17,280 square feet Overview:

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1 CENTRAL OFFICE Located at 167 Boston Post Road, East Lyme, Connecticut, the Central Office was built in 1916 as the original Flanders Elementary School and remains connected to the current school. The structure consists of two occupied stories and an attic above grade and one basement storey. The building was first occupied as the district administrative office in 1964 after the completion of a new school on the same site. General Building Information: Total Building Area: Second Floor 5,760 square feet First Floor 5,760square feet Lower Level 5,760 square feet 17,280 square feet Overview: The intent in reviewing existing conditions at the Central Office is to evaluate the physical plant and its systems to identify deficiencies for the entire facility; including exterior envelope, interior finishes, structural elements, handicap accessibility, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection. Kaestle Boos Associates, Inc. ( KBA ) staff and consultants visited and photographed the building and reviewed existing available documents to gather all necessary data about each space. The Central Office building is the oldest building evaluated in the scope of this study. As a result it has several code and infrastructure deficiencies. This building has fire protection sprinklers only in the storage and boiler rooms in the basement. Given the building use and height, the fire marshal recommended that the building be fully sprinklered for safety. The buildings existing staircases provide adequate egress width but require updated tread nosing and hand and guard rails. The building is not handicapped accessible and would need significant upgrades to become compliant. The exterior windows and roof are showing signs of deterioration. The interior carpeting is over the existing hardwood floors and is showing significant signs of wear. The space has been subdivided and reworked many times over the years and some partitions and space finishes are newer than others. Moisture infiltration is a recurring issue in the basement, occupants complained of an odor, and the moisture infiltration could contribute to mold growth. Asbestos is present in locations throughout the building and should be considered during any renovations. The parking lot is deteriorated and does not provide adequate turning space for parking. A. Exterior Building Envelope: The building s exterior envelope was reviewed for overall soundness and water/air tightness. elements were evaluated as described below. A separate roof and structural report assessing the exterior envelope were also undertaken. Exterior Walls: The building consists of wood studs, with a brick veneer with plaster finishes on the inside. The structural system consists of wood framed stud walls and roof joists. The building sits on a mixed masonry foundation. Cracking was observed in the masonry veneer. Refer to the structural report for additional information. KBA No B - 1 Last Edit 09/28/11

2 East Lyme Central Office Exterior Doors and frames: The exterior doors and frames are hollow metal systems, in-filled into an original wood frame. Exterior Windows and louvers: The exterior windows are large single pane double-hung wood units, possibly original to the building, with aluminum storm windows added at a later date. The windows are showing signs of deterioration. They are permitting drafts and air infiltration, greatly diminishing the energy performance of the exterior wall assembly. Refer to windows report for additional information. A1 Roof: The roof system is the original slate roof and the interior shows clear signs of water infiltration. Downspouts carry the water collected by the gutters down and away from the building. Refer to roof report for additional information. A2 KBA No A3 2.2.B - 2 Last Edit 09/28/11

3 East Lyme Central Office B. Interior Building Elements: The building s interior spaces were evaluated for overall condition of architectural systems and appearance, including quality of equipment, materials and finishes. Accessibility and code compliance were also reviewed. Walls: The walls are plaster or gypsum board on wood studs. In one stairwell the walls have been refinished with a laminate panel system. Doors, Frames and Hardware: All the doors are stained wood. Original doors are in wood frames. Newer doors have hollow metal frames. The doors are generally in good condition. Door hardware on the existing doors is original and is either knob or thumb lever and are not ADA compliant. In general new hardware on new doors was found to be ADA compliant lever handles. Interior Finishes-Floors and Ceilings: The basement floor finish consists of a mixture of carpet, ACT, and exposed concrete. The basement is reported to have experienced unusual odors, possibly caused by moisture infiltration seeping into the carpet. The first floor is carpeted over the original hardwood floors, the second floor is partially carpeted and partially restored hardwood floors. The carpet is showing significant signs of wear and ripples and tears pose tripping hazards. A4 The majority of the ceilings are suspended acoustical systems, of various ages, with recessed light fixtures except in the basement where plaster infill panels close the ceiling between wood joists and all fixtures are flush mount. KBA No B - 3 Last Edit 09/28/11

4 The ceiling in the basement shows signs of water damage from sources in the kitchenette above. The light fixtures generally provide adequate lighting. Casework: The kitchenette casework is solid wood finish. It is not ADA compliant. Signage: Room signage is inadequate throughout the entire facility and is not ADA compliant. Miscellaneous Accessories and Equipment: Fire extinguishers were observed in high hazard areas. Typical Spaces: A5 Corridors: The Corridors are in good condition. The egress analysis shows that as part of the means of egress, the corridors, stairs and doors have ample width to accommodate the buildings occupants. However the corridor on the first floor is occupied as part of the business space and care should be used to maintain a clear passage to the means of egress. Ceilings are typically suspended acoustical panel with recessed light fixtures in good condition. The level of light is adequate. Water coolers are used in lieu of drinking fountains. Office Spaces: The Offices are generally in good condition, though the age and quality of finishes varied by the date of construction. The floors are generally carpet in poor condition. The walls are painted plaster or gypsum board. KBA No B - 4 Last Edit 09/28/11

5 The ceilings are typically suspended acoustical panel with recessed light fixtures in good condition. The level of light is adequate. The furniture observed (desks, cabinets, shelving, etc) was generally high quality and in excellent condition. Kitchenette: The floors are VCT in the cabinet area and carpeted throughout the remainder of the space. The walls are painted gypsum in good condition. The ceilings are typically suspended acoustical panel with recessed light fixtures in good condition. The level of light is adequate. The built-in sink is not accessible and neither are the appliances. The room is on the original stage platform and the narrow winder steps to this area are no longer compliant given the use of the space. The stairs to this space are not code compliant. (A6) A6 Stairs: The stairs provide vertical circulation between stories and are the primary means of egress from each end of the building. The stairs enclosure appears to be separated from the rest of the building by rated assemblies. However, the rated doors have kick-stand type hold-opens which are in violation of building code. (A7) The handrails are original and are not continuous down both sides of the stair or for the full length of the stairs run. (A8) The original central handrails are not continuous and are not high enough to act as a guardrail. The stair tread s contrasting color friction nosing s have either worn off or peeled off. (A9) KBA No B - 5 Last Edit 09/28/11

6 A7 A8 A9 Toilets: One designated male and one designated female toilet are present on the first floor and appear to be original to the building and two single occupancy toilets have been recently installed on the second floor. The men s toilet consists of two toilet stalls, two urinals and three sinks. The female toilet consists of four toilet stalls and three sinks. None of the fixtures in the building have proper accessibility compliance. Floor finishes in the original bathrooms are Ceramic tile and have been patched repeatedly, giving the floor a mottled appearance. The floor finish in the new bathrooms is VCT. Walls are painted gypsum or plaster walls, with ceramic tile to 5-0 above finish floor. Ceilings are typically suspended acoustical panel with recessed light fixtures. Toilet accessories are present including: mirror, paper towel dispenser, toilet paper dispenser and soap dispenser, do not meet accessibility requirements in their location or mounting height. Mechanical Room: The Boiler room is located in the basement. All the mechanical areas are enclosed and separated by rated assemblies as required by code. However, the fire protection system provided appears to be old and inadequate for the space. Refer to MEP reports for additional information. Recommendations: Replace manual hold-opens on fire doors with automated ones. Replace stair nosing strips. Replace stair handrails. Provide additional guardrail. Replace carpeting throughout. Remove carpeting from basement. Refinish existing bathroom floors with matching floor pattern. Upgrade entire facility to fully comply with ADA requirements. Provide code compliant access to kitchenette. Repair water damaged portions of the ceiling. Provide sprinkler system throughout. Refer to additional portions of the report for additional recommendations. KBA No B - 6 Last Edit 09/28/11