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Barr & Barr is currently managing the Framingham State University (FSU) Hemenway Hall and Annex upgrade project that is over $53 million and on schedule to be occupied August of 2015. These two facilities combined with the new Hemenway Laboratories addition will make the largest academic building on campus. Both Hemenway Hall and Annex are close to 50 years old and home to the University’s Family and Consumer Sciences Program. They are currently undergoing 120,000 sf of selective interior renovations which will provide a fully accessible and substantially improved teaching environment for their students. This project will include a new 68,000 sf, four story addition which will create more laboratory and research space. The new addition will join the existing facility by a new four-story atrium which will create a better flow from the existing buildings through to the new addition.

15% Project Savings
Barr & Barr helped to save FSU 15% of project cost through our Value Management program with some examples below:

  1. Eliminating Smoke Evacuation System by reclassifying the Atrium – saved $460,000.00
  2. Eliminating the basement level to more cost effective space – saved $800,000.00
  3. Utilized ductless hoods for laboratory space – saved $47,000

Our Value Management program is second to none. Our main focus of this program is to help clients keep the integrity of their project while being able to offer other and in many cases better solutions that are more cost effective and create substantial savings.

$15 Million Completed In 15 Weeks
This project is taking place within two occupied buildings that house over 4,000 students on a daily basis. One of the tougher challenges of this project has been working around the students and making sure their routines and classes were uninterrupted by construction. The utilization of summer breaks was absolutely imperative. However, due to the expansive nature of this project it demanded that some investigative and coordination work be in place prior to the 2014 summer start.

Through the use of detailed logistics plans and extensive research and planning Barr & Barr stated the benefits to FSU of being able to stage the exterior of Hemenway Hall during the spring session of 2014, while classes were still being held within the buildings. This set the stage for the project to take off seamlessly once summer break hit. Our team utilized this time to do all the heavy mechanical & interior upgrades within both the Annex & Hall and exterior renovations at the Hall only. The outside of the Hall received new windows, brick repointing/replacement and replacement of exterior louvers. The Exterior of the Annex is scheduled to be complete summer 2015. The inside of the facilities underwent the replacement of all new unit ventilators, chilled water lines, fire alarm system as well as newly renovated hallways, ceilings and bathrooms. Not only were we able to maintain the schedule on this very difficult interior and exterior renovation project we also added +/- $1 million worth of unforeseen renovations and changes to the original contract scope without impacting the schedule.

LEED Silver Certification
This project is pursing LEED Silver through the use of recycled and locally extracted and manufactured materials, low-VOC building products, low-mercury fluorescent lighting, public transportation access, bike racks, storm water collection, and extensive natural daylight.

This project has seen its share of challenges and Barr & Barr takes pride in our ability to work through these challenges with all team members (Owners, End Users, Architects, Subcontractors) in order to facilitate a successful project that everyone can be proud of.

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