4_CWU Tech Transfer Agenda 20260519

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24 | Old Heat CERB Feasibility Study The remodel of the Old Heat Building to become a Community Education Center was the design brief. This center would facilitate programs that are supported by university programs. Some of the programs considered were: • A Center for excellence in Science and Math Education • US First Robotic Competitions • Safety and Health Management Certificate Programs • Craft Beer Certificate Program • Wine Business Certificate Program • The building would house the Auxiliary Services Department and classroom spaces in the single-story south portion of the building and the CWU Welcome Center in the large North Portion of the structure. The work was divided into three phases. This work was carried out from 2016 through 2017. Phase I was bid on 9/22/2016. Lydig Construction was awarded the bid. This scope of work took care of the hazardous material remediation. The initial bid amount was $527,000 and final cost with change orders was $570,940. Phase II was bid on 1/10/2017. The initial contract amount was $3,386,000, awarded to Lydig construction. This scope of work performed seismic structural work, new windows and insulation were installed in the south single-story section of the structure. The mechanical and electrical rooms throughout the building were outfitted with new electrical and HVAC equipment. The final cost with change orders was $3,585,215. Phase III was a bid package to complete the fit out of the building as per the design. It was bid on September 12, 2017, and only one bid was received. The bid was over budget by $1M plus at $5,880,583. CWU looked for ways to reduce the cost of the project by changing the scope of work. In the end the project was put on hold. There were competing projects at the time at CWU, and housing was a top priority as the occupancy rate for rentals was 99% in 2017. After the phase III bid was analyzed, it was determined a $300,000 savings was achievable with more detailed information in the bid package and redesign of some features that required work in tight places to build to specification. Old Heat was constructed in 1946 to serve Central Washington University (CWU) as a coal fire steam plant. The concrete and masonry superstructure has a brick veneer exterior and tall, steel framed industrial windows. Inside the structure is a high-volume, three-story interior space with cat walks, a circular iron staircase and the original coal chute are still present in the building. The four large coal boilers have been removed. The south side of the structure is a single-story addition that was home to a machine shop and furniture shop. Offices on the Southeast side of the structure were used for technological support. In 1971 Old Heat was taken offline when the construction of a centralized utilities plant was completed. No changes to the structure had been made since its construction. The building was used for storage between 1971 and 2017. A capital improvement grant was requested from the Washington State Legislature in the 2015-2017Capital Budget Request for CWU for $4.9M. CWU was successful in obtaining the request and received $4.9M in July 2015. Additional funding would come from the university budget. The combined funds totaled $6,149,067.00. It was recognized during work CWU performed in 2016 that the building’s location adjacent to neighborhoods and downtown could help create a synergy between the university and community. During the legislative ask in 2015 one of the strong benefits of the project was interface between the community and the university. The Washington State Legislature liked that aspect of the project. Integrus Architecture was hired to perform a phase 1 evaluation of Old Heat. Integrus and their team of consultants were brought onto the project to perform structural, civil, electrical and plumbing, low voltage, and abatement designs and assessments of the building. This scoping work was completed in June 2016. HISTORY