FEATURE ARTICLE

Facility Renovation Tips

Renovating a facility can wear down even the strongest among us.
The cornerstones are patience, perseverance, and flexibility.

By GARY BALLING, CLP
AND DIANE STANKE, CLP

1 tip

An aid to those in need of unscientific but thoroughly tested advice, the application of which may prevent unfortunate problems and create future growth opportunities.
- Gary Balling, CLP, and Diane Stanke, CLPZ

Anyone who has ever undertaken a remodeling project begins with a vision of function and style, building a model recreation facility for your patrons and guests to enjoy nonstop for many years to come. What nobody envisions, however, are the lurking nightmares along the way that could make for a good Stephen King novel. These renovation gremlins never have to see the light of day if you plan, communicate, and execute the project as a team effort. The technical portion of any renovation project is very important, but the "people" factor is of equal value to ensure the projects success.

Tip#1

Long-range planning is essential in any large-scale project.

When planning a renovation project, dollars should be set aside ahead of time so that taxpayers are not overburdened and the district is not deeply in debt for future generations.

Long before tax caps, the Morton Grove Park District had a financial strategy of using short-term debt, maintaining fund balances and using excess dollars from these funds for capital improvements. This strategy worked in our favor when, in 1990, the district determined the need to renovate its 15-plus-year-old community center, the Prairie View Community Center (PVCC). Open 101 hours per week, the PVCC is the hub of activity at the district, housing all administrative offices, a fitness club, all program registrations, plus numerous recreation programs and special events.

When the original center was built in 1976, the district was saddled with debt for 20 years. The sentiment of the park board heading into this renovation project in 1995 was that they were willing to remodel as long as there was a limited short-term impact on taxes. The district believes user charges and tax rates should be designed to anticipate the inevitable aging of facilities and the subsequent costs of replacing or renovating a building to adapt to changing program trends.

Tip #2

Act efficiently and effectively.

In order to act efficiently and effectively you need a clear vision of what you want to accomplish and specific goals for achieving your results.

The vision for the remodeling of PVCC was to develop a true community center for the next century; a place not only for multiple recreational uses but also a location to nurture cooperative agreements among the park district and other community groups. Our goals were to improve interior and exterior traffic flow, address demands for general programs and gymnasium space, stimulate revenue, limit the impact on future finances, comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and update the facility, including its infrastructure. Information gathered from the public through focus groups, surveys, and questionnaires was integrated into the PVCC master plan. Meetings with the board and staff were also essential in this process.

Tip #3

Do the right things and do things right.

We decided early on in our planning process that we wanted to "do the right things," so we hired the people with the greatest expertise to do the job right. This empowered our district to control the desired outcome. We hired an architect for building and interior design and a landscape architect for site design. As the project commenced, we took an nontraditional approach to the

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FEATURE ARTICLE

project by specifying other consultants and contractors in their areas of discipline.

Tip #4

C.A.E.L. - Communications at every level.

Get the board and the staff involved from the very start. Whether it's formally or informally—through memos, voice mail or word of mouth—communicate the progress of the project on a continuous basis. Involving all levels of staff from the start sets up an internal accountability process and an external communication mechanism. It also helps foster a feeling of ownership, as everyone can take advantage of the opportunity to express their ideas for the construction project.

The project development team (the director and superintendents) answered questions from staff and also made informational presentations to facility users, program participants, and members of other community agencies and organizations.

Tip #5

Be prepared far opposition to renovation plans. Have an alternate plan of action in place.

No project is perfect. Alternative plans can make way for other opportunities to be considered.

Upon its completion, Morton Grove's master plan was presented to the public at a community meeting. A large contingency of racquet ball players attended to voice their opposition to the removal of six racquet ball courts to make way for a 5,000 square-foot fitness area. Prepared for this opposition, the park board had an alternate plan already in place which included a building addition. While cost estimates showed it was cheaper to add on more space than to renovate, the racquet ball courts were only being used about 20 percent of the time. Ultimately, the district determined it could not afford the utilities and maintenance on this unused space and decided to stay with our mission of maximizing the use of existing space.

Tip #6

Use a qualifications-based selection process.

Hiring architects, engineers and consultants can be an overwhelming task. It's human nature to shop price first, however, many consumers as well as public agencies have found that this is shortsighted. Savings based solely on selecting consultants offering the lowest fees can be a costly error when considering the total cost life cycle of a project.

Morton Grove approached this responsibility very methodically, using a qualifications-based selection process based on A Guide for the Selection of Architects, Engineers and Land Surveyors for Public Owners, developed by the American Institute of Architects of Illinois and Consulting Engineers of Illinois. To hire an architect, landscape architect and mechanical engineering team the board and staff interviewed and rated each firm by six main factors: key personnel, related experiences, assessment of current conditions, approach to construction observation, attention to details and fees. Using this type of selection system allowed the district to make an informed, logical, fair, objective decision. There wasn't 100% agreement on what firms should be hired, but the process set up a system for reaching a consensus on the top-ranked firms. Ultimately, it was the park board's job to make the final decision based on the team's consensus and authorize the work agreements.

Tip #7

Have patience and perseverance and stay within your means.

Early in the planning stages of any project, financial constraints need to be established and once they are, it is important to stay within these guidelines.

Morton Grove has made great strides by taking small steps and staying within its budget. When bids came in too high for the PVCC renovation project, the district's priorities had to be fine-tuned. The district handled the situation with total honesty. Press releases were issued stating the problem with the bids and what actions the district was preparing to take. The staff was kept well informed throughout the entire project and were well prepared for the onslaught of questions from the public. After much debate, the decision was made to divide the project into multiple phases. The permanent nursery and acerbic/dance room were postponed until Phase II. With patience and perseverance the district went out for bid a second time and was successful.

Tip #8

Create an operations relocation plan.

With the start of construction quickly approaching, decisions concerning people and services readily need to be made, such as:

1. Will any staff need to be relocated? If so, when?

2. Can present programs and services continue throughout the construction?

The district decided not to relocate any staff off-site or elsewhere in the building unless it was necessary. An Operations Relocation Plan was put in place with approximate dates for when staff would move to their new work spaces and when certain parts of the renovation project would be complete. The plan was distributed to all staff, printed in our seasonal brochure, and was readily available at the registration desk.

Looking back, some staff members would rather have been moved off-site during the main construction phase rather than endure the noise, dust, extreme cold and uncomfortable working conditions which existed during the renovation. On the other hand, other staff members felt that dealing with all the disturbances and hardships brought everyone closer.

Concerning the continuation of programs and services, it was decided the community center would operate as usual. No classes were cancelled and when the fitness club had to be moved, it was done after closing hours so that members were not inconvenienced, At times, members and program participants sympathized with the staff rather than complained. This is when all of the open lines of communication paid big dividends.

Tip #9

Always be open and honest with your staff and your public.

Honesty and perseverance are vital in creating an atmosphere of patience and anticipation (versus unhappiness and frustration) during a renovation project.

Knowing our philosophy of using team work to accomplish goals, the architect suggested using a "Partnership Charter" developed by the Associated Contractors of America (see page 27). We modified the document to best reflect our project. As partners, the park district, architect and general contractor agreed to work toward the common goal of completing the project on time safely, and within budget.

Soon after construction began at the PVCC, it was evident the renovation was not

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FACILITY RENOVATION TIPS

going to run smoothly due to the complexity of the project. We were open and honest with our residents issuing a news release to three local papers in Morton Grove announcing the cancellation of the grand reopening ceremony, including why and that a new date had not yet been set. Also, a mailing to all fitness club members explained the delay in the opening of the new club. The seasonal brochure and the fitness club newsletter always contained current information about the project, and key supervisory staff received up-to-the-minute construction updates. During critical periods of construction, these supervisors met with frontline part-time employees to ensure the swift disbursement of important information to the public.

The full-time staff was informed of the project's progress through the minutes of meetings with the architect and contractor. Quite often, individual members of the Design Team gave tours to the full-time staff explaining exactly what work was being accomplished, which made the staff feel a part of the process.

Tip #10

If you work hard enough, your vision will become a reality.

"The end results are wonderful, but living through the process was tough!" says Sue Dawson, Morton Grove's office services coordinator.

Overall, the community's response to the new Prairie View Community Center has been overwhelmingly positive. To compensate the fitness club members who "survived" the extended renovation project, the park district took unheard of actions. Every current member at the time of the renovation project was given a two-day extension to their annual membership for every day the new club was delayed. Fitness club renewals are booming as are new memberships. Senior citizens are quite cheerfully utilizing the new elevator. Many wonder how we ever managed without our new activity rooms.

Tip #1 (Again)

Good long-range planning is essential for any renovation project.

While Phase I was being completed, preliminary work began on Phase II. On Monday, April 7, our first aerobics class enjoyed the resilient wood floor in our new aerobic/ dance studio featuring a state-of-the-art sound system, mirrors and ballet bars. A recent cover of a local paper quoted the park district as saying the project was three weeks ahead of schedule. It was a pleasure being open and honest with good news. A grand opening is planned for Saturday, November 8.

Recently, the wife of Morton Groves mayor, his daughter, and his two grandchildren were using the center. Mom and daughter were enjoying a workout together while one child was in the care of our Kids' Center staff and the other was participating in a gymnastics class. The mayor, who also utilizes the new Club Fitness, will host community-wide meetings in the community center. We couldn't be more pleased. Our vision of a true center for the entire community has become a reality.

DIANE STANKE, CLP
is the community services supervisor for the Morton Grove Park District.

GARY BALLING, CLP
is the administrative manager of the Morton Grove Park District.

PARTNERSHIP CHARTER Morton Grove Park District / Prairie View Community Center Remodeling - Phase 2 6834 Dempster Street, Morton Grove, Illinois Job No. 96023 We, as equal partners, agree to work as a team toward the common goal of completing this project on time, safely, and within budget. This common goal will establish as its basic tenets the objectives stated below. Our signatures represent our commitment and dedication to these common objectives. Objectives Quality: We are committed to excellence in design, workmanship and project management. Communication: We will communicate openly, clearly and honestly at all levels of the project. Trust: By our actions we will work to instill confidence in our individual integrity, abilities, character and truth; and in turn recognize and acknowledge the same in our partners. Dispute Resolution: We agree to openly and honestly discuss disputes and to resolve them at the lowest possible level, in a timely manner. Schedule: We are committed to meeting the project schedule, realizing its importance to all involved parties. We will complete shop drawing reviews and process pay requests in a timely manner, Safety: The safety of all employees is of primary importance. We will provide a clean and safe project site. Budget: We will complete the project within the allocated funds by striving to minimize change orders. Morton Grove Park District-------- Architect ------------ General Contractor Source: Associated General Contractors of America (modified with consent)

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