HomeMy WebLinkAbout126 E Seneca St John Benjamin ReportITHACA TOWN HALL ARCHITECTUAL
DESIGN PROGRAM
John D.Benjamin Jr.
April 15,1991
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Town of Ithaca Office Building is located at 126 East Seneca
Street,City of Ithaca,County of Tompkins,State of New York.
The structure sits on a lot that has thirtyLfour foot of street
frontage and has a depth of one hundred-thirty-six feet.The
basic construction is estimated at approximately one hundred
twenty years old,with stone and brick foundation,brick veneer
with wood frame exterior walls,with plank and wood frame
interior partitions.The entire structure offers some 5,200
square feet of a space,plus a partially finished third floor
over the original structure.The original structure contributes
approximately 3,066 square feet,not including the third floor
which offers approximately an additional 500 squarefeet of floor
space.There are two solid concrete additions adjoining the
original structure,which include a two room concrete fire
prpofed Mosler Vault.
It is believed that the structure was originally of a residential
nature.Previous to the Town purchasing the facility it was the
offices f or the Security Mutual Fire Insurance Company,who had
the additions added along with the vault area.No structural
changes have been made to the property since the Town purchased
it.
Since it’s purchase in 1975,the facility has been the Town Hall,
housing the Planning,Engineering,Zoning and Building
departments,along with the Town Clerk,Accounting,Personnel,
and Payroll departments.The facility also houses the Town Board
Room,which is used for a variety of Town meetings.
In addition to the above mentioned departments,the Town Hall
function also includes that of the Town Court which currently is
located in another facility due to the lack of space in the
current Town Hall.At this time the Town Court is using the
court room facilities in the Tompkins County Courthouse while a
majority of the files for the court are housed at the Town Hall.
When the facility at 126 East Seneca Street was purchased,it was
adequate for purposes of Town Government,but with the continued
growth of the Town of Ithaca,the facility as it stands,is
grossly inadequate to meet the current and expected demands ofthe
town.
The purpose of this document is to provide data on the Town’s
needs,and to determine what the major problems are within the
current facility.
This document begins with a walk—through of the current facility
accompanied with photographs.The walk-through is my initial
impression of the facility upon my first visit.This
walk—through is representative of what I believe would be typical
as one by a citizen.After the walk-through,the problem areas
are then examined and then data obtained through research of
similar facilities,numerous interviews with the various users of
the facility and questionnaires completed by said users,is
presented.
The final product of this research is recommendation as to the
Town’s various needs within a facility,with a discussion of the
proposed program in the conclusion.
I would at this time like to thank the various staff members of
the Town of Ithaca for their tremendous help with this document.
Everyone contributed greatly to it’s content and I hope it
satisfies some of their questions about the Town Hall.A special
thanks goes out to John Czamanske of the Town of Ithaca for his
continued support through—out the various stages of research.In
addition to John and the Town of Ithaca staff,Dean Morgan of the
Town of Owego deserves mention for his help in letting me explore
the Town of Owego Town Hall.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2.0 GOALS 4
3.0 WALK TROUGH
4.0 INTERVIEWS 19
4.1 Space
4.2 Lighting
4.3 Temperature and Ventilation
4.4 Access to equipment needed
4.5 Access to others needed
4.6 Storage space
4.7 Safety
4.8 Break—time facilities
4.9 Parking
5.0 USER PROFILE 24
5.1 Town Clerk’s Office
5.2 Accounting —Budget —Personnel Departments
5.3 Town Court
5.4 Building and Zoning
5.5 Planning Department
5.6 Engineering
5.7 Town Supervisor
5.8 Secretarial
5.9 Town Board Room Users
5.10 Secondary Users
6.0 DESIGN CRITERIA 32
6.1 Space Requirements
6.11 Accounting,Personnel,Payroll,Town Clerk
6.12 Building/Zoning,Engineering,Planning
6.13 Employee lounge
6.14 Town Court
6.15 Town Supervisor
6.16 Town Board Room
6.17 Storage Space
6.2 Lighting
6.3 Heating and Ventilation
6.4 Location
7.0 RECONNENDATIONS 38
7.1 Proposed Building Square Footage Program
8.0 CONCLUSION 41
9.0 APPENDIX 43
A.Town of Owego Town Hall
B.Time Saver Standards -Town and City Halls
C.Performance specifications Town of Ithaca Town Hall
addition 1970
GOALS
The goals of the Town of Ithaca as understood by this author,are
listed below.The Town Hall facility should not in any way
interfere with the accomplishment of these goals set forth as
follows:
1.To provide the services they are responsible for in a
timely,efficient manner.
2.To provide documentation of official documents as well as
safe storage of that documentation.
3.To provide the means for the public to interact with town
government.
4.To provide the means for the various branches of town
government to interact efficiently.
I
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 4
3.0 THE WALK-TIWOUGH
The purpose of this section is to record initial observations
taken during a walk-through of the Town of Ithaca Office Build
ing.
The Town of Ithaca Office Building is boated at 126 E.Seneca
Street,Ithaca.Upon approaching the facility,the first thing
that is evident is that there is not parking for the occupants of
the building or for visitors.The facility is a small building
that has the appearance of a residence rather than that of an
office building.As I entered the building,I noticed that it
seemed quite dark and dreary.The entry leads into a narrow
hallway about eight feet long,that opens into the reception
area.The reception area is located behind a counter about 40
inches high.The area behind the counter is quite spacious and
is furnished with an office system at which the Deputy Town Clerk
works.
There are several offices located around the reception area,all
of various sizes,as well as a staircase that leads to the second
floor.To the left of the reception area a hallway leads toward
the back of the building.A break room,rest rooms and another
office open of f this hallway.The hallway ends in vault.Behind
the vault is the Town Board Room.This room is an L shaped room
that is crowded with furniture.The odd shape of the space makes
it obvious that it is not efficient as a meeting room.This area
of the building has a separate entrance from outdoors for public
meetings.A stairwell is also located off this space,that leads
up to the second floor or down to an emergency exit.
The floor—plan of the second floor of the facility is almost
identical to the first,with the exception of the reception area.
The second floor is almost entirely offices that are located off
a hallway that zig-zags through the space.In addition to
offices,there are also rest rooms and a stairway that leads to
the attic off the hallway.As with the first floor,some offices
are quite spacious,while others are cruite small.The back area
of the second floor is where the Planning Office is located.
This space is split into three areas.The first is a clerical
area that houses two office workers,along with a large number of
file cabinets.The second area is the Planning staff’s desks and
work spaces.There are several desks,file cabinets,computers
and drafting tables in this area,making it very crowded.The
third area (separated by a textile divider)is a meeting area for
the Planning Staff.The back stairwell mentioned earlier,is
accessed through this space.
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 5
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS:
The facility in general is in good repair and considering the
obvious obstacles the Town seems to function adequately within
the space.The total square footage in the facility is probably
sufficient to house their various departments,but the interior
layout with it’s very small spaces,very large spaces,and
extensive hallways,result in a very crowded,choppy space.In
addition to the poor layout,the facility is not at all acces
sible to the mobility impaired,with the exception of the Town
Board Room,which considering the function of the building is a
major issue.
Lighting and ventilation within the facility at this point seems
adequate,but this is quickly rebutted by comments by town staff.
Every office has an exterior window which makes the building seem
more pleasant,but the views are not in any respect attractive.
Signage in the building is very poor,not only in identifying
the various departments,but in the marking of emergency exits as
well.
CONCLTJS ION:
When the Town of Ithaca moved into the facility located at 126 E.
Seneca Street,it was more than likely adequate to meet their
needs but with the significant growth of the town over the past
years along with an increase in staff,not to mention the
documentation that needs to be processed and housed,the building
as it stands,is inadequate to meet their present needs.There
are several areas in the building that are not utilized effi
ciently while other areas are extremely crowded.With the proper
distribution of space it may be possible to restructure the space
to meet their present needs.
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 6
ENTRANCE TO TOWN BOARD ROOM
Handicap accessible,visible parking
is leased and does not belong to the
town.
MAIN ENTRANCE
126 E.Seneca Street
ii
-1
n HR
—C-
1’1
[thaca Town Hall Architectural Program 3.D.Benjamin Page 7
iA
PUBLIC SERVICE COUNTER
Provides for no safety considerations
ACCOUNTING/PAYROLL OFFICE
Houses two staff members with virtually no
privacy or storage.
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 8
FILE STORAGE
This are provides storage
space for the Engineering,
Planning and Building
departments.
TOWN SUPERVISOR’S OFFICE
Extremely small but adequate for
the most part.
[thaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 9
\
SECRETARIAL SUPPORT FOR SECOND FLOOR
Inadequate lighting,storage and work area.
BREAK ROOM FIRST FLOOR
Provides for no seating or privacy.
L
a j’i
[thaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 10
W
PLANNING DEPARTKENT MEETING ROOM
Used for public interaction and staff
meetings.
Ix”--
SMOKING ROOM
The smoking area is within the
vault,raising many safety
questions.
thaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Pagell
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
The most spacious of the departments,
it is still inadequate in respect to
storage,work space lighting and
privacy.
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
Every inch is utilized,making
the space crowded and inefficient.
1
p.
:thaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Pagel2
RECORD STORAGE WITHIN PlANNING DEPARTMENT
Houses reference materials.
BUILDING/ZONING DEPARTMENT
Three staff occupy this space.
Storage,work area and privacy are
virtually non—existent.
:thaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 13
SERVICE COUNTER,DEPUTY CLERK’S OFFICE
This area is poorly secured with no protection
for staff who are responsible for large amounts
of cash.
•ra s
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
Extremely crowded with obvious
storage problems.
:thaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 14
VAULT STORAGE
Limited space results
in important documen
tation being stored
improperly.
7/
I
___
VAULT STORAGE
Inefficient and inadequate.
[thaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 15
VAULT STORAGE
Over head storage could
prove to be very dangerous.
L ‘1
F
VAULT STORAGE
Inadequate space leads
to inefficient sloppy
storage.
:thaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 16
TOWN CLERK’S OFFICE
Because this is the most pleasant
room in the building,it doubles
as a break room intruding on the
Town Clerk’s space.
TOWN BOIU?D ROOM
Extremely poor layout
resulting in a space
that is inadequate
for it’s purpose.
:thaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 17
Provides for virtually no
presentation space.
JANITORIAL STORAGE
STAIRWELL TO THIRD FLOOR
A crowded inefficient space.
:thaca Town Hall .rchitectural Program J.D.Benjamin Pagel8
4.0 INTERVIEWS
4.1 Space
4.2 Lighting
4.3 Temperature and Ventilation
4.4 Access to equipment needed
4.5 Access to others needed
4.6 Storage space
4.7 Safety
4.8 Break-time facilities
4.9 Parking
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Pagel9
4.0 INTERVIEWS
The interviews and questionnaires completed as part of the
research for this document comprise a tremendous amount of
valuable information.The participants were the entire staff of
the town.They eagerly completed the questionnaire and were
extremely communicative in their responses,resulting in very
specialized input.Discussed below are the major points of
contention along with a summary of the results of the interviews
and questionnaires.
4.1 Space -the factor that seems to be the most important to
the Town of Ithaca staff is the amount of space they have to
perform their various duties,along with the amount of storage
space available to them.All of the departments with the
exception of the Town Supervisor rated the space in their work
area as poor to very poor,as well as the storage space available
to them.The Town Supervisor rated her work area space and
storage space as fair,but qualified it as to relevant to other
spaces within the facility.
The lack of adequate space within the various work stations
creates a variety of problems for the town staff.The most
commonly mentioned was the inability to concentrate on their
tasks due to noise from other staff,as well as inadequate space
to perform their duties including mail-outs and the review of
maps and plans.Many of the surveyed said that the inability to
concentrate results in a reduction in their efficiency which in
turn creates a disproportionate amount of stress related to the
tasks they are performing.
The lack of space also provides for the lack of privacy.for
matters which require it.This is most notable in the case of
the personnel department where individual conferences discussing
confidential matters is not available.
The absence of conference space in general is a major problem
through-out the facility.Every department within the Town Hall
requires conferences of one nature or another.Having no
conference space results in distraction of people not involved in
the conferences as the conferences take place within the
departments which are extremely crowed.
4.2 Lighting —the lighting through—out the facility is recessed
fluorescent.Although during interviews,lighting was not a
major concern to the staff,the questionnaire that was completed
by the staff rates the lighting in their departments as poor to
fair.It is believed that the lighting through-out the facility
is inadequate for the tasks performed but due to the other major
problems within the facility,lighting was not a major concern.
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 20
The lighting levels are of the most concern to the Planning and
Building/Zoning Departments where inspection of maps and plans
are a daily task.It is noted that there is virtually no task
lighting to assist with these tasks.The Engineering Department
where these same tasks are performed rated the lighting levels as
fair,but as stated before,it is believed that this is in
relation to the other problems within the department,and upon
closer inspection it is believed that the lighting levels within
this department are inadequate for the tasks performed.
4.3 Temperature and Ventilation -along with space,the
temperature and ventilation of the facility was a major concern
to the Town staff.Every member of the staff rated the
temperature and ventilation as poor to very poor.This is due to
the fact that the heating and ventilation system in the original
part of the structure is supplied by one unit located in the
basement,which is controlled by one thermostat located behind
the Town Clerk’s counter.The location of the thermostat is such
that when the outside door to the building is opened,outside air
affects the thermostat.Although the location of the thermostat
is a problem,it is not the only factor that contributes to the
discomfort of the staff.As was stated earlier,the structure
was originally of a residential nature,with the construction of
the various offices within the facility,the location of
registers is no longer appropriate.Some areas are blasted with
heat,while others receive virtually no heat.
The same system that provides heat also provides air-conditioning
in the summer.A common complaint among the staff was the
unpleasant odor that accompanies the air-conditioning.This odor
is due to the fact that the intake air for the system is from the
basement which is a very damp,unventilated area.
The newer part of the building which include the Planning
Department and Town Board Room,have individual electric
heating/air—conditioning units.Although these units are fairly
new,they have a variety of problems,one of which is the amount
of noise they generate.The questions concerning the Board Room
on the questionnaire resulted in every respondent noting that the
noise generated by these systems is so distracting as to inter
fere with the business being conducted.
The present heating and air-conditioning system provides no
ventilation which is required in buildings of this nature.It is
noted that the concern about the above mentioned issues is so
great that an independent air quality study was contracted by the
town,but the results of this study were unobtainable at the time
this document was prepared.
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.0.Benjamin Page 21
4.4 Access to equipment needed -as with the lighting,the
access to equipment need was not a major concern to the Town
staff but once again when ask to rate their access,seventy—five
percent of the respondents rated access to equipment as fair to
poor.The major problem areas were access to copiers and work
tables to perform various tasks.The access to a copier is due
to the layout of the facility and the lack of sufficient copiers
for the various departments.At present there are two copiers in
the building,one on each floor but even if another copier were
purchased,there is no space to put it.This problem of access
relates more to the space problem than anything else.
4.5 Access to others needed —the access to others needed to
perform their various responsibilities was another area that was
of great concern to the Town staff.It was commented that a
great deal of time is spent walking back and forth within the
facility to obtain information from others.As with the access to
equipment this more a function of the layout of the building than
anything else.Because of the limited amount of space within the
facility,the various departments are located in areas that are
more a function of space than location.This is particularly a
problem for the Town Clerk’s office,as they deal a great deal
with the Town Court which is located in a separate facility due
to the lack of space.
4.6 storage space —as with the space in the work stations,the
amount of storage space and convenience to that storage is a
major concern to the Town staff.Because of the lack of space,
storage is anyplace that there is room for it.Important
documents are stored in the basement where it is cold and very
damp,resulting in extremely poor storage conditions,not to
mention the inaccessibility of the space.As with the access to
others,it was noted that a great deal of time is spent accessing
files and supplies needed that directly results in inefficiency.
4.7 Safety —the Town staff were concerned with a variety of
safety issues.The most common safety concern expressed was that
of air quality safety.As stated in section 4.3,heating and
ventilation,the staff feels the air quality within the Town Hall
is very poor.
The other major concern about safety was expressed by the Town
Clerk’s office staff.The Town Clerk collects a variety of
payments as discussed in the user profiles,which can result in
the accumulation of thousands of dollars at one time,
particularly during tax time.Unfortunately the current facility
provides for no security measures to protect the staff behind the
counter from theft.The Deputy Town Clerk stated that she feels
unsafe a large percentage of time.
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 22
Another concern that was addressed under the safety section was
that of the structural safety of the building.This concern is
due to the enormous amount of equipment and files located on the
second floor.Those who addressed this issue are concerned that
the building,having originally been built as a residence,does
not have the structural integrity to support the current loads
placed upon it.
All of the above safety issues,whether valid or not,need to be
addressed,as the concern alone creates a tremendous amount of
stress on the staff,making an already stressful job that much
more so.
4.8 Break-time facilities --the lack of adequate break—time
facilities within the Town Hall is an area of great concern to
the Town staff.Many of those who expressed concern about the
lack of break-time facilities stated that they have no place to
relax during lunch breaks and coffee breaks.This inadequacy
does not allow for any relaxation time during the working day
resulting in an increase in stress.
Another area addressed about the break—time facilities was that
of a smoking area.Currently the “smoking room”is located in a
small storage room located in the vault.This space has no
ventilation,resulting in a space that is always clouded with
smoke.The fact that the smoking area was located within the
vault,which houses the most important Town documents,was also a
major concern.
4.9 Parkinq -with the exception of space,the parking problem
at the Town Hall was the issue that was of most concern to the
Town staff.At present,there is no parking for the staff or the
public.There is limited parking for Town vehicles,but this is
ina drive way where vehicles park one behind another,resulting
in the rearranging of the vehicles every time one of them has to
leave.The staff not only finds this frustrating but it directly
decreases efficiency,as time must be taken away from what ever
they may be working on to rearrange vehicles.
The fact that there is no parking is also a safety issue,as many
times the staff has to park blocks away or in the ramp,which
makes them uncomfortable when leaving the building after dark.
Ithaca Tom Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 23
5.0 USER PROFILE
5.1 Town Clerk’s Office
5.2 Accounting —Budget —Personnel Departments
5.3 Town Court
5.4 Building and Zoning
5.5 Planning Department
5.6 Engineering
5.7 Town Supervisor
5.8 Secretarial
5.9 Town Board Room Users
5.10 Secondary Users
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 24
5.0 USER PROFILE
5.1 Town Clerk’s Office
The Town Clerk’s office consists of two people,the Town Clerk
and the Deputy Town Clerk with back-up from the Accounting and
Personnel departments.
General function:The Town Clerk’s Office deals with the public
on a continuous basis,issuing all licenses (marriage,hunting,
fishing,dog)and collecting payments of taxes,and water and
sewer bills,along with the sale of various ordinances,In
addition to these public services,the Town Clerk’s office also
prepares reports to state agencies,acts as a liaison for the
Town Justice and provides administrative support for the Town
Board,and Town Supervisor.
Equipment used -
—Pc with printer
—Access to copier
-typewriter
—recOrding equipment
—adding machine/calculator
—postage meter
-telephone
Storage/files used —
—computer disc storage
—general and legal files
—access to archival files
—access to ordinances
-books
-working file storage
Meeting/conference facilities required —
—private conference for two to four people
5.2 Accounting -Budget —Personnel Departments:
The accounting,budget and personnel departments in theory are
separate departments,but in practice their various duties
overlap,it is for this reason,that for the purposes of this
document,they are to be considered one department and will be
referred to as the Accounting Department.Three people fill the
various positions within the Accounting Department,the
Accounting Supervisor/Purchasing Agent,Assistant Budget Officer,
and the Payroll/Personnel Administrative Assistant.
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 25
General function:Budget/Accounting —Management of the Town’s
financial functions including accounting,budget,payroll and
cash management and investments.
Personnel —Management of the Town’s personnel including fringe
benefits,recruitment,report processing,payroll processing,
employee information and referral.
Equipment used -
—Pc tied to mini with printer
-typewriter
—adding machine/calculator
—access to copier
—telephone
Storage/files used —
—computer disc storage
—general and legal sized files
—access to archival storage
—books/binders
—immediate access to working files
—cassette tape storage
—supply storage
Meeting/conference facilities required -
—private conference for two to four people
—staff meetings involving two to three people
—group meetings for ten to twenty people
5.3 Town Court:
Although the Town Court is not presently located in the Town
Hall,it is a part of Town government and should be considered in
any renovation or new construction project.The Town Court
consists of four employees,the two Town Justices and the Court
Clerks.
General Function:Tue Town Court holds legal hearings for the
Town of Ithaca on both criminal and civil matters.In addition
the Court is responsible for administrative matters and acts as a
liaison between attorneys,the police department,the District
Attorneys Office and the Town of Ithaca.Other responsibilities
include maintenance of court records,and fine collection.
Equipment used -
—typewriter
—access to copier
-telephone
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 26
Storage/files used -
—general and legal sized files
—access to archival files
—law digest/book storage
—working file forage
Meeting/conference facilities required —
—court room
—private conference for two to five people
5.4 Building and Zoning:
The Building and Zoning department employees three people,the
Building Inspector/Zoning Officer,Assistant Zoning Officer and a
department secretary.
General function —The Building/zoning department is responsible
for the enforcement of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention
and Building Codes and the Town of Ithaca Zoning ordinance.
Because of the nature of these tasks the Building
Inspector/Zoning officer and the Assistant zoning Offices work in
their office as well as spend much of their time in the field.
Equipment used -
-Pc with printer
—typewriter
—drafting tables
Storage/files used —
—computer disc storage
—general and legal sized files
—access to archival files
-working map/plan (l8”x36”)storage
—books/binders
Meeting/conference facilities required -
—plan review,two to four people
—private conference for two to four people
5.5 Planning Department:
The Planning Department consists of four people at present,Town
Planner,Assistant Town Planner,Planning Technician,and a
student intern,but this varies from year to year as occasionally
there is more than one student intern.
General function —The Planning department is responsible for the
general planning for the Town of Ithaca including short and long
ten development.They review development applications and
provide support for the Planning Board,Town Board,Zoning Board
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 27
of Appeals,Conservation Advisory Council,Comprehensive Planning
Committee,and Codes and Ordinances Committees.
Equipment used -
—IBM computer with printer
—Pc and Macintosh with printers
—Macintosh tied to plotter
—Copier
—Drafting Tables
—Light tables
—Diazo machine
—Large work tables for map and plan review
Storage/files used —
—computer disc storage
—legal and general sized files
—map/plan storage (inactive and working)
—books and binders
—hanger/racks (42”x42”)
Meeting/conference facilities required —
—staff meetings for three to six people
—committee meetings for three to eight people
—consultant/developer meetings involving three to
five people
5.6 Engineering Department:
The Engineering department consists of four full time staff,The
Town Engineer,Assistant Engineer,Assistant to the Town Engineer
and the Engineering Technician with one or two student interns.
General function —The Engineering Department is responsible
forthe design,surveying,inspection and contract administration
of roads,lighting,water,sewer,and drainage for all Town
construction projects.
Equipment used -
—two way radio station
—IBM system 400 terminal
—large document copier
—personal computer with printer
—Diazo machine
—drafting tables
-light tables
—copier
—pen plotter
—postage meter
—large tables for map and plan review
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.0.Benjamin Page 28
Storage/files used —
-flat storage for maps and plans
-books
—general and legal sized file cabinets
—immediate access to working files
—access to inactive files
—immediate access to working drawings and maps
—storage space for bulk purchases of supplies
including paper for the pen plotter
Meeting/conference facilities required -
—construction coordination meetings for two to
four people
—staff meetings for four to five people
5.7 Town Supervisor:
The Town Supervisor is a administrative position that is limited
to one person.
General function —the Town Supervisor is responsible for the
administration and supervision of Town business including
participation in Town Board meetings.
Equipment used -
-Pc with printer
—access to copier
Storage/files used -
-Computer files
—general and legal sized file storage
—immediate access to working files
—access to working plans and maps
—technical books
Meeting/conference facilities required —
—Town Board meetings
—private conference for two to four people
5.8 Secretarial:
The Town employees three people in the secretarial capacity.Two
of the Administrative Assistants work in conjunction with the
Engineering and Planning departments,while the Building/zoning
department has an Administrative Assistant who works exclusively
for them.
General function -the Administrative Assistants are responsible
for providing secretarial support to their various departments
including the recording and distribution of building permits,
scheduling of the Zoning board of Appeals meeting,and Town
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.0.Benjamin Page 29
mail—outs,as well as providing support for the variou board
meetings and recording and transcribing of the minutes.
Equipment used -
-Pc computer with printer
—typewriters
—large tables for the preparation of Town mail—outs
Storage/files used —
—immediate access to working files
—access to archival files
—computer disc storage
—books and binder storage
Meeting/conference requirements —although the administrative
Assistants do not require any meeting/conference facilities for
their own purposes,they do however attend various board meeting
and staff conferences.
5.9 Town Board Room Users:
The Town Hall Board Room is used by a variety of groups and
committees.The frequency of meeting varies monthly but on the
whole the board room is used in one capacity or another every day
of the week.
The size of the groups varies from approximately four to in
excess of one—hundred (the current Board Room has a maximum
capacity of fifty-four.)The various groups that use the meeting
facilities include Town Boards and committees plus a variety of
groups not connected with Town business.
In addition to the above mentioned,the Board Room must accom-
modate the general public,as many of the meeting held are of a
public nature,this includes the facility being accessible to
mobility impaired.
The Town Board Officers also require a separate office to conduct
town business.The office should include individual work
stations as well as storage facilities for the Town Board
Members.
Equipment used -
-television with VCR
—copier
—recording equipment
—over head projector
-chalk board
—display and pin up space for maps and plans
—Board Room table with audio enhancement
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.0.Benjamin Page 30
Storage space required -the only storage space required is that
for the equipment listed above,plus clerical supplies
5.10 Secondary Users:
Because of the nature of the Town Hall being a public building,
the secondary users are the general public.A majority of the
public traffic is to the Town Clerk’s office to pay a variety of
bills or the purchase a licence,but the Building/zoning,
Engineering,and Planning Departments are also visited frequently
for a variety of reasons.It is due to this accessibility that
the facility must be accessible to the mobility impaired.
In addition to the above users,the Town Board Room is also a
public space as discussed in the Board Room User section,so must
also be accessible to the general public.
Accessibility to the facility is also an important issue to the
secondary users.It is important that the facility be easily
accessed by automobile or public transportation.In addition to
the central location,parking is an important issue.The public
wants adequate easily accessible parking to accommodate their
needs while conducting business with the Town.
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.0.Benjamin Page 31
6.0 DESIGN CRITERIA
6.1 Space Requirements
6.11 Accounting,Personnel,
Payroll,Town Clerk
6.12 Building/Zoning,Engineering,Planning
6.13 Employee lounge
6.14 Town Court
6.15 Town Supervisor
6.16 Town Board Room
6.17 Storage Space
6.2 Lighting
6.3 Heating and Ventilation
6.4 Location
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 32
6.0 DESIGN CRITERIA
The design criteria being presented in this program are based
upon performance criteria as determined by.the review of user
needs along with research into facilities of a similar nature.
The design for a renovation of the current facility,the
conversion of an existing facility to meet the Town needs or the
construction of a new facility,should take into consideration
the criteria set forth in this report to insure a proper design
to meet the various needs of the Town of Ithaca.
6.1 Space Requirements:
(6.11)Accounting,Personnel,Payroll,Town Clerk —the
Accounting,Personnel,Payroll and Town Clerk’s office all have
overlapping responsibilities as discussed in the user profile
section of this document.It is because of this overlap of
responsibilities that these department share common space
requirements.Due to the fact that these departments deal a great
deal with the public,particularly the Town Clerk,they should
have adequate space to deal with the demands placed upon them.
The following is a list of the individual space requirements with
the department:
—An open office to house the various clerical personnel
along with a counter to conduct Town business with the public.
The counter should be adequate for several people to be serviced
at once and should be approximately 30”deep to allow for the
completion of applications and other paperwork.
-The area behind the counter should be approximately 300
square feet to accommodate the workstations,file storage and
equipment needs of the Accounting,Payroll,and personnel
departments.In addition to the open office space,two private
offices of approximately 100 square feet each,a small conference
room of approximately 100 square feet and the vault of
approximately 400 square feet,should be located in this area.
—The location of the reception counter within the facility
should be easily accessible to the public.The reception area
adjoining the counter should be adequate enough to accommodate
several people simultaneously with a fair degree of comfort,
while still remaining small enough as to not encourage loitering.
(6.12)Building/Zoning,Engineering and Planning
Departments -The Building/Zoning,Engineering and Planning
Departments have similar space need.It is for this reason that
many of the various needs of these departments can be served by
common areas.Each department requires its own office space,but
areas such as map rooms,file rooms,drafting rooms,conference
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 33
rooms and secretarial support can be shared.See Proposed
Program for square foot requirements for these areas.
Although there are many areas within these departments that can
be accommodated by common facilities,it is important that each
department have their own offices as described below:
Building/Zoning The Building/zoning Departments should be
comprised of two adjoining offices each of approximately 125
square feet.The two offices will comfortable meet the space
requirements of the Building Inspector and the Assistant Building
Inspector in regard to work area and storage space.
Engineering —The Engineering Department has basically the same
space requirements per office as that of the Building/Zoning
Department.Four offices are required in this department to
house the Town Engineer,Assistant Engineer,Assistant to the
Town Engineer and The Engineering Technician with the interns
occupying space within these offices.These offices should be
arranged such that access between them is immediate.The
recommended square footage of 125 square footage per office will
be sufficient to com!ortably meet the needs of the staff in work
area and storage space.
Planning -As with tiie Building/Zoning and Engineering Depart
ments,the Planning department also requires a cluster of several
offices.Three offices of 125 square feet each,are needed in
this department to house the Town Planner,Assistant Town Planner
and the Planning Technician.As with the Engineering Department,
the various interns will be able to be accommodated within these
spaces.
Common areas —As stated above,the common needs of the Building,
Engineering and Planning departments makes it possible to satisfy
these needs through the use of shared areas.These various areas
include:
—map room
—conference room
—file room
—drafting room
—secretarial support
These common areas should be centrally located with the Planning,
Building and Engineering Department around the parameter.
(6.13)Employee lounge -the building should be equipped
with adequate break-time facilities to serve the staff
comfortable.This area should include a small table,
refrigerator,coffee pot and any other appliances required by the
staff.This space should be located apart from any high traffic
areas,and should provide for a comfortable atmosphere for the
staff during their time out periods.If smoking is to be allowed
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 34
in this area,additional ventilation will be required.If this
is to be a non—smoking environment,additional facilities are
required to accommodate the smokers as seen relevant to the town
staff.
(6.14)Town Court -The space requirement of the Town Court
are limited to two offices of 100 square feet,a small court room
of approximately 125 square feet,and a clerk’s office of
approximately 150 square feet.The location of the Town Court in
relation to the other departments housed within the Town Hall is
not a major issue,but it should be housed within the Town Hall
and should be easily accessible to the public.
(6.15)Town Supervisor —The Town Supervisor requires a
separate office of approximately 100 square feet.This space
should be somewhat centrally located with immediate access to
secretarial support and tile storage.
(6.16)Town Board Room —The Town Board Room should be a
centrally located space of approximately 1160 square feet,plus
an adjacent office with facilities for each of the board members.
This amount of space should easily accommodate sufficient storage
space and a meeting facility that will seat 100 people.The Town
Board Room should be located within the facility such that it has
direct access to the outdoors,possibly a separate entrance,as
the Town Board Room is utilized during the evening hours when the
other departments are closed.In addition the shape of the room
should be such that the line of vision is not interrupted from
any location within the room.As with the other areas of the
building,this space must be handicap accessible.
(6.17)Storage Space -in addition to the various storage
spaces discussed within each department,the facility also
requires storage space to house janitorial and maintenance
supplies.If he facility is more than one story in height,each
level will require janitorial storage space.
The Town Board Room should have adequate storage facilities that
house the various equipment and clerical supplies required.
6.2 Lighting:
The basic lighting requirements are the same through—out the
facility.Each work,station should have illumination levels of
between 50 and 75 footcandles.Equipment such as drafting tables
should be equipped with task lighting corresponding to the task
performed.
The lighting level in the Town Board Room should be adjustable to
accommodate presentations that may require lower lighting levels.
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 35
6.3 Heating and ventilation:
The 1-IVAC system of the Town Hall is very important.The
environmental parameters that affect comfort levels are:
—air temperature
-air humidity
—air velocity
—air quality
—mean radiant temperature
When designing a HVAC system for the Town Hall each of these
parameters should be addressed to ensure comfort within every
department of the building.
6.4 Location:
when selecting the location for a Town Hall,the first
consideration is whether it should be placed on a site by itself
or if it should be combined with one or more groups of related
buildings in a civic center.Over the past few years,the civic
center approach has had great appeal to the Town Planners because
it offers certain advantages and at the same time provides for
greater latitude in design.
There are many advantages of a civic center,including greater
convenience for the public in transacting business that requires
visits to more than one public agency.It may also result in one
or more governmental units being able tD share common facilities.
Finally,it often is convenient to have certain facilities
grouped together (ie.Town Hall and Highway Department)in order
to expedite inter-agency and governmental relations.
The selection of the site for a Town Hall will be influenced by a
number of circumstances.Some of these conditions are limiting
in nature,such as the availability of land,but there are,
however,certain general principles that should be considered as
discussed below.
1.“Government must serve and be accessible to the people...
this mean that efficiency of service is directly related to how
convenient the governmental facilities are for the majority of
those citizens using the facility.
2.Public services must serve every citizen as well as,and as
conveniently as possible,because of this,government facilities
must be located near the center of transportation and the center
of business activity.In most cases the Town Hall should be
located near public transportation and near major arterial
streets.
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page36
3.Town government agencies use the service of professional
offices such as attorneys,banks,and postal service frequently.
The Town Hall should be located near these offices to provide for
ease of access.
4.Adequate parking facilities must be provide at the Town Hall
to accommodate the staff of the facility and the public traffic.
Inadequate parking facilities result in blocked city streets,
frustrated staff and secondary users and in general creates for a
bad atmosphere.
5.More than just the initial land costs should be included
under the economic consideration of the site.The site should
allow for expansion and site development costs such as grading,
utilities and flood protection must be considered.
Although some of the above conditions may seem contradictory in
nature,such as adequate of f street parking in a business
district,each variable must be examined and then compromises
must be made to most adequately serve the interests of the town.
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 37
7.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
7.1 Proposed Building Square Footage Program
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page38
7.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
The following recommendations are based on a study of the user
needs of the Town of Ithaca Town Hall,plus the research of
facilities of a similar nature.
1.Space requirements -A facility of 5760 sq.ft.with a space
allocation as detailed in the Proposed Building Square Footage
Program attached.
2.Adjacencies —
a.The offices should be arranged such that the Town Clerk,
Accounting,and Personnel Departments are located adjacent to one
another.
b.The Building/zoning,Engineering,and Planning Depart
ments should be adjacent to one another with shared common
facilities to include a map room,drafting room,conference room,
and secretarial support.
c.The public rest rooms should be easily accessible to the
general public and should not infringe on any work areas.
3.Lighting —the lighting within the facility should meet the
accepted standards for the types of tasks performed.Task
lighting should be supplied in work station that require detailed
work.
4.HVAC —the heating,ventilating and air conditioning system
for the facility should provide for individual control for each
work area.This system should provide for a comfortable
environment for the staff year round,by controlling heating,air
conditioning,humidity,and fresh air ventilation.
5.Location -the facility should be located in such a manner as
to best serve the various users needs of the Town Hall.As
discussed under design criteria,the selection of the location
may involve a compromise on a variety of issues,mainly adequate
parking in a downtown environment,but the entire picture must be
examined completely before a site can be selected.
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page39
7.1 Proposed Building Square Footage Program for the Town of
Ithaca Town Hall:
The following is based on meetings with town staff and research
into similar facilities.The proposed building program is
defined as follows:
A.Site
1.Handicap accessible
2.Parking for fifty automobiles (building square footage
divided by 120)
B.Town Clerk/Accounting (1150 sq.ft.)
1.2 offices @ 100 sq.ft.
2.open office @ 300 sq.ft.
3.Vault @ 400 sq.ft.
4.Public area @ 150 sq.ft.
5.conference room @ 100 sq.ft.
c.Build./Zoning,Engin.and Plan,offices (1925 sq.ft.)
1.Building/Zoning @ 250 sq.ft.
2.Engineering @ 500 sq.ft.
3.Planning @ 375 sq.ft.
4.Secretarial support @ 250 sq.ft.
5.Map Room @ 100 sq.ft.
6.Conference Room @ 100 sq.ft.
7.Drafting Room @ 100 sq.ft.
8.File Room @ 250 sq.ft.
D.Town court (475 sq.ft.)
1.2 Town Justice offices @ 100 sq.ft.
2.Court Room @ 125 sq.ft.
3.Clerk’s office @ 150 sq.ft.
E.Town Supervisor (100 sq.ft.)
F.Town Board Room (1275 sq.ft.)
1.Board Room with storage @ 1160 sq.ft.
2.Board Members office @ 125 sq.ft.
G.Incidental (500 sq.ft.)
1.Employee lounge
2.Employee toilets
3.Public toilets
4.Mechanical/storage
Total Building 5760 sq.ft.
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 40
8.0 CONCLUSION
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 41
8.0 CONCLUSION
The fact that the current Town Hall is not adequate to
comfortably and efficiently house Town Government is no secret0
The current facility is packed to the rafters with every corner
utilized.The staff work in very tight quarters which allows for
virtually not privacy,resulting in a distracting,stressful
environment.
Having reached this conclusion,the next question is,what to do?
According to the square footage requirements presented in this
document,the current facility has sufficient gross square
footage to accommodate the town,but this area will require an
enormous amount of renovation to be adequate in all the other
areas discussed in this program.
One possibility that the town has for remaining in the current
facility,is to renovate the third floor to accommodate one of
the technical departments.Although this would add to the square
footage of the facility,there are several code issues that must
be addressed.If the project was found feasible,the second floor
could then be renovated to allow more space per remaining
department.This may also open up enough square footage to house
a small conference room.
For me to expand on what would be required to convert the current
facility to a more suitable space,would basically be the same as
saying knock it down and start again.This being the case,it is
my conclusion that the Town should investigate various other
facilities,either existing or to be built,that would better
serve their purposes.
The Town of Owego recently faced the same decisions that face the
Town of Ithaca now.Their decision was to construct a new
facility which also houses the New York State Police.This
facility is discussed in Appendix A of this document.
Whether the Town decides to renovate the current facility,
convert an existing facility,or construct a new one,the issues
addressed in the proceeding pages must be considered.
Ithaca Town Hall ArchitecturalProgram J.D.Benjamin Page42
APPENDIX A:Town of Owego Town Hall
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 43
9.0 APPENDIX
A.Town of Owego Town Hall
B.Time Saver Standards -Town and City Halls
C.Performance specifications Town of
Ithaca Town Hall addition 1970
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 44
APPENDIX A
The Town of Owego Town Hall:
A few years ago the Town of Owego faced exactly the same issues
that face the Town of Ithaca now.It is for that reason that I
investigated their facility in preparing for this document.
After weighing all the option open to the Town of Owego,their
decision was to build a new facility as a joint venture with the
New York State Police.This facility was financed for the most
part from the sale of their down town property,which was prime
real estate,and building on a site they purchased with those
funds,much as could be done in Ithaca.
When the decision was made to build a new Town Hall,the town
hired an architectural firm to provide them with a design.What
the town desired was a facility that would meet their needs in a
modest building.The architectural firm presented them with a
design that included a grand atrium space complete with
balconies.The program and design criteria for that building are
attached.
After reviewing the design presented,the town decided another
architectural firm would better suit their needs.This time they
looked for a firm that specialized in this type of building and
the current facility was produced.A great deal of user input
was used in the final design,resulting in a nicely planned
facility with very efficient layout.Photographs of this
facility are attached.
If a decision is made by the Town of Ithaca to investigate the
possibility of a new facility,it is highly recommended that a
tour of the Owego facility be undertaken.
Ithaca Town Hall .rchitectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 45
TOWN OF OWEGO
TOWN HALL
W-Aasa
-
:thaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.0.Benjamin Page46
ENTRANCE TO TOWN BOARD ROOM
Handicap accessible with adjoining
handicap rest rooms.
PUBLIC CORRIDOR
Spacious and nicely decorated.
thaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page47
TOWN BOARD ROOM
An attractive comfortable
space with good seating and
storage.
TOWN BOARD ROOM
A “press box”is located
in this room.
Ethaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 48
TOWN CLERK’S OFFICE
The bi—fold door also provides
a secured place for the staff.
TOWN CLERK’S OFFICE
Counter with closing bi-fold
door providing adequate
workspace.
:thaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.EL Benjamin Page 49
a
PLANNING OFFICE
A nice spacious space with
individual offices for staff
members.
PLANNING OFFICE
Circulation within the space
is very good.
:thaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.0.Benjamin Page 50
PLANNING OFFICE COUNTER
Allows for safe comfortable
contact with the public.
PLANNING OFFICE MAP ROOM
A very efficient record storage
space,with plenty of work area.
Ethaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 51
TOWN PlANNER’S OFFICE
A comfortable efficient space
STAFF CORRIDOR
Staff rest rooms and break
facilities are located in
this back corridor.
[thaca TOWn Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page52
APPENDIX B:Time Saver Standards —Town and City Halls
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 53
“Zr flö
:1
--
CITYANDTDWNHALLS
Slept to be taken in planning and constructing
city halt are (1)detern,ining need,(2)deter
mining apace requirements.(3)selecting an
architect,(4)acquiring a site,(5)approving
layout,design,and architectural features,and
(6)developing a financial plan.These slept are
not a one’two-three process:frequently they
must be done siniuttaneously.It is important
to have an ‘dee of what is wanted before se
lecting an architect,but the architect can be
helpful fl delineating wants.It is impatient to
remember that the city ball n,ust last 60 years
or more,The fotlowing “dot and doors”pro
vide a guide to officials engaged in planning
a new city hail.
Do:
1.locale the city hail where it will be most
convenient and if possible where land vafues
are reasonable,
2.Be prepared to provide the architect
with information on departments io be housed
the number ol employees,types of furnishings
snd equipment,and special requirements such
as vautt and storage space.
3.Provide anipte off-atrect parking space
for both emptoyees and the pubtic.
4.Put most or alt city department head.
quarters in the city halt.
5.Provide for structuret expansion and
ftesibitity in offica tayout.
5.Plan the city hett 1’oni the inside out with
emphasis on work ftow.convenience to the
public,and convenienca for an,ployoas.
7,Provide for the comfort and efficiency
of employees with controtled ventitation and
adequate tighting.
8.Provide for employee tounges end rest
rooms.
9.Use materials,construction,and fur’
nishinge which make the city halt easy to main
tain.
ID.Provide open,unobstructed counters
for transactions with the public.
1.Done locate in an area of declining prop’
erty values except when pert of a comprehen’
site urban renewal program.
2.Don’t try to remodel an old post office,
school building,convention halt,or other build’
Ing designed for some other special use.
3.Don’t forget that the city halt is an office
building,not a monument or en ornament.
4.Don’t underestimate space needs;the
average commerc.al office building lasts 67
years.
5,Don’t tie up valuable space with indoor
Pistol renges,drive’through garages,private
esits,wide corridors,and other gadgets.
6.Don’t cut up the city hail into cubbyholes
for minor officiate.
Planning the New City Hail,Report #2 t 2.
Management lnfotmation Service.International
City Manager Association,Washington,D.C..
September 1961.
7.Don’t build the city hall over two stories
in height if at all possibls,
6.Don’t let the public corn,in contact with
police or criminal activities.
9.Don’t provide in the main lobby any
facilities,such ss a cigar and soft drink stand.
which encourage loitering.
DETERMINING NEED
The need fore new city hell may seem obvious
to those who spend their working hours at the
city hall,Ceilings are high;heating costs are
twice what they should be;apace originally
meant for storage has been converted to of.
ficss;electrical wiring violates code provi.
sion.and the present fecitity is just old any
way.All of this—end more besides —may be
true,but what is not known is how extensive
the need is.This must be determined by careful
study.In determining the need for a city hell
alternate courses of action ehoutd be studied.
Fecton lnfltetcitg Need Determining the extent
of need involves two areas:(I)condition of
building,and (2)specs needs.
The condition of the building is the easiest
to evetuate,flings to be considered are type of
construction,structural condition,electrical
wiring,heating and ventilating,end facilities
such as rest rooms.Nothing may be seriously
wrong and a new lacility stilt needed,but ii
is important to know these points,Careful
and professional review may bring lactors to
tight heretofore not considered,
At an early stage it is importent to hate some
idea of space needs.This can be determined
in general terms by hating each department
submit their space needs for review and study,
If departments are etreedy crowded,addilionel
space needed now is not hard lo estimate,The
reel problem in determining space needs is
what wilt be needed in the future.The building
may be adequete now,but will it be in 5,10,
20 years?Few cities decide to build a new city
half end do so almost immedietely.Experience
seems to indicate that anew city hall is the out
growth of a number of years of careful plan’
ning and.once built,lasts a long time,
In estimating future needs not only must
traditional services such as police and build’
ing inspection be considered but also whst
future services the city may be required to pro’
tide,One of the “dos’is to provide for struc.
sure’expansion.However,provision for such
expansion must be in rseson,end should be
based on projections of future needs.knowl’
edge of the community and its people is essen
tial to space planning.City officials should
know the population projections for the next
20 or 25 years.the economic level of the con,’
munity.and present and probable social and
economic characteristics.
SELECTING THE LOCAUGN OF THE CITY HALL
Dvic Center.In selecting the location for a city
hail,the first consideration is whether it should
be placed on a site by itself ow whether it should
be combined with a group of related buildinga
in a civic center,The civic center has had great
appeal to the city planner because it offers
certain advantages and at the same time pro
vides for latitude in design,The buildings that
are included in civic cent era range from a
grouping of strictly administrative offices end
service buildings to a complex of office build’
ings,auditoriums.libraries,and so on.
The great advantage of a civic center is that
the grouping of public buildings may prove to
be convenient to the public in leans acting buai’
ness the traquires via’its to more then one pub-
tic agency.II also may result in one or more
governmental units being able to use the fecil’
lies of the other.Finally,it oft en is convan lent
to have certain facilities grouped together in
order to etpadite interagency and govern
mental reletions,
Obviously ifs city hell is to be pan of a civic
center,it must be planned in relation to the
other fecilitiea.For instance,the San Jose,
California,city hall is part of e civic center con’
sisting of a health building,communications
building,police garage,county oflice huild
ing,sheriff’s department and jail,criminal’
legal building,and a juvenile center,Some of
the facilities,such as the administrative olficea
in the health building,did not have to be ra’
pealed in the city hell.
Site selection loracivic center muss con
sider the lectors listed betow for locating a
city hail.In addition,several other points are
important.The site for a civic center must per
mit tiexibitity in building arrangement.Since
more land is necessary,street patterns may
have to be altered,end additional land wtll be
needed for parking.Oncu the sits has been
selected,means must be found to preserve it
for grsdusl development of all the units.Alan.
the site must be located so as not to interfere
with the normal development of the business
district.
On the surface the civic center ides has great
appeal.There are those who feel that Center
concept has limitations,An snide by Richard
A.Miller entitled “Are Civic Canlers Obso’
late?,”Architectural Forum,January,1959,
highlights these objections,Miller points out
that cities range in size “lrom msmmoth con.
centrerions”to amall cities,“As a ruts,the con.
centration of community buildings can be
increased in inverse ratio to the size of the
city,”One of the strong points made in the
article reistes to the discussion above on da’
centralization of city offices:
Government buildings—the city halt,fire
station,and police stations—which were
long the nucleus of most civic centers.tend
themselves to be dispersed today.The res.
son is obvious.Fire snd police buildings,
for exampte,are bass located st a central
paint in the efresi network,sad with the
building of sxprss.ways.this point earsly
intersects with the best location for the
mayor’s office or the councit chamber,See.
vice agencies (such as the water and park
depsrtmentel increasingly favor head’
quarters locations adjacent to their opsrating
facilities.In Philadelphia.where two new
government off ice’type buildings wilt be
erected,the city also plsns to remodst and
sxpand h,old city hall in Penn Canter to
675
Governmental and Public
CITY AND TOWN HALLS
house the mayor and the council—thus
reteining a symbolic center of government
in the heart of the city.
City-County BsiMsg The county-seat city should
investigate the possibility of constructing one
building to serve the needs of both the city .nd
the county.At least 40 cities and counties
occupy the same building.
The city-county building has two major ad
vantages.First,local governmental fecilities
are together,which is frequently a convenience
to the public and to city and county agencies
that have contact with each other.The ascend
advantage is coat savings.Depending on
condition.,a joint building can be constructed
for lees money than two separate tacilitiee
when all cost.are considerait land,engineer-
in g and architectural fees,financing charges.
end so on.Joint occupancy can result in op
era ting saving..
The majority of cities that occupy office
spec,with th,county feel that the arrangement
is very as tisfactory.The moat often stated dis
advantage is lack of room for expansion.A
joint city-county building must be carefully
planned so that both overnmental unite have
area to expand in-A city anda county have di!’
ferent as well as similar need..When th.dif
ferences are too great,a city’county building
can cause problems-The other drawback is
that expenses and reeponsibilities for operat
ing the building era not always d,etribuled
equitably.It is thus extremely important that
an agreement for building opet’s,tion end main
tenance be worked out in advance of construc
tion.
Ltc!t’lOt The selection of a site fo,a city halt
will be influenced by a number of circum
stances.Some of thete condition.are,limit
ing in nature,such as the availability of land.
Ther,are,however,certain guiding principles
that should be considered.When Tacoma end
Pierce County decided to build a cisy’county
building the planned commissions 0t each
governmental unit jointly developed a set of
locetion factor..The six applicable principle.
for a city hell location are as follows;
1.‘Government must serve and be ccc’s’
sibla to the p.opie Elticiency of service is
reietad to how convenient governmental facil
itie,are for the majority of those citizens using
the facility.
2.Since public service,must serve every
citizen as well as,and as conveniently cc pos
,iblt,those activities musl be located near the
center of transportation and tha center of busi
neat eclivity.In the large city public transpor
tation come,to a head in the central business
district.Maj or arterial t,eatsar,planned to
bring people in and out of the city center,tn
most cases the city hall should be located near
pubfic transportation,if any,snd certainly
near major arterial atreet,.
The city hell should be near the center of
busines,activity because this is wher,the
principal users of the facility are moat fre
quently located.As an example,attorneya
frequently must use records that are houaed in
city hell.A city should determit what groups
most often come to city half and place the
facility as close to those groups as possible.
3.‘Government offices must have integra
tion with not isolation from,other offices in
order to eerve the public efficiently and effec
tively.”City government agencies use the
services of professional men and other busi
nesaes,Locating the city hall near the center
of business activity helps axpedits the work
of the egencies tocated in city hall.
4.“Maximum use of tranait systems will
result in the least public parking aress and
causa the least congestion on city streets.”
Obviously this applies only to the city heving
some form of public transit,Peopte lr.vel
either by walking or by uaing cars,taxis,or
public transit.If the city hail is readily acces’
sible to automobiles only,parking require’
monte would increase in direct ratio to the
increased usa of the car.For the city that does
not hav,transit systems,location in the center
area of the city may help to reduce parking
requirements-People come to the city center
to doe variety of thing.frequently they perk
snd walk betw.en diffarent places of business.
5,“The ce,ttrsl business district is the r.al
civic center of the 20th century-”A lot has been
acid about the deteriorating central buainea.
district.Th,impr.asion has been given that
the eentrst city is drying up;that everything is
moving out.Thu.why not the city hall,In the
first pIece there is good reason to believe thst
th,moving out has largely been the r.tail store
end to a teaser extent the office building,
Secondly,in the large city,lh.concentrstion
of people makes it possible for certain types
of business,including retail,to operate mor.
.fticiently;in the small city the generel busi
ness area is attying intact for the acme reason,
A city cannot afford to allow the central busi
ness dietrict to dry up because of the invest
ment it represents,The proper placement of
the city hail in the central business diaxricc
can contribute to the life of this area,
6.“More then the initial lend coat must be
included under the economic considerations of
the site The tile should allow for expan
sion,Sit,development cost must be consid’
ered,These atpenditurea include demolition of
existing structures,it any,grading utilities,
end flood protection.
LAYOUT,DESIBN,AND CONSTRUCTION
FEATURES
at,txl Bti’lding Layt lit Building arrangement
is the next step in planning a city hail,It is help’
fut at e starting point to usa the following
checklist of depertments offices.special-pu,
pote rooms,end service areas in analyzing
interior building requirements:
1.Department t requiring constant contact
with the general public end the collection or
payment of money—for example,the finance
department end tax collector
2.Dopertments requiring contact with spe’
cial clesaes of the public—for example,city’
owned utilities,building permits,personnel.
city planning,end city clerk
3.Other departments including public
works,recreation,police,tire.etc.
4.City council chamber end office space for
use by the may or end councitmen
5.Offices for the chief administrator
6.Courtrooms
7.St crage vaults and record rooms
S.Locker rooms,rest rooms,janitor closets,
public telephones,and apace for heating,van
titating,plumbing,and electrical equipment
g.‘‘Circulating ereaa”for lobbies,corridors,
elevators,and stairways
The relationship of ona room or functional
area to .nother is important,No room exists by
itself,end many of the problems of living in a
building arise from the neglect of Ihis fsct,
Departments relsted in function should be 1°’
cated near one another end consecutive opera
tions planned in production-un,style-E Aces
aive lobbies and halt spec.add to the cost of
construction without adding usable space.
The height of the building will depend upon
the amount of ground available and the amount
of office space needed.Land genea’slly is
ohsap.r than additional height.Taller buildings
are more difficult to maintain and require more
planning of the interior to get related junctions
on adjacent floors,Also sny city building of
more than two floora should have an slevator,
especially if the public ha,any great use of the
top floor.
Provision for a full beaement housing gen
eral offices is not often made in new city otfics
building..Most professional organizations ad,
vise sgsinal locating general offices in the
basement.The basement can be used for stor’
age and service ectivitias such as duplicating,
receiving and shipping rooms,heating end eir
conditioning equipment,and central switch.
board,
Dspsttmett.I Layout Departmental layout will
depend on the activities carried on by the dc
pa nmant and the tools or special equipment
used.F or asample.a finance deperlment layout
may require an open area br accounting clerks
end collectors with one or Iwo privala officea,
a machine room,ends vault,The public work,
department,on the other hand,may require pri
vate offices for the director,the anginser,and
individual inapectcrs,s drafting room,a vault,
a plan cc map room,end confai’enca rooms.
The first step in departmental layout is to
survey the work done by Iha department,Work
flow should be especially studied.A complete
list should be made of all employ,es and equip
ment to occupy the space.The possibility
of future expansion should be anticipatad end
provision made for edditional personnel.Pro
vision alto should be made for peak rather that
average work load,.Flow of work should,
as nearly as practicable,be in a straight line.
Normally,work should come to the employees
rather than their going to the work.Minor
activities can be grouped around areas of major
activity,
Private Officet A major factor in the determina
tion of space needs is the question of who
should get private offices end under whet
circumstances,More space is requited to,
private offices:spece utilization isrestricled
through segregetion of areas fo,private of
fices;end considerable expense is involved in
rearranging and rearecting partition..Ventila
tion,lighting,end heating problem.are compli
ceted bye number of small otlices;supervision
end coordination of work,flow of work,and
communications era med.more difficult-An
open,welt’arrangad office has a more orderly
end businesslike appearance thana series of
smell ottice.,
Certain conditions justify privete otfices.
First,transactions of a confidential nature re
quire private facilities.General conference
rooms,however,where confidential meetings
may be held as occasion demands,may reduce
the need for private offices.Second,privacy
is ofsen desirable not so much becau.e of the
confidential nature of the work,but because
of the number of persons interviewed or be
cause the work is of an independent nature
which requires more quiet and priv.cy than the
open office will allow,There is little agreement
as to who should have privata offices except for
the chief administrative officer and dsp.rtment
hesds,
Clii.I Adminisuatot’,Office The location of the
chief administrator’s office is importsnt to
good public relations,It shot Id be located to
ca to give the impression of being eae,ly
reached and open to any caller,but it should
not be too prominent-The s’,cond floor ordi’
nerily is s good location aince some effort
must be expanded to viait it,end the casual Or
merely curious individual is less likely to
intrude.
I
r
,676
I
ii
Vt ‘-..---
A flral.floor location,however.can be Just
as good if callers are properly screened by a
secretary or receptionist.It has the additional
advantage of being close to the offices mast
frequented by the public.Of interest to court.
cil.menagercitie.is the fact that the mayor baa
an office in the majority of cases located very
close to the city manager’.office.See the
St.
r
second-floor plen of the Afhembre,California,
city hail (Fig.I)for a typical etecutiv a layout.
The administrator’,office should be large
enough for meeting.of department heads
unles,a conference room adjoins his office.
A conference table that will accommodate
up to 12 peopla is desirable.Sp.ce should be
provided adjacent fo the administrate,’,office
CITY AND TOWN HALLS
for a ..crelary and on.or mote essiatanta,
depending upon the si2a of the city.The •sc
retary’e office would also serve as a reception
room for people who cell on the administrator.
Coencil Macabe,.The council meeting room
should be cerefully planned if full use is to be
made of it.Location of the council chamber is
-‘i--’,—
Govérnmentalod Pubftc’”
FiRST FLOOR PLAN
fl I Alitatek.,Calif onus.City Hill.
SECOND FLOOR PLAN
377
Governmental and Public
CITY AND TOWN HALLS
important because of the public nature of lbs
bixeines.transected there.Moat of the c,t,ss
with muttietoried buildings have located the
council room on the first or second floor.
Th,office,located near or around the coun
cil chamber are usually those of the city clerk,
City attorney,end city manager.Small meeting
rooms end an office for the mayor and council’
men may be located nearby.
In most citie 5 surveyed,councilman sit at
separate desks or st.aemicirculsr table,the
open end of which faces the citizens.In only a
few cities do tha councilmen have their backs
to the public.The mayor oally sits in the
center flanked by the menager.clerk,and at
torney.The council table often is put on a dais
IS in.or 2 ft above the matn floor (sse Fig.2).
If is wall to plan the council chamber so that
if also can be used for other purposes.In many
cities if is used as a general courtroom br pub’
lic hearings held by city agencies,as a meeting
room for the city planning or zoning commis’
aion,for general conferences.and ass public
meeting room.
Finance Activities The collection activities of the
linence department have more contact with
the public then any other municipal activity
with the possible exception of the police and
building departments.A prominent location
near the front entrance is therefore desirable.
Avoidance of cubbyholet for separate tunc’
lions and provision for a large work area en’
hence lilt appearance of the building and give
the impression oI a well-planned and efficient
layout.Collection functions should be located
near the public counter with billing,assessing,
accounting,budgeting,and purchtaing at a
greeter distance-These activities should be
so grouped and arran gad that the supervisor
can obterve the work of all his employees.
A drive’in collection window should be pro’
vided where possible.
A separate.soundprooled machine room
should be provided where machi nes era u sad
in accounting or billing.Acoustical ceilings and
walls,thermopane glass partitions,and car’
poted floors will absorb much of the machine
noise and make for more efficient working
conditions in the general office,A vault for
safekeeping of records should be provided
unless one is provided near by in the city
clerks office,
Police Daps,tnent The potice department is
singled out for discussion because of the ape’
clef facilities if needs other then regular office
space.As noted,the police department is fre
quently not included in the city halt,When
if is.however,it should be basically separate
from other city hall activities,and public end
criminal activities should be separated.
Tha ext ant of facilitie,will dape,id largely
on the size of the coiTimunify and the size of
the department.In planning police sfefion facil’
ifies.several basic needs should be considered
by all cities.Jail cells should be away From pub’
ic areas.Prisoner retention for any period re’
quires toilets,kitchen facilities,and separation
of men and women prisoners.Because of the
expense of cellblocks,the possibility of using
county jail facilities should be invaatigeted.
Many communities contract with the county
for prisoner care.This may be impractical for
very large cities,but cities up to 100,000
certainly can effectively uae this method of
reducing police station cost,It county facil
ities era used,it is then necessary only to pro’
vide s retention room or room a with toilet
facilities.Such rooms do.not need to be regular
cells.
The communications center should be
isolated from the general public and other work
areas.However in smaller communities where
it is necessary for communications personnel
to act as recepfionisfs,this is not possible.
In such a case fhe communications section
might be located in a glass enclosure with a
sliding panel.
Fingerprinting,photographic,identification.
and booking areas should be located together.
although not necessarily in the same room.
Whera possible,a separate prisoner entrance
leading diracsty info the area for booking
should be provided.The essential element is
to provids a continuous process of book’
ing,fingerprinting,photographing.end ident”
tying of prisoners in the same eras of the build’
ing.Where possibls,it is desirable to have the
area near the jsil or refen Si on area.
Provide plenty of space for storage.Firearms
and other equipment should be stored in
locked cabinets.Room for confiscated,lost.
and abandoned articles is necessary if such
items srs to be kept property.
When patrolman change shifts on beats it
is not necsss.ry to hsve a large assembly room.
but is is desirable to provide space for officers
to fill out reports.In large departments,the de’
sective force will need a separate roam with
lineup fscilitiss.
In the vary large deparimants separs’5
rooms for interrogating prisoners are naces’
tO’
I It I
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It 5’JtT CLI 555
(a)FIRST LEVEL
DEPUTY
CITY CLCRR<
LA MESA CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
STAFF
MAYOR
CITY MANAGER COIJ%ICILMAN
CITY ATTNEY COUNC!LM
CITY CLERK .COUNCtMAN
CITY ENGINEER (SEATING ARRANGEMENT)COUNCILMAN
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Fig.2 City Coesdi stag atsagsaesf,La nsa,C.Ftfon’aa...-
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tary.In the medium-sired department,the da
rective squad room can be used for interroga
tion.A separate room for the use ol prisoners
and their attorneys or visitors is important
when the station has facilities for housing
prisoners-Finally the large city should have
courtroom near the jail or detention facilities
of the police department.
The police department facilitie,of the
Raleigh city hall are well planned (Figs.Sa-c).
Separation is achieved by having the police
department on ground level except br the de
tective bureau.The detective bureau is reached
by a stan-well located so that the general public
•would not have use for it-Notice that the traffic
violatione division is on th.second level right
scross from the city clerk and treasurer’s at
tica.This places money collecting in an.ares
and very convenient to the public.The munici
pal court is oft the lobby on the ground level
end next to the male and female lockups.
Oe,itn ci the City Hall The city hall is essentially
an office building,not a monument or an
ornament.The building should be so dsaignad
as to be economical in construction end main-
-True long-range economy is achieved
by a judicious balance between original coat
and maintenance cost.A building with cheap
nieteriats and equipment for the sake of low
first cost may be quite expensive in main
tsnancesnd replacement.
Even though th,city hell should be basically
functional and not a monument,originality
in design is not precluded.
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679
APPENDIX C:Performance specifications Town of Ithaca
Town Hall 1970.
Ithaca Town Hall Architectural Program J.D.Benjamin Page 59
Security Mutual Fire
Insurance Company
2.0 —CONSTRUCTION WORK
2.1 —EXCAVATION,BACKFILL AND PREPARATORY WORK
a)Excavate as required for foundations.
b)Backfill to be compacted bank run gravel.
c)Patch in paving to building wall.
d)Rebuild wall of catch basin to allow construction of foundation.
Alter catch basin cover as required.
2.2 —CONCRETE WORK
a)Footings,foundation walls and poured fill in lintel blocks.
b)3000#concrete airentrained.
2.3 —MASONRY
a)Concrete block with limestone or lightweight aggregate.Cinder
aggregate not permitted.
b)Provide temporary shoring as needed at altered openings.
c)Stucco exterior finish to match building.
d)Brick sills to match existing.
2.4 —STRUCTURAL STEEL,JOISTS AND METAL DECK
a)Furnish and set all structural steel shown on drawings.
b)Furnish miscellaneous structural shapes and assemblies.
c)Lintels:Furnish lintels for new or altered openings in masonry
walls.Exact details of lintels depend on space available and
conditions at the job,but,in general,they will consist of
loose steel angles or lintel blocks and reinforced concrete.
d)Steel Joists:
1)Reference Standards:The term ‘Standard Specifications”as
used shall refer to “Standard Specifications for Open Web
Steel Joists,3—and H—Series,March 1,1965.”
2).Placing Drawin2:Furnish detailed drawings,locations and
spacings of all joists.Show bridging type,mark,method of
attachment to the joists and anchorage at the ends.
Section 2
Pagelof 7
Security Mutjal Fire
Insurance Company
3)j4in:J—and H—Series Joists.Use diagonal bridging
attached to joists by bolting,welding or wrap-around.
4)Shop Paint:
a.One thorough and complete coat of primer specified above.
b.Steel must be dry and free of scale,rust,grease or mud.
Wire brush or sand blast if necessary.
5)Erection:
a.Provide adequate equipment to perform work without damage
to existing construction.
b.Replace damaged members at no cost to Owner.
c.Provide temporary cable bracing during erection and until
sufficient masonry is in place to stabilize the building.
e)Metal Deck:
1)Work Included:Furnish,fabricate,and erect all metal deck
as shown on plans or as specified.
2)Shop Drawings:This contractor shall prepare and submit to
the General Contractor for approval,erection drawings which
show the type of deck gauge of steel being supplied.
3)Materials:
a.The steel deck shall be formed from steel sheets conforming
to ASTM A245.
b.The steel deck shall have a depth as noted on drawings.
c.Deck units will span over four or more supports except
where structural steel layout does not permit.
2.5 -CARPENTRY AND MILLWORK
a)Wood Doors:1—3/4’thick solid core,custom grade (Architectural
Woodwork Institute)for natural finish (Birch).
b)Plywood:American Plywood Association,identified by DFPA grade.
Interior grade shall be A—D grade of quality to receive paint.
c)Installation of finish hardware.
2.6 —METAL DOORS AND FRAMES
a)Steel Bucks:16 ga.,3 anchors/jamb.Corners welded and ground
smooth.
b)Steel Doors:Flush style construction,18 ga.,flush tops.,etc.
ilanufacturer to be approved by Architect.
Section 2
Page 2 of 7
Security Mutual Fire
Insurance Company
2.7 —GYPSUM DRYWALL
a)Wallboard:5/8 inch sheetrock SW or approved equal.Fastenings,
joint filling and taping in accordance with manufacturer’s
recommendations.
b)Trim:External corners,Durabead No.101.Raw ends not
covered by trim,metal trim #200-A or #200—B.
2.8 —ROOFING,ROOF INSULATION AND PERIMETER INSULATION
a)RoofJn:20—year bond specification —no bond required.
b)Insulation:Urethane or Roofmate,C=.16.
c)Perimeter Insulation:2’thick foam insulation applied along
foundation walls to depth of 2’—O’below finish slab on grade.
d)Gravel Stop:Formed lead-coated copper and necessary wood
blocking.
2.9 —CAULKING
a)Where required:Outside where metal frames adjoin masonry and
at joint between existing building and addition.Also caulk
at joint of existing building’s last addition.
b)Bed edges of outside door saddles.
c)Material:1—part thiokol—base caulking compound.
d)Apply in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.
2.10 —GLAZING
a)Glazing in new casement sash shall be General Electric’s ‘LEXAN”
(polycarbonate plastic sheets —1/8”in thickness).Glaze and
install in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations.
2.11 —ALUMINUM WINDOWS
a)Windows shall be aluminum casement sash as manufactured by Hopes,
Windows,Inc.,at standard Alumilite Finish,#A622 —Series 110.
Install in accordance with manufacturer’s standard recommendations.
Section 2
Page 3 of 7
Security Mutual Fire
Insurance Company
a)Allow $500 for finish hardware materials delivered to thejob.This includes hardware for new doors,door saddles,toilet room equipment,mirrors,new medicine cabinets.
b)The Architect will furnish to the successful Contractor copiesofanapprovedhardwareschedule.
2.13 —TOILET PARTITIONS
a)Partitions shall be similar to “Formica’Corp Brand laminatetype.Provide all necessary die-stamped hardware,chromiumplated.Partitions shall be floor mounted with overhead brace.Core —3/4”flakeboard panels and doors 1—1/8”pilasters.Colors and patterns as selected by Architect.
PH:
a)Vault door shall be No.FS 2R (right hand swing)\as manufactubyMoslerSafeCo.Clear door opening shaH be 37”x 78”,18 gauge jambs,1/4”sill plate,4”door thickness and 4-1/2”x3/16’rolled steel front frame.Door and frame shall have a2hourU.L.fireexposure label.
2.15 —STUCCO
a)Match existing finish.Stucco shall be applied in a 3—coatmethodtometallathsecurelyfastenedtoback—up surface.
b)Material shall be similar to USG Oriental exterior finish stuccoandappliedinaccordancewithmanufacturer’s standard specifications
2.16 —CEILING TILE
a)Armstrong Minaboard fissured design square edge.Lay in units24x48x5/8.Coordinate pattern with lights and registers.
b)Repair and level existing ceiling surface where necessary.
a?2.12 —HARDWARE
2.14 -VAULT DOOR
Section 2
Page 5 of 6
Security Mutual Fire
Insurance Company
2.17 —STEEL STAIRS
a)General Requit’erpents:Provide metal stairs at locations indicated
on drawings.Include all anchors,bolts,angles,supports and
other accessories necessary for complete assembly and installation.
Minimum live load of 100 pounds per sq.foot.Stair members shall
be riveted or welded.Erect stairs plumb and accurately and
secure in place as detailed and as indicated on approved shop
drawings.At landings extend strings into walls for support.
b)Steel stairs to have closed risersto receive poured-in—place
cement treads.Stair stringers and other members shall be
10 x 1—1/2 Jr.Channels.Form subtreads and risers of not less
than No.14 gauge steel;form intermediate platforms of No.12
gauge steel and reinforce with angle or tee stiffeners.Provide
closed ends for stringers where exposed to view.
c)Furnish 1—1/2”square tube handrails and posts as shown on
drawings.Weld and grind smooth all connections.
2.18 —RESILIENT FLOORS
a)Scope:Furnish material,labor and appliances to install
resilient floors,and base.
b)Materials:
1)Floor Tile:Vinyl asbestos tile,12 x 12 x 1/8”by Kentile,
Armstrong,or Flintkote.Colors as selected by Architect.
Submit samples for approval.
2)Base:Vinyl base,top set cove type,4”high unless noted,
1/8”thick.Color as selected by Architect.
c)General Requirements:
1)Maintain minimum temperature of 55 degrees F after flooring
is installed.
2)Surfaces to receive resilient flooring to meet minimum
requirements established by flooring manufacturer.
d)Installation:
1)Follow manufacturer’s recommendation for mixing and applying
adhesive,and installation of flooring.
2)Place flooring so fields or patterns center on area.No tile
to be less than 1/2 size.
3)Cement base firmly to dry wall.Form neat,tight corners,
and scribe base accurately to trim.
Section 2
Page 4 of 7
Security Mutual Fire
Insurance Company
e)Material for Owner:Supply Owner with 3%spare tile and base for
each type and color,for replacement.Secure written receipt.
f)Stair Treads:
1)Stair Treads:Premolded rubber treads,heavy duty type.
To be at least 1/4 inch thick at nosing,may take up to
1/8 inch at rear.Nosing to be flat and to cover entire
face of steel nosing.Entire tread to be covered.Each
tread to have two integral non-skid abrasive inserts.
2)Standard color as selected by Architect from samples.
2.19 —PAINTING
a)Materials:Best quality products of established manufacturer
such as Sherwin—Williams,Pratt &Lambert,PPG.
b)Preparation of surfaces and workmanship shall insure neat,
smooth and durable results.
c)Surfaces shall be finished to match similar adjacent existing
work if no other finish is specified.
d)San:pies:Prepare smEll surfaces or samples for color approval.
Natural wood finishes are to match existing where required.
Sample will be furnished.
d)Schedule of Finishes:(Glidden items are used as reference
standard except where noted).
EXTERIOR WORK
Material First Coat Second Coat Third Coat
Steel Doors &Frames (1)A A
Wood Sash &Trim K L
Miscellaneous Steel (1),(2)A A
INTERIOR WORK
Material First Coat Second Coat Third Coat
Wood Trim &Plywood H,(2)3
(Paint Finish)
Hardwood Trim&Plywood B C D
(Natural Finish)
Metal Doors &Frames (1)J J
Wallboard F C E
Concrete Block M N
Miscellaneous Steel (1)J
Section 2
Page 6 of 7
Security Mutual Fire
Insurance Company
Ce)Cooling section shall be a complete slide in assembly
inü1JiTiuletely self-contained,hermetically
sealed refrigeration circuit,comnressor,condenser
fan and motor drain pan,air filters and a polarized plug
for connection to the heating section.Compressor to be
hermetically sealed,internally spring mounted,with perm1En
split capacitor motor having internal overload protection.
Compressor shall be arranged to prevent transmission of
vibration to other unit components.All unit components sha I
have factory applied corrosion resistant finish and shall
use stainless steel fasteners where corrosion may occur.
Unit shall be suitable for operation on cooling cycle down
to 35 degrees outdoor ambient.
(f)Room cabinet shall be 18 gage steel finished in colors as
icteWand shall contain access doors,bar stock or
extruded adjustable discharge grilles,easily removable
front cover and adjustable kick plate.
(g)Service and quarantee.Include in the bid 1 year’s service
Ztfiter 6TeariTñg,and state who will be resoonsible for
same.Demonstrate proper operation to the owner or nis rep
reentative.The units shall have a 5-year manufacturer’s
warranty upon the refrigeration circuit and a 1 year component
parts warranty.
The equipment supplier shall be responsible for warranty
\‘al idation.
(h)Make Singer—Remington,American Air Filter-Hernan Nelson,or
Nesbitt.submit S copies shop drawings and color samples for
approvaL
The evaporator and condenser coils shall be constructed of
seamless copper tubing mechanically bonded to aluminum fins,
and shall be easily accessible for cleaning.The condenser
fan shall have forward curved,double inlet aluminum wheels
direct connected to an internally protected pennarient split
capacitor motor with permanently lubricated sealed bearings
and shall be arranged to distribute unit condensate upon
the condenser coil for re-evaporation to the outdoors.The
cooling section shall contain an autoratic outdoor air damper
for ventilation with a manual override switch.Damper shall
open with fan o2eration.Provide easily removable washable
air filters arranced to filter both room and outside air,
Security Mutual Fire
Insurance Company
3.3 ELECTRIC WALL HEATER
Singer-Remington,or anproved equal forced blov:1down flow type
designed for continuous operation and shall consist of the followinq
a wall box suitable for recessed installation,a front cover
and frame,an electric resistance low density shielded element.
internal high temperature wiring.A thermostat with slotted
adjustment mechanism arranged to allow adjustment only with a
screw driver,a thermal limit swi tch,a fan and fan delay
switch,a totally enclosed permanently lubricated fan motu,
directly connected to the fan.
The heater shall bear U.L approval.
Refer to plans for capacity.
Submit 8 copies shop drawings for approval.
Security Mutual Fire
Insurance Company
3.HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING
3.1 SCOPE
(a)Relocate existing wall exhaust fan
(b)Furnish and install six self contained heating and air
conditioning units.
(c)Furnish and install an electric heating unit
(d)Relocate two existing heating,floor registers
3.2 HEP\TING AND AIR CONDITIONING UNITS
Furnish and install floor mounted,self contained through the
wall heatincj and air conditioning units of capacities and sizes
as indicated on the plans.
Each unit to consist of a wall box,an outside air louver,a heater
section with controls,a cooling section with controls and an insi’
room cabinet.
(a)Wall box shall be of 16 gage epoxy,coated steel designed so
that the outside air louver can be installed from within the
building.
(b)Outside air louver shall be constructed of extruded anodized
luminum and shalT be furnished by the unit manufacturer.
(c)Heater section shall consist of a low density electric
resistance heating element with high temperature safety device
to turn off heaters if temperature becomes excessive,a room
air fan portion consistinci of two double inlet forward curved,
aluminum centrifugal blowers directly connected to an internally
protected,permanent split capacitor motor with permanently
lubricated sealed bearings.The heater section shall be easily
removeable from the unit and shall contain the unit controls
and polorized wiring connections for power supply and for
connection to the cooling section.
(d)Controls unit mounted,factory wired,consisting of occupant
operated on—off heat cool push buttons,and temperature adjust
ment to regulate thermostatic control of room temperature.
(see also cooling section)