Saugus PAC opening pushed back to June
The Saugus High School Performing Arts Center (PAC) is now set to open in June 2018, two months later than expected, according to items on Wednesday’ William S. Hart Union High School District Governing Board meeting agenda.
Dubbed “The Forum,” the $18.3 million facility was originally set to open to students and the community in April. Now the project is scheduled to be completed by June 18.
“(The delays are from) construction-related issues that had to be corrected, and the corrections are going to take six to eight weeks to complete, which on paper would take us out a couple months,” Governing Board President Steve Sturgeon said.
The Hart district announced its plans to build a performing arts center on the Saugus High School campus about nine years ago with the passage of Measure SA, a $300 million school facilities bond.
Once complete, the 19,000-square-foot facility will include a large performance state, 468 audience seats, catwalks and a fly room for lights and set rigging, spaces for drama rooms and a large lobby and ticketing area.
At the Governing Board meeting Wednesday, the district is expected to approve of two fee amendments to contracts with the projects construction management firm and the project’s Division of the State Architect (DSA) inspector to stay on the project for an additional two months.
“The fees are to pay for the inspectors that the state requires to stay on board,” Sturgeon said. “It may not be for the full two months.”
The first fee amendment is to a contract with TELACU Construction Management Inc. for the extended services the construction management firm is offering the district from March 1 to June 18.
These additional fees are expected to total $105,128 and will be covered within the project contingency and will not increase the overall project budget, according to the agenda item.
The second fee amendment is to a contract with Knowland Construction Services to continue DSA-required inspections of the project while it is being completed.
These additional fees are expected to total $36,000, and will be covered within the project contingency and will not increase the overall project budget, according to the agenda item.