Repairs to cost over $1 million

Only four years after it was built, Blair has become riddled with numerous structural problems that cast doubt on the soundness of its original construction.

The structural defects have caused building services worker Reggie Tobin to question the building's resilience. "At the rate we're going, the building's not going to last another ten years," said Tobin. School officials, including Principal Phillip Gainous, believe that faulty construction is partly responsible for the school's deterioration.

The most expensive structural problem is an undersized air chiller, which will be replaced this month at a cost of over $1 million.

All parties involved with Blair's construction have refused to take responsibility for the structural problems. The managing company for Blair's original construction, Bovis Lend-Lease Corporation, denied responsibility for Blair's structural flaws. According to Pamela Johnson, Bovis project manager, Bovis only coordinated the efforts of the different subcontractors and did not play any role in the design or installation of the schools' systems.

Ron Chazin, project manager for Shapiro and Duncan Corporation, the subcontractor in charge of mechanical construction, refused to comment on the possible causes of Blair's structural defects, telling Silver Chips that he had been instructed not to talk to reporters. He did admit, however, that his company is responsible for the installation of the air conditioning and plumbing systems, whose flaws have cost MCPS over $1 million, according to Gainous. Chazin referred Silver Chips to the MCPS Building and Construction office, which did not return calls.

Ronald Cohen, president of Cohen Companies, an independent construction firm not associated with Blair's construction, said that although he doesn't expect contractors to take the blame for the structural problems, they are likely responsible. "The problems are caused by faulty installation, faulty sizing or faulty equipment," said Cohen. "The contractors are going to sit around at a table and point fingers at each other for 60 years."

However, he said MCPS officials could also be to blame if they were responsible for drawing up plans that included wrong equipment, such as a faulty air chiller. Gainous said that Shapiro and Duncan paid part of the cost of the new chiller.

According to their website, Shapiro and Duncan claimed that the air conditioning chiller would work correctly if the chiller were allowed to remain on all the time. However, according to Gainous, MCPS energy policy dictates that the chiller cannot remain on between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. without prior notification.

According to a Mar 4 informal Silver Chips survey of 50 Blair teachers, 44 percent of teachers have noticed the building's deterioration in their classrooms. Teachers complained of poor ventilation, especially in rooms that lack windows. Some also worried about black soot and dirt that has collected on the air conditioning and heating vents. Unventilated, windowless rooms are health hazards, according to Denise Gerth, an Environmental Protection Agency air quality specialist.

The most costly problem to repair has been the air chiller, according to Gainous. Recently, MCPS purchased a $1 million air chiller for Blair that this month will replace the old chiller, which was installed only four years ago. Gainous and Building Services Manager James Brown both described the original chiller as undersized and unable to keep up with the cooling demands of the large school.

In addition, according to Brown, over $5,000 has been spent on repairs for problems that could have been prevented by more careful construction.

According to Brown, broken water pipes have caused four serious leaks since September. Leaks forced both the Homecoming dance and the October SAT administration to be relocated. Also, the building had to be closed for a weekend in January for the repair of a water main break.

The valve problems have also caused disruption during school hours. English teacher Michael Horne said his classes have been affected by a large and persistent leak in the ceiling of his classroom and joked that it is "raining in my room." English teacher Laura McCullough experienced a leak during semester exams that shut down her classroom for a week.

Other structural problems afflicting Blair include broken partition doors, broken window screens and broken Venetian blinds. In addition, a collapsed water fountain, faulty fire alarm and urinal sensors and fallen vents have plagued the building.

Tobin believes that overuse of the building exacerbates the structural fatigue. "The school never gets a chance to rest," said Tobin. "There are classes in the daytime, classes at night, classes on weekends—the wear and tear on this building adds up," he said. The building is not due to be considered for renovation for at least another decade. In addition, Tobin believes that student vandalism may be causing some of the problems.

Outside, the situation is not any better. As reported in the December 2000 Silver Chips, many pieces of debris, including a car tire rim, metal bars and iron spikes were found under the baseball field, leading some critics to allege that Bovis, the contractor for the installation of the fields, improperly filled in the field. The reconstruction of the field and its irrigation system cost upwards of $130,000. The softball field was also rebuilt this year after many alleged that it was "unplayable."