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ATTACHMENT 1
January 15, 2014
Mr.Jeffrey D.Benson
Planner, Department of Planning and Housing
City of Ames
515 Clark Street
Ames,IA 50010
Dear Mr.Benson:
This letter is in reference to the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity House at 2121 Sunset Drive and the proposed update of to its
current facility. The current chapter house is owned by the Gamma Pi of Delta Tau Delta, Inc.,and is leased to the Gamma Pi
Chapter of Delta Tau Delta. The purpose of this letter is to present my firm's review of the condition of the existing building
and its ability to meet current programmatic needs. This will also provide an opinion of the costs related to viable
improvements for remodeling to meet the current needs versus constructing a new facility.
History
Over the course of its nearly 63 year history,the current Delta Tau Delta Fraternity House has had multiple additions and
remodeling to deal with member size and academic/social/service needs of the chapter members. The initial structure was
constructed in 1951-52 and had room for 48 live in members with a full kitchen. In 1971 an addition was constructed to the
north side of the existing structure bringing the capacity up to 68 live in members. In 1993 and 2003 additional modifications
were made that converted several study rooms to provide semi private bathrooms for some of the study rooms. A remodeling
in 2003 accommodated upgrades for training and study room spaces.
Currently the house has 56 live in members. The building is arranged as follows and totals approximately 17,720 gross
square feet. There are 44 men housed in the 2-man and 3-man study rooms in the original portion of the building and 12
men in the 1971 addition study room suites. The chapter still utilizes a group sleeping dormitory on the third floor of the 1971
addition. The first floor has 6,865 gross square feet,the second floor has 6,290 gross square feet,and the third floor has
3,540 gross square feet. The building has only a partial basement of approximately 1,025 gross square feet. The study
rooms that had been located in this area are currently not used due to access and environmental issues.
Evaluation
We have reviewed the existing building to ascertain how it must be modified to meet the current requirements for Delta Tau
Delta to maintain their standard of excellence as a nationally recognized fraternity and their viability at Iowa State University.
The current structure has become a financial burden for the owner and the alumni who are continuously solicited for monetary
support. Recruiting and maintaining students and alumni membership has become increasingly difficult for the ISU Delta Tau
Delta chapter in its current facility due to its inability to meet many of these requirements and expectations.
1. Students entering college today have increased expectations of their living conditions. They typically come from homes
where they have never shared a bedroom and seek out housing that provides amenities and aesthetics consistent with
the condition they came from. These include:
a. Upscale space amenities including access to the internet,video, privacy,recreation and storage space.
b. Dining options that allow for on the go and off hour access.
c. Smaller suite style restroom/shower facilities rather than large ganged restroom/showers.
d. Exterior living and recreation opportunities in close proximity.
2. These housing environments need to provide flexibility of spaces.
a. Living/learning environments are now combined as students are increasingly functioning in a multi-tasking
mode.
b. Group/individual areas are needed for meeting and studying to support and encourage community building
activities.
c. Providing space for informal socializing and small-group studying is critical.
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3. Restrictions on funds are becoming an ever increasing issue for the house.
a. Fund raising abilities for all organizations are very difficult in the current economy and it appears this will be the
course for quite some time. The alumni base for Delta Tau Delta has made a strong response in support of
developing a new house on the existing property as opposed to remodeling and adding to the existing structure.
b. The cost of operating expenses has to be considered as a key factor in the ongoing viability of the houses.
i. Efficient energy usage is critical and has a major economic impact.
ii. Lower maintenance costs related to construction materials and finishes have an impact on the long
term operations.
c. Market place rental fees have to be competitive to Iowa State University housing,other Greek organizations and
the rental housing available in Ames. The rent costs for Delta Tau Delta have started to surpass the groups
noted. Analysis by the Corporation Board has indicated a house size of approximately 60-62 people is needed
to keep the group viable and competitive with other fraternities. This is related to the revenue needed to
maintain the services expected,as well as the participation level expected in community activities.
Chapter 29.1110—Demolition Requirements
Estimated Cost of Demolition
Prior to demolition of the structure,selective removal of equipment and some building components for reuse is
anticipated. A slight range in demolition cost is also noted based upon the uncertainty that some abatement
mediation may be required prior to the major demolition can occur...........................................$50,000-$65,000
Estimated Cost for Rehabilitation
The following items will need to be addressed in the near future to keep the existing facility operational in its current basis
configuration as a fraternity house. It is difficult to determine all of the items that would need to be completed or the actual
costs associated with these items due to the final amount of repair,drywall replacement,trim carpentry and finishes required.
The following list of items and construction cost was developed based upon maintenance information and visual observation.
These items do not address the modifications and upgrades needed for the programmatic changes required by the Delta Tau
Delta Chapter.
1. Replacement of the roof membrane(flat roof)with upgraded insulation is needed. This cost does not address
the desire to replace the high maintenance flat roof with a pitched roof structure...................................$80,000
2. The present kitchen requires general upgrades throughout. The existing space will require stripping down to
the structure and installing new finishes,a complete electrical rewire,new plumbing,and new equipment.
This does not address the need for a new expanded kitchen to provide storage,chef's office,additional prep
and serve counter space,loading access,and additional cooking equipment to provide more appropriate
mealchoices...........................................................................................................$115,000
3. A new building heating boiler system and upgraded distribution is required..........................................$57,500
4. New plumbing is needed throughout the house. The current restroom fixtures(sinks,toilets,and showers)
are in various states of disrepair and in need of replacement. There is significant leakage throughout the
house as a result of these items and other locations of plumbing failure. Bathroom upgrades related to layout
and finishes are also needed beyond the plumbing maintenance issues noted above to bring them up to
currentstandards.......................................................................................................$210,000
5. Electrical upgrades are needed throughout the house. The existing service is undersized for today's electrical
needs and the technology system requirements are currently not being met. Once improvements of this type
are started,we would expect that a complete rewiring of the building would be in order.........................$207,000
6. The foundation of the house is cracked and as a result there is significant water leakage in the basement
areas. This has resulted in mold and mildew problems which pose a health risk for the residents of the
house. The basement has little or no ventilation,resulting in an unhealthy environment and unusable space.
(Study space that once existed in the basement can no longer be used.) Repair foundation.......................$34,500
7. Currently only the study rooms in the 1971 addition and the first floor community spaces are air conditioned.
Air conditioning in all the study rooms and the rest of the building is needed......................................$115,000
8. Various areas of fascia and soffit are currently in poor condition and in need of replacement. Additional work
is anticipated to deal with areas of trim that should be done as this work also to reduce ongoing maintenance
issues.................................................................................................................. ..$57,500
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9. Accessibility improvements are needed. Reconfiguration of exterior circulation/grades is needed to make the
existing south entrance completely accessible from the public right-of-way. The multiple interior levels of the
building are not accessible to each other, limiting movement between the various activity,study and sleeping
areas within the building.
a. The addition of an elevator is desired.........................................................................$69,000
b. Building configuration changes to accommodate an elevator...............................................$57,500
c. Accessible south entrance improvements....................................................................$11,500
10. The windows are original to the phases of construction to the building. These require replacement with new
thermally efficient units................................................................................................$126,500
Projected Total Construction Costs............$1,141,000
Report of Structural Soundness
Numerous cracks were observed in the foundation walls of the building. These did not appear to be presenting major
structural settlement problems. If further development of the existing building is pursued, more extensive investigation and
testing are warranted before proceeding. However there is significant evidence of moisture penetration issues that were
observed in areas of the basement. This will need to be addressed as noted by the"Estimated Cost for Rehabilitation" section
of this report.
Economic Feasibility for Reuse of Existing Structure
The"Estimated Cost for Rehabilitation"section deals with modifications and upgrades needed for the existing facility to
remain in use as a fraternity house,however they do not address the issues noted in the"Evaluation"section of this letter. A
program of space needs developed by Delta Tau Delta projected a requirement of approximately 25,000 square feet to meet
the space needs of the chapter to address the future housing and academic mission support of Delta Tau Delta. This indicates
a 7,280 square foot addition would be needed to the existing 17,720 square foot structure. Construction of additional space in
and around the existing structure will be extremely difficult due to the amount of site available and access around it for
construction. Adding space will also be extremely difficult for visually and structurally ties to the existing building,and to
accommodate internal circulation flow. The original facility utilized concrete and concrete masonry walls throughout its
construction for walls and floors. Although durable,this creates great difficulty in making any modifications to the layout of
the walls and modifications to the utilities within those walls. Remodeling costs that deal with the type of issues identified are
generally higher than new constructions on a square footage basis. A single story addition of approximately 1,350 square feet
enclosing the existing courtyard is possible without eliminating window access into the study rooms in the surrounding 2"d and
3`d floor areas,but will eliminate a valued outdoor activity area. Other additional space will require the addition of floor levels
above the existing floors as noted below. Due to the issues previously noted,it is questionable if the additional space is
feasible.
After reviewing the information provided above,I believe the cost to rehabilitate and expand the existing structure to meet the
programmatic needs of the chapter would be as much or more than the cost of new construction on this site. The difficulty of
working with the conditions noted previously,and the unforeseen conditions that occur with remodeling an existing building
present a high cost risk to remodeling and adding to this building. The following estimates deal with the feasibility for
modifications and upgrades that are needed for the programmatic changes required to meet the needs of the chapter.
1. The construction cost to implement the program noted above for renovation and additional space is estimated as follows.
a. Existing building remodel: 17,720 s.f.at$160/s.f.= ................................................$2,836,000
b. New construction within the existing courtyard space: 2,200 s.f.x$175/s.f.=......................$385,000
c. New construction of 3`d.floor addition to south wing: 1,325 s.f.x$250/s.f.=........................ $332,000
d. New construction of 4'h floor addition to east wing: 2,060 s.f.x$250/s.f.=.......................... $515,000
e. New construction of 411 floor addition to north wing: 1,750 s.f.x$250/s.f. =........................ $438,000
Estimated total construction cost(remodel plus additions).....................................................................$4,417,000
2. The design solution that has been developed is new construction that meets,exceeds and accommodates for future
needs for Delta Tau Delta and their desired program goals. It includes demolition and new construction.
a. New construction meeting base space program,25,000 s.f.x$175/s.f.= .........................$4,375,000
b. New construction per design with expanded educational space,30,325 s.f.x$175/s.f= .........$5,450,000
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3. In our estimation,new construction is the best way to proceed and has the following advantages:
a. More cost effective solution.
b. A better design solution that meets and exceeds the desired space program much better than remodeling the
existing and expanding the structure can do.
c. A more marketable product to the end user/the student.
d. A building for the neighborhood and the community that is much more in keeping with the desired "Greek"
neighborhood style.
The Delta Tau Delta Board has explored its fundraising ability for the two options noted above. There is no support within the
alumni base to fund a major remodeling/addition type project due to compromises that would be required of spatial and
aesthetic qualities of this type of project. Support for a new facility that can provide the quality and support of the educational
mission of Delta Tau Delta has strong support.
I believe that a remodeled building will cause financial hardship for the fraternity in initial construction costs as well as on-
going maintenance. Most importantly,it will produce a less than desirable design solution and end product for the Delta Tau
Delta student as well as the neighborhood and the Greek Community.
If you have any questions,please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
H.Scott Sankey,AIA
Partner