.

There are no double height spaces that tie the separate floors together and give a sense of a larger whole. The elevators are undersized and do not meet current code. The stairs meet code, but area fully enclosed egress stairs. There are no open communicating stairs. Improving vertical connectivity would benefit operations and build more of a sense of community in the building.

Infrastructure As noted in the introduction, all of Kinney Hall’s infrastructure is essentially at end of life. The summary at right lists all the elements needing to be replaced. Now without sprinklers, Kinney needs fire protection and fire controls to current standards. The HVAC system has through-wall units that are inefficient and leak. The new system will use VAV boxes and feed off the new campus central plant boilers and chillers.

Infrastructure Needs

• Replacement roof

• Larger, code compliant elevators

• ADA Compliant Restrooms

• Seismic Bracing

• Replacement Windows

• New HVAC System, better zoning

• Improved Electrical distribution

• Add sprinklers, new fire controls

• Maintenance access at playground

• Remove hazardous materials

KINNEY HALL

EXISTING CONDITIONS

Exterior Envelope As noted, CSCU and the College have determined that the roof requires full replacement – walking surface, membrane, insulation and the metal deck. The current roof is a temporary layer to buy time for this comprehensive renovation. While the exterior brick appears to be in adequate condition, the single pane windows without thermally-broken frames need to be replaced. Many exterior doors require replacement as well.

The north portion of the west wall which is below grade needs waterproofing as this leaks into the CECE.

Program Stacking Kinney’s distinct current mix of functions by floor that can be summarized as follows:

Level 7 (fourth) Administrative offices, classrooms

Level 6 (third) Classrooms, academic offices

Level 5 (second) Student Services

Level 4 (first) Center for Early Childhood Education, offices, classroom, mechanical

A diagram of existing and proposed stacking follows in Planning Strategy and Principles.

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CECE Playground

Typical Classroom

Existing Main Entry AreaKinney East Elevation and Entrance

Hall and Existing Restrooms

Admissions, Level 5

N

EXISTING LEVEL 4

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EXISTING LEVEL 5

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EXISTING LEVEL 6

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EXISTING LEVEL 7

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SPACE NEEDS

Introduction This section covers the program assessment for Kinney Hall at Naugatuck Valley Community College. The section is divided into two parts the proposed program and the strategy to vacate the building allowing renovation to occur in a single phase.

Proposed Program Currently, Kinney Hall has seven components: Classrooms, Child Care, Academic Functions (non-classroom), Student Services, Administrative Services, Building Facilities, and Vacant Space.

With the exception of the vacant space, the remaining six components are expected to remain within Kinney Hall.

The Student Services and Administrative Services does not reflect the administrative structure of the College, but rather the functional of the departments. The Student Services includes Admissions, the Bursar’s Office, the Center for Academic Planning & Student Success (CAPSS), Financial Aid, the Information Center, Registration & Records, and the Women’s Center. These functions interact with students on a regular basis, and form key elements in admitting and registering students at the College.

While certainly students interact with all departments within Administrative Services, this does not happen on a daily basis.

The departments in Administrative Services includes the Dean of Academic Affairs, the Accounting & Business Office, the Dean of Administrative Services, Community Engagement, the Dean of Students, the Development Office, Human Resource, Institutional Research, Marketing & Public Relations, the Payroll Office, and the President’s Office.

Current Space & Projected Need The following chart illustrates the current space and projected need for the key six components to remain within Kinney Hall. Modest efficiencies are expected in the Classrooms and Academic Functions. The latter includes the offices for Liberal Arts & Behavioral/Social Services (LABSS)) faculty offices along with the Associate Dean for LABSS. Added space is required for the Center for Early Childhood Education, Student Services, Administrative Services, and Building Services. The current vacant space will be eliminated.

Classrooms Currently the College has twenty general classrooms located primarily on the seventh of Kinney Hall. Based on current Fall 2019 utilization across the entire Waterbury Campus, the classroom count can be reduced by six rooms. The current utilization based on hours scheduled per week is illustrated in the following chart.

So, the proposed overall mix of classrooms centers on that distribution, accommodating principally the 24 student sections while affording the slightly larger sections extending to 33 students. The chart below represents proposed distribution for the College. The large number of 30 seat classrooms are there to accommodate that large number of 24 student sections.

Classrooms are never built for the exact size required, allowing the College the ability to accommodate the normal variability of enrollment. At 30 seats, these rooms based will be utilized to 80% of their capacity, avoiding too tight a glove fit, yet more efficient than most state standards.

Classrooms by Building Existing & Proposed The following chart illustrates both the current distribution of classrooms and proposed distribution once the Kinney Hall Renovation is complete.

Classroom Mix The College because it is a community college does not deliver any substantive amount of lecture sections in large lecture halls.

The following chart illustrates the distribution of lecture sections by enrollment. While there are four sections over 100 students, the largest section count is for courses with 24 students. 99.2% of all sections at Naugatuck Valley have 33 students are less.

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Proposed Classroom Mix for Kinney Hall Based on the overall analysis of the College, and assuming the classrooms in Ekstrom, Founders, and Technology remain constant, the proposed classroom mix in Kinney is eight 36-seater and six 30 -seaters. Both classroom sizes are sized for tables and chairs.

Child Care Located on the Fourth Floor, the Center for Early Childhood Education occupies roughly 5,000 sf. Licensed for 48 students, the Center has to meet state guidelines and direct access to playgrounds for the children. The long-term assessment for the Center requires 6,081, which includes expansion in the Center’s licensure to 60. The available classroom sizes limit the present licensure. The space program will allow three classrooms with 20 student capacity each. Currently, the Center is licensed for toddlers. The assessment does not include expanding to infants.

Academic Functions (Non-Classroom) The Academic Functions is comprised of three components:

the Center for Teaching, the Early Childhood Education faculty offices, and the Liberal Arts & Behavioral/Social Services faculty offices. The chart illustrates the current space and need for all three. The assumption is that the Center for Teaching will be relocated to a location more accessible for the faculty in Ekstrom, Technology and Founders. The Early Childhood faculty are separated from their division in case those faculty need to be more proximate to the Center for Early Childhood Education.

Renovation Strategy & Vacating Kinney Hall The strategy addresses each building component in their sequence of complexity, from challenging and easy.

Child Care Located on the Fourth Floor, the Center for Early Childhood Education occupies roughly 5,000 ASF.

Possible Locations

• Within the existing complex, the opportunities for relocation are quite limited. The Center needs reasonably direct access from the exterior and uninterrupted and secure access to the playgrounds. The entrance cannot be conflated with a primary access point for the general campus population.

Student Services Student Services comprises seven components: Admissions, the Bursar’s Office, the Center for Academic Planning & Student Success, Financial Aid, the Information Center, Registration & Records, and the Women’s Center.

Like the Child Care Center, most but not all of these departments need to remain consolidated during the Kinney Hall renovation.

Three key clusters are proposed during the renovation of Kinney Hall.

Cluster #1 includes Admissions, the Center for Academic Planning & Student Success, and Financial Aid. Cluster #1 totals 7,452 sf currently, with a projected need of 8,506 sf.

Cluster #2 includes the Bursar’s Office, the Information Center, and Registration & Records. Cluster #2 totals 3,807 sf currently, with a projected need of 3,773 sf.

The last cluster includes only the Women’s Center. Totaling 332 sf, the projected need is 365 sf.

open cubicles. For the three proposed clusters this would reduce the overall need from 12,644 to 11,023 ASF.

Student Services The Student Services includes Admissions, the Bursar’s Office, the Center for Academic Planning & Student Success (CAPSS), Financial Aid, the Information Center, Registration & Records, and the Women’s Center. The following chart illustrates both the current space and projected need by department. While most of the student services require some modest expansion, the consolidation of the Center for Academic Planning & Student Success (CAPSS) requires the highest increase both for actual space as well as percentage. There is a very modest reduction in the Bursar’s Office.

Administrative Services Administrative Services includes the Dean of Academic Affairs, the Accounting & Business Office, the Dean of Administrative Services, Community Engagement, the Dean of Students, the Development Office, Human Resource, Institutional Research, Marketing & Public Relations, the Payroll Office, and the President's Office. Modest changes are proposed with minor additions or subtractions from eleven departments represented.

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PLANNING PRINCIPLES & STRATEGY

• Optimize the use of available space to meet the program

• Confirm / reimagine department locations and adjacencies

• Improve access and vertical connectivity

• Open more views to the attractive setting

• Renew infrastructure

• Address master plan needs where possible

STACKING EXISTING

PROPOSED CONCEPT

Renovation strategies are often complex when buildings must remain partially occupied. Since Kinney must be fully vacated, however, the main strategic challenges were identifying suitable swing space opportunities to enable the work. Swing space strategy and recommendations are described in the next chapter.

Based on a comprehensive analysis of the current conditions, programmatic needs, and college-wide master plan context, the team proposed the following planning principles. These were endorsed by the Kinney Hall Space Planning Committee.

The need to comprehensively renovate Kinney Hall represents an opportunity to reimagine the organization of a building so it can be more functional. The planning team assessed from scratch which made the most sense on which level – and which functions should perhaps be relocated to Kinney or from Kinney.

In the end, the current vertical organization remains largely in place, with important refinements. This is because there is compelling logic for certain functions on certain floors. Most importantly, the Center for Early Childhood Education must remain on the ground floor (Level 4) for access to the playground and easy egress. Likewise, mechanical and loading will remain on Level 4. Since it is connected to Fifth Avenue, keeping Admissions, CAPSS and other student services on Level 5 is important, while they are right sized. The main classroom floor, Level 6, should remain close to Level 5 where most students arrive in the building, in order to reduce load on the stairs and elevators. Locating administrative functions on the highest floor makes sense since these have a lower load on vertical transportation.

One key change is relocating the Public Safety Department from the Core to Kinney. This addresses a need identified in the master plan to put the security function in a more visible and accessible location and provide better a quality environment.

Classrooms Currently, Kinney Hall has 20 classrooms, occupying 12,934

sf. With the enrollment declines over the last decade, not all of these classrooms are required. Six of the classrooms are not currently needed based on classroom and computer lab utilization across the campus.

The remaining 14 classrooms if design to current standards would require 11,412 sf. But if the classroom replacement were one to one utilizing the current classroom sizes, the 14 rooms would need 7,813 sf in swing space. Or roughly 560 sf per room.

• Currently, the College has 60 classrooms at the Waterbury Campus. The three-classroom reduction is based on a thirty-hour weekly target per room. If this utilization number were raised to 35 hours per week, the classroom requiring replacement during the Kinney Hall renovation would be reduced to six, or roughly 3,360 sf.

• During Spring 2019, because of the pandemic, the College was delivering all of its content online.

While this delivery is problematic for hands-on content such as science labs and art studios, part of the online content is likely to remain. In Fall 2019, NVCC delivered 8.6% of its course offering online. That online offering would only need to expand by 6.5% or 15.1% in total to eliminate the need for the six classrooms. This shift to online and the reduction of classrooms assumes the new 35 hours per week target is accepted.

Administrative Services The Administrative Services in Kinney Hall include ten components: Academic Affairs, Accounting & Business Office, Administrative Services, Community Engagement, Dean of Students, Development Office, Human Resource, Institutional Research, Payroll Office, and the President’s Office. The functions will require 9,615 sf of swing space during the Kinney Hall renovation.

Unlike Student Services, these functions do not have to be clustered together. They can be located wherever the opportunity is available.

• While the President and the Deans need to be on-campus, other functions could remain remote as they are now for building renovation. This remote work for select departments would reduce the on-campus need to 5,144 sf.

Academic Functions The Academic Functions currently in Kinney Hall include a Center for Teaching, faculty offices devoted to Early Childhood Education, and the Liberal Arts & Behavioral/Social Services Division. The assumption is that the Center for Teaching has minimal use –user training and development is occurring elsewhere on the campus—and can be eliminated during the building renovation.

Early Childhood Education The Early Childhood Education faculty, totaling two, is part of the Liberal Arts & Behavioral/Social Services Division. There are separated here because of their relationship to the childcare center. If they require to be in the childcare center, then 240 sf will need to be added to the childcare swing space program.

If not, then the solution proposed for the division should be utilized.

Liberal Arts & Behavioral/Social Services Division Not counting the Dean’s suite and the ECE faculty, the Liberal Arts & Behavioral/Social Services Division has 27 fulltime faculty on the sixth floor of Kinney Hall. The strategy is to find compatible faculty within the remaining Waterbury and double these faculty up for the duration of the Kinney Hall project.

• Alternatively, the College has 156 faculty offices excluding Kinney Hall. Of these 31 are vacant, though 10 of those rooms are designated for Western Connecticut State’s use. If these vacancies can be verified, doubling up faculty might be limited to a modest number.

LABSS Assistant Dean’s Suite A temporary location would still be required for a LA&BSS Assistant Dean’s office suite totaling roughly 560 sf.

Building Facilities The spaces within Building Facilities are attendant to the building and will not require relocation.

Vacant The current vacant space in Kinney Hall is modest at roughly 600 sf.

SPACE NEEDS (CONTINUED)

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RECOMMENDATIONS

FIFTH

AVEN

U E

FIFTH

AVEN

U E

• Code compliant elevators

• Wider bathrooms

• New student lounge space

• New stair connecting 4th & 5th floors

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CSCU’s main driver for this study was space – finding the optimal uses for space in the renovated Kinney Hall. The planning team also addressed technical considerations as much as possible, given that engineers were not part of the study. In this way, they strived for a comprehensive, integrated concept design that can serve as a more sound basis for capital budgeting.

Cores / Vertical Circulation The first major decision in the planning process was how to address the need for new code-compliant elevators and restrooms. Simply enlarging the current ones in place was not feasible without wasted space. The elevator shaft had to be expanded to provide the larger cabs needed by current code.

The restrooms needed to be wider to provide clearances needed by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Early studies looked at

Reorienting the Building Interior Kinney’s interior today is oriented north-south. There are few opportunities to see the attractive campus surroundings when in common areas, lobbies and halls. A new exterior core and relocated restrooms allows the introduction of a cross axis in Kinney, with a view to the west and the Glacier Ridge Trail area.

On Level 5, this importantly provides at last a suitable end to Fifth Avenue. In place of a view of a restroom wall, there will be a view toward the new elevators and views to the wooded hillside. Lounges and a glazed communicating stair on levels 5 to 7 will provide opportunities to connect to and enjoy Kinney’s remarkable site.

Existing Core Study for new internal core Study for new external core

Cores and Main Circulation Diagram - Proposed

Cores and Main Circulation Diagram - Existing

Cores

Circulation

VIEW

structural modifications to expand the elevator shaft. This would be costly and invasive. Adding new elevators outside the building would avoid the cost of internal structural modifications on every level. An exterior core also allows a more suitable transformation of Kinney, but unlocking opportunities for improved circulation and orientation.

The three existing Kinney egress stairs meet code, so no changes are needed to the stair structure. The stairwells will be renovated to remove vinyl asbestos floor tiles and to replace worn finishes.

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Existing Kinney Hall Entrance & Fifth Ave.

Sketch of Proposed New Main Entrance

Reimagining the Main Entrance Kinney Hall is the home of Admissions and, as such, a symbolic front door to Naugatuck Valley Community College. Kinney’s current entrance, however, is unattractive and unwelcoming. A significant transformation is possible with modest intervention.

This will have a strategic benefit – breathing new life into an older building so NVCC can put its best foot forward recruiting new students.

To create this transformation, the old extended vestibule is removed. A new window wall with an open stair fills the dark recess south of the bridge. This stair will create a visible, welcoming route from the main entry lobby on Level 4 to Admissions and other student services on Level 5.

Today, young children and parents using the Center for Early Childhood Education (CECE) must enter through the same lobby the College uses. Separating the CECE entrance from the College is a key goal. The plan recommends infilling the overhang at Level 4 to the north of the main entrance. This can then serve as a new separate CECE entry. For the first time, CECE will have its own frontage and identity.

Envelope Kinney’s roof will be fully removed and replaced, including the metal deck and hazardous materials. The new roof will be highly insulated for energy efficiency. Kinney’s brick cladding is reportedly in good condition. The exterior windows and doors, however, are beyond useful life and will be replaced. This is especially important for the single-pane inefficient windows.

Replacement windows will have high efficiency insulated glass units and thermally broken frames. Overall, with the exception of the renovated entry and exterior core, Kinney’s exterior appearance will remain similar to today.

Structural Kinney was designed before the structural code was updated to include seismic design for lateral earthquake forces. A comprehensive renovation of this type will trigger the need to meet current code. For the Founders renovation, this became a major design feature when the decision was made to use external seismic bracing. This study did not include a structural engineer, but did aim to reflect a strategy for meeting seismic requirements. The new external core will include a shear wall to resist lateral forces. The plan shows three internal shear walls that would have added diagonal bracing and be continuous from foundation to Level 7.

Site While site design was not a main focus for the Kinney Space Study, the poor layout and deteriorated stairs in the CECE playground merit attention. The area was renovated circa 2004.

That design created stairs and ramps needed to meet ADA, but left little usable play area for children. And some of the stairs are now deteriorating. The amphitheater, while attractive, is not usable by small children since there are no intermediate steps.

The plan recommends a renovation of the CECE play area to provide a more spacious main play area, to add steps to the amphitheater and provide more effective circulation on this sloping site. A more direct exit stair is shown in place of the circuitous one today. Access gates are provided for groundskeeping carts. Deteriorated stairs are repaired. The purpose of the design concept was to provide adequate funding in the overall budget. A detailed site / landscape design is required when CSCU implements the project.

The parking lot south of Kinney reportedly needs to be replaced (not included in the Space Study scope or cost estimate). The exterior stair risers at the loading dock appear too steep to meet current code. The plan includes replacement with a new exterior concrete stair.

Level 4 Kinney’s ground floor is also its least typical. Its west side is buried into the hillside, part of it is unexcavated because of rock ledge, and the north end accommodates the Center for Early Childhood Education, part of NVCC’s Early Childhood Education program, but a use that ideally is fully separate from the College.

The offices uses down the hall, near the loading dock are isolated.

In addition to the new main entrance and CECE entrances, described earlier, the Plan recommends a comprehensive renovation to Level 4. The CECE gets needed contiguous growth by an addition under the east overhang. ECE offices are consolidated into the department from down the hall today. To prevent unauthorized access, the current entrance is closed and the space converted to storage. Given the specialized mix of spaces in the CECE, the planning team prepared a room-by-room layout of for the department, as shown after the main floor plan.

A general classroom remains on Level 4, refurbished, for use by ECE students. IR and th3 Womens Center are relocated to upper floors to be with other administrative and student service functions. In their place, the plan relocates the Public Safety Department from the Core, to be directly accessible from the exterior and to be more visible and integrated into the College’s operations. New elevators and restrooms are provided off the expanded entry lobby.

As part of the ongoing renovation of NVCC’s central plant, new hot and chilled water lines will extend through the existing pipe tunnels to Kinney’s Mechanical Room. A separate design scope will address heat exchangers and other equipment necessary for this service transition and for serving new air handlers on Level 7 and distribution systems throughout Kinney.

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Retrofitted Interior Shear Wall

New Exterior Shear Wall

Existing AmphitheaterView of CECE Playground

RECOMMENDATIONS

PROPOSED LEVEL 4

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PROPOSED CENTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION - LEVEL 4

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PROPOSED LEVEL 5

The experience arriving at Kinney on Level 5 will be transformed.

Using the pedestrian bridge, one comes into an expanded, light-filled lobby with Admission and the Information Center, and view to a student lounge and the wooded hillside beyond. Each student service department largely gets the growth it needs to fulfill its functions. CAPSS will grow at the north end of the building. The student service functions needing the best visibility are located near the main lobby, with Registrar/Records and Bursar down the hall.

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PROPOSED LEVEL 6

This third floor will remain a mix of classrooms and faculty offices. The Associate Dean for Liberal Arts and Social Sciences will have a more visible location off the main lobby. Classrooms will be modernized and sized for the projected current and future demand for section sizes. Likewise, faculty offices will be right-sized and fully renovated. The new student lounge will provide a welcomed place to study and socialized on this busy academic floor.

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This fourth floor will largely retain its current makeup of administrative departments, a faculty staff lounge and some classrooms, but with newly configured, sized and renovated areas throughout. Two new mechanical rooms are added for air handling units, to replace the faulty through-wall units. The faculty staff lounge off the new external core, will have one of the most appealing views on campus.

Administrative Departments

PROPOSED LEVEL 7

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Space Summary The table below shows the current Kinney areas by major category, the proposed space program and the space provided in the conceptual space study floor plans. Overall, the program provides 100% of the recommended space program.

Individual areas vary. In some cases, layouts are influences and constrained by the need for relationships to other spaces and by available area on a given floor.

It is important to note the existing ration of assignable to gross floor area is very high. This reflects minimal common areas and mechanical rooms. To make the building more functional and provide adequately sized lobbies, elevators, restrooms, mechanical rooms and common areas, the planning team recommends a lower ASF/GSF ratio, as shown. The exterior core, which adds minimal space per floor, is part meeting this overall strategy.

If more space were needed for assignable spaces on Level 7 instead of the two proposed mechanical equipment rooms, the planning team explored an alternate to build two mechanical equipment rooms on the roof above the north and south shafts. See Level 7 and roof plans below. While this approach is technically feasible, it is not programmatically necessary since the proposed Level 7 plan provides sufficient space to meet the program requirements for all departments.

ROOF LEVEL 7 ALTERNATE

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Existing Kinney Hall Aerial

Proposed Roof Plan

Level 7 Alternate

CLASSROOMS

Program:

• 6 Classrooms

• 4,120 ASF

Provided:

• 6 Classrooms

• 3 Toilets

• 4,896 GSF

KEY

A. Double Classroom Modular Unit

B. Memorial to Remain

EARLY CHILDHOOD

EDUCATION CENTER

Program:

• ECE 3,286 ASF

•Classroom 686 ASF

• Total 3,972 ASF

Provided:

• 5,712 GSF

KEY

A. Parking

B. Entry

C. Drop Off

D. Enclosed Play Area

E. Modular Preschool Units

A

A

A

A

B

B

C

KINNEY HALL ASL

D

E

E

E

FOUNDERS

HALL

SWING SPACE

Relocating functions now occupying 49,000 square feet of assignable space to vacate a building is no small task. For this reason, identifying a conceptual solution to swing space problem was an important logistical element for the Kinney Hall Space Study. This interim condition would last perhaps 12 to 18 months – as long as it takes to comprehensively renovate and reopen Kinney Hall.

Unexpectedly, Kinney Hall was vacated during the course of this space study – as part of the larger lock down necessitated by the Covid 19 pandemic which effected not only CSCU facilities, but most public buildings in the region and nation. The sudden transition to remote learning and work from home provided insights into how change can occur quickly when it has to. The approach to swing space in the Kinney Hall Study, however, assumed NVCC would reopen before the renovation starts.

STRATEGY AND SPACE NEEDS

These four strategies were use to address swing space requirements:

1) Leased Modular Units

2) Relocations / Minor Renovations for functions that must be on campus and where there is a suitable location

3) Shared Use / Hoteling / Remote Workplace for faculty and staff offices primarily

4) Modest course scheduling adjustments to make better use of a smaller number of interim classrooms

MODULAR UNITS

Two functions – general classrooms and Early Childhood Education – could not be accommodated in other NVCC buildings, and therefore were earmarked to be put in leased modular units during the construction period. After completion of the renovation, these functions will return to Kinney.

Classrooms When Kinney’s 20 general classrooms close, six new classrooms will be needed. The difference stems from the relative low utilization today of the 20 Kinney classrooms and the fact that other classrooms have capacity to take some of the interim course load.

After studying several potential sites, the planning team recommends the grass area west of the Founders Hall entrance as a suitable location for 6 temporary classrooms. The benefits of this location include it being a level area, clear of obstructions or existing development and close to a main cross campus walk, and good access to utilities and to parking. The site plan below reflects three double-classroom modular units, each with restrooms as shown in the graphic. The program requirement is 4,120 assignable square feet for the classrooms. These units provide 4,896 gross square feet including the six classrooms and three ADA toilets. Other locations either resulted in adverse parking impacts or were too remote.

Center for Early Childhood Education This Kinney function has the most complexity of any, given its specialized facilities, code requirements, and interior and exterior space needs. Circa 2004 when the CECE playground was renovated, the program temporarily used space in a lower level of Ekstrom Hall. Since then, the CECE Director understands that code requirements have tightened, even for interim spaces.

As a result, this type of solution would likely not be approvable.

For these reasons, the planning team recommends use of modular leased units for the CECE. The solution is two-part:

location and facilities.

After exploring several locations on the NVCC campus, the planning team recommends the overflow lot northeast of Kinney for the CECE interim location. This site is relatively level, has good access off the loop road, and proximity to utilities. The conceptual site plan reflects a strategy to cluster units around an enclosed playground. The playground could have woodchips or similar material suitable for interim use on the existing asphalt. A perimeter fence will be needed to meet code requirements.

The swing space program for the CECE is 3,972 total assignable square feet, comprised of 3,286 ASF in CECE spaces, plus one ECE classroom at 686 ASF. The site concept reflects three double preschool units plus a single classroom unit for 5,712 gross square feet total.

Modular dealers, including Wilscot, have predesigned preschool units. The planning team recommends that CSCU engage dealers to understand specific layouts, toilet facilities and other factors in available preschool units in order to confirm suitability for CECE’s interim needs. The Center will moves back into its upgraded space in Kinney Hall once the renovation is complete.

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Other less specialized swing-space functions can be accommodated in other NVCC buildings for the interim construction period. For practical purposes, these can be understood in two programmatic categories:

Student Service “Cluster 1” includes the departments that NVCC designated essential to co-located for the student intake function: Admissions, Financial Aid, and Student Advising

- CAPSS (the Center for Academic Planning and Student Success). The interim swing space program for these three departments totals 7,912 ASF.

Student Service “Cluster 2” includes Registrar/Records, Bursar/ Payments, and the Information Center. The interim program for these is 2,922 ASF.

As the functions in each cluster must remain in proximity to be functionally effective and accessible to students, these were more challenging to locate. Office functions are more fungible as a result, more easily located. Office needs and location recommendations follow the student service cluster swing space recommendations.

Ekstrom Hall Given the strategic importance of student recruitment, the planning team looked for a location that was easily accessible and continguous for Admissions, Financial Aid and CAPSS (“Student Cluster 1”). The study recommends the south part of Ekstrom Hall Level 5 for these functions given its proximity to the cross-campus walk on Level 5, opposite the ACE. While these areas are not directly visible from the Ekstrom lobby, they are close by. An information desk and/or signage can direct students to these interim student service functions.

Several functions will need to be relocated from Level 5 to Level 6. These include the CAPSS / Bridge to College lounge, supplemental instruction spaces, and offices; two computer classrooms, and various offices. These relocations are described below.

Student Service Cluster 1 functions will occupy the areas shaded in green on the existing floor plan below. The respective location of each department will be determined during implementation. The goal is to avoid or minimize any changes to walls to keep costs down for this temporary condition. The interim space program need for Admissions, Financial Aid and CAPSS is 7,912 assignable square feet. The area highlighted in green is 8,266 square feet.

The south wing of Ekstrom Level 6 has vacant and underutilizes space suitable for accommodating functions that must be displaced from Level 5. These include a large vacant science lab. The adjacent lab prep suites or rooms will be gutted so this space can be put to good use. The five vacant offices will be used for the Center for Racial Dialog, for two Biology Faculty and for a Mothers Room. The dedicated WAVE classroom and lounge are underused. NVCC would like these functions better integrated into the College, rather than separated as they are now. These spaces and the vacant lab areas will be used for Bridge to College areas and computer classroom(s).

In order to accommodate the CEO and Dean of Academic Affairs, the planning team recommends using offices in the north wing of Ekstrom Level 6, as illustrated in the floor plan diagram.

Business Faculty Office E601, the former president’s office, with its own restroom, would be the CEO office. The head of the Business Division could move to vacant office E603C for the interim period. The Dean of Academic Affairs could be located in vacant E600F. Four other Business Faculty offices could convert from single to double occupancy for swing space.

ASL Building After assessing location options for Student Service Cluster 2 and consultation with the committee, the planning team recommends Level 5 of the ASL Building for these functions.

The relative proximity on the same level to cluster 1 on Level 5 of Ekstrom is a plus. L501, the Library Meeting Room, will be temporarily used for Registrar/Records. The Student Services and Job Placement Center will be moved next door temporarily into underutilized study area in the Library, with a pair of doors to provide enclosure. Bursar / Payments will move into Career Placement for the Kinney Construction period, with the construction of a new payment counter. The unused Public Safety Office, S521, and an adjacent alcove will have partitions reconfigured to serve as the interim Information Center, with some seating in Fifth Avenue as a waiting area. The program need for these three areas is 2,922 ASF. The space provided is 2,904 ASF. The Job Placement department today has 1,191 SF.

Its proposed interim location has 1,004 SF.

Faculty and Administrative Office Swing Space Needs The planning team defined office swing space needs in two parts. First, they identified positions must remain on site and then they factored potential reductions to on-site office demand from shared use (temporary double occupancy of larger offices), “hoteling” and limited continued work-from-home.

Overall, 53 people require office space on campus, summarized

RELOCATIONS/RENOVATIONS

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as follows:

Total 53 people

FOUNDERS HALL

There is ample opportunity to house almost all the needed remaining personnel in Founders Hall, as described in the table below. Three vacant offices on the first floor can each be double occupancy. (Forst floor office space rented by WestConn was not assessed since this lease is in place and a revenue source).

Likewise, nine vacant offices on the second floor can each accommodate two people. Other spaces on the second floor area either underutilized and/or proposed to be converted from shared spaces to interim offices. 46 of the 53 personnel are accommodated between Founders and Ekstrom. Space for the other 7 people can readily be found by using vacant offices in other buildings and/or doubling up in larger offices.

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* Excluding CEO & Dean of Academic Affairs, who go in Ekstrom

NEED

AVAILABLE

COST ESTIMATE

CONCLUSION SPACE PLANNING

CONSULTANT TEAM

The Kinney Hall Space Study reflects a collaborative process between Naugatuck Valley Community College, CSCU and the consultant team. More than 40 years after its opening, Kinney Hall requires a comprehensive renovation to replace obsolete infrastructure. This represents an important opportunity to rethink the most effective program uses in the building. The key driver for the space study was identifying the best use of space to meet CSCU and NVCC’s mission. The swing space assessment was an important logistical enabling component to allow this vision to become a reality when the project is funded, designed and built.

COST ESTIMATE

The consultant team prepared a pre-schematic set of drawings for the Kinney renovation along with a scope narrative. The team also prepare site plans, floor plans and scope narrative for the swing space uses. These were used by a professional cost estimator, Toscano Clement Taylor, to prepare an order-of-magnitude cost estimate. The basis for the estimate was as follows:

• Preliminary, order-of-magnitude

• 25% design contingency

• 5% estimating contingency

• Includes markups for General Conditions, general requirements, permits

• Based on 2020 bid

• Local union rates

• Based on One Stop existing and proposed drawings, scope narrative

• By Toscano Clement Taylor, Professional Estimator

In order to derive a total project cost, 45% was added to the construction cost, based on CSCU system office guidelines to cover a range of possible cost categories, as follows:

• Project contingency

• Furniture, fixtures, equipment

• Technology

• Design and Engineering fees

• CT DCS project management fee

• Signage

• Permits

• Miscellaneous (moving)

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Architects / Planners

SCOTT BLACKWELL PAGE

Space Programmer

Scott B. Page

TOSCANO CLEMENT TAYLOR

Cost Estimator

David Johnston

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