The Ludlow Board of Education hired a construction manager for the $23 million renovation of the district’s two schools, Ludlow High School and Mary A. Goetz Elementary.
James Codell IV of Codell Construction will manage the project, Superintendent Michael Borchers announced at last week’s board meeting.
“Jim is the construction manager on the project at Beechwood, and I have seen a lot of advantages to having a manager on that project,” said Ehmet Hayes, from Robert Ehmet Hayes and Associates, an architectural company specializing in distinct design and services for education, library and community clients. Beechwood School in Ft. Mitchell is also undergoing a renovation. “I think Ludlow’s project will be similar, so I advised getting a construction manager for their project.”
Codell was available for questions from the board members, but first he gave a brief overview of what he does and why a construction manager makes a difference.
“There are three main things that I do as manager,” he said. “Schedule control, budget control, and quality control.”
He explained that he can buy supplies directly and save a lot of money. He said he can also separate individual jobs and sometimes have a certain portion re-bid if he thinks the price is out of line and he might get the price lowered by re-bidding that particular portion of the project.
Codell said that he likes to get as many bids as possible.
“We can also help with delivery time and cost,” Codell said. “Having a construction manager gives Ehmet someone on the job with a finger on the pulse of the market.”
Board member Amy Hayden is in charge of projects at her regular job, and she said the availability of materials, and the rising costs of materials, are a real headache in her role. She said the cost overrun for projects is a real time problem.
“We have super healthy numbers in the budget for this project,” Hayes said. “I put in extra just so that we have something to help with those increases.”
Both Hayes and Codell plan to give the board monthly reports and be available for any questions that might arise as the project proceeds.
Currently Hayes is thinking the actual hands-on project will begin in the fall or around Christmas, and will go on for about eighteen months. He explained that there are a lot of factors to consider, such as how to keep the cafeteria working as they renovate the kitchen, and how to work the construction around students keeping their class schedules.
Hayes said he will be bringing graphics to the school board soon, if not in July then in August, so they can see how the plans are progressing and they can ask questions about the project, and know what is going on at every stage.
“Nothing is off the table,” he told the board, “but nothing has been firmly decided yet.”
Ludlow was awarded $23 million from the state earlier this year so that the schools could be renovated.
