Get to Know us Better:
Dan Leonard is our latest architect to complement the architectural staff. Dan joined us in November and brings many years of experience with him.
Originally from the Southern Tier area of NY, Dan has worked both in industry and private practice in various areas across NY. Dan is an active member in the American Institute of Architects, serving as a past president and on the Board of Directors for AIANYS. He also served the Boy Scouts of America the past three years as District Chairman.
He is married and has two teenage children who are all looking forward to finally getting settled in the Albany area. In his spare time, Dan enjoys scouting, fishing, archery, and scuba diving.
Face-to-Face Review Appointments:
Please check the Face-to-Face review announcement on our website at
https://www.p12.nysed.gov/facplan/project_review.html. Scroll down and make your appointment if your project is qualified. Continue to check the announcement. We will be moving the limiting review number every few weeks. It is presently set at review number 03-0750.
Please remember to e-mail a copy of your Code Compliance Checklist to Barbara at the time you are submitting your request.
It is imperative that the A/E firms assure that the documents submitted for face-to-face reviews are 100% bid ready. This process was intended to make the process quicker. Incomplete documents cause a double review and waste everyone’s time. We are discussing punitive action on the occasions when incomplete documents are provided for Face-to-Face reviews.
Post-Bid Addenda:
Due to the recent backlog of projects we have relaxed our policy regarding Post-Bid Addenda. Formerly they were never allowed under any circumstances, but recently we have allowed a few. Unfortunately we are now experiencing an influx of requests and the scopes of these requests are becoming larger. The result is that certain Post-Bid Addenda are causing further delays in the review of new projects. As a result some Post-Bid Addenda may be returned.
To avoid having a Post-Bid Addenda rejected, prior to submission be sure we have a full and accurate description. Discuss the proposed work with the SED project manager and architect or engineer who originally reviewed the project. If the work you propose alters a former Energy Performance Contract in any way you MUST tell us. It cannot be a Post-Bid Addenda.
Project Descriptions:
When completing forms for submission to Facilities Planning please be sure you are categorizing the description of your work as defined in Appendix K, Chapter K2, of the Building Code of New York State. These are as follows:
Renovation: The removal and replacement or the covering of existing materials, elements, equipment and/or fixtures using new materials, elements, equipment and/or fixtures that serve the same purpose, without reconfiguring the space.
Alteration: The reconfiguration of any space, the addition or elimination of any door or window, the reconfiguration or extension of any system, or the installation of any additional equipment.
Reconstruction: Any project where the reconfiguration of space, as indicated on the construction documents, is such that it adversely impacts the means of egress shared with spaces outside the work area; affects the entire occupancy; or totals more than two-thirds of the building area. Reconstruction involves work not initially intended by the owner but specifically required by this appendix.
Workers in Construction Areas vs. SAVE:
Are construction workers or contract workers required to be fingerprinted and have a criminal history record check? The answer is NO… if there is no direct contact with students under the age of 21… BUT you have to read on.
The Uniform Safety Standards for School Construction and Maintenance Projects, Section 155.5 of the Commissioner's Regulations, requires construction areas to be separated from occupied areas of the interiors of schools. But, many smaller spaces of construction are in single rooms where entry can only be accessed from the corridor. Here there may be occasional contact in individual situations.
In the situation where construction workers are not on the second or third shifts and they are in the corridor there will be contact with students under the age of 21. These situations should not be common, should be of limited duration, and must be supervised by district personnel to prevent personal contact. Where providing supervision with district personnel is not feasible, the district could choose to schedule those construction activities during unoccupied hours, or choose to have each construction worker that needs to have access to student occupied areas fingerprinted and a criminal history record check.
For more information please review the requirements and links provided on the Office of Teaching Initiatives, Office of School Personnel Review and Accountability (OSPRA) web page for Part 80-1.11 and Part 87 of the Commissioner’s Regulations.
http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/ospra/part87regulations_oct01.html
Also review the OSPRA’s Who Must Be Fingerprinted Charts (scroll all the way down for contractors). http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/ospra/fingerprintingcharts.htm
An Index of our Newsletters is available on our web site at
https://www.p12.nysed.gov/facplan/NewsLetters.htm.If you would like to have this Newsletter sent directly to you by e-mail, please send your e-mail address to Joe Levy at
Please continue to send in your comments and requests. If you have a subject you would like addressed, feedback on the material you read, input or general comments we are happy to hear from you.