Video Update: Dame Lois Browne-Evans Building

[Updated with video] At a press conference held this morning [Feb 17] Public Works Minister Derrick Burgess provided an update on the Dame Lois Browne-Evans Building. The building – which will house the Police station, courts and various Government offices – takes up an entire block from Victoria Street to Court Street, and will be approximately 130,000 square feet.

The contract was signed in early December 2007, with an anticipated completion date of 7th August, 2010. The Minister said that we are now some six months beyond that date, and “extension in time resulted from essential design changes and other factors beyond the control of Government or the contractors.”

Minister Burgess said: “When the base building contract was signed three years ago, the TAF [Total Allowed Funding] for the project was $78 million. Then on 14th May last year, I informed the House of Assembly and the people of Bermuda that as construction progressed, the contractor received approval to make changes in a number of areas where the drawings for the new building were found to be incomplete or deficient or where changes were required as a result of the PACE legislation and recent amendments to the Fire Code, for example. These changes were unanticipated and led to a House of Assembly approved increase in the TAF from $78 million to $91.8 million.”

Minister Burgess is pictured below, touring the building in October 2010:

The Ministry of Youth, Family, Sports and Community Development Headquarters is expected to move into building this weekend, with the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs to follow shortly thereafter. The Ministry of the Environment, Planning and Infrastructure Services is expected to begin moving into the building next week, to be followed shortly thereafter by the Department of Planning.

Minister Burgess said: “Over the next month, we shall see this magnificent building reaching 100% occupancy, with major public announcements to be made regarding the move of the Magistrates’ Courts, the Department of Court Services and the Hamilton Police Station in particular.”

The Minister’s full remarks appear below:

Good morning and thank you for attending this press conference.

I wish to provide a progress report on the Dame Lois Browne-Evans Building, styled the Magistrates’ Court/Hamilton Police Station construction project in previous press and Ministerial Statements.

You will recall that the base building contract was signed in early December 2007 and with an anticipated completion date of 7th August, 2010. Of course, we are now some six months beyond that date, but you will hear later in my statement that the extension in time resulted from essential design changes and other factors beyond the control of Government or the contractors. Let me state here that the Government is more than pleased with the truly outstanding service provided during the past two years by Conyers and Associates, architects for the project, and Eddy Henri, Owner’s Representative on the site. Working collaboratively with the contractors, LLC Bermuda Ltd. who are doing a very fine job, they have ensured that the work has been carried out efficiently and that the allocated funding for the project has been expended prudently and in accordance with Financial Instructions and all other applicable guidelines.

Allow me to comment further on the allocated funding for the project. When the base building contract was signed three years ago, the TAF [Total Allowed Funding] for the project was $78 million. Then on 14th May last year, I informed the House of Assembly and the people of Bermuda that as construction progressed, the contractor received approval to make changes in a number of areas where the drawings for the new building were found to be incomplete or deficient or where changes were required as a result of the PACE legislation and recent amendments to the Fire Code, for example. These changes were unanticipated and led to a House of Assembly approved increase in the TAF from $78 million to $91.8 million.

Specifically, I cited the following changes, among others, that led to the increase in the TAF:

• 1. By way of example, the mechanical space had to be completely re-designed to suit the needs of the mechanical equipment that was specified; Stair No. 5 had no head room clearance and the roof in this area had to be re-designed and the structural steel changed; Stair No.1 was not coordinated with the space in which it was intended to fit, with the result that re-design was required; Stair No. 3 was designed to be less than minimum code width; and critically important operational security at both principal entrances to the building had been completely overlooked.

• 2. The basis of design of the new building, from a Building Code perspective, was not current at the time of construction. The largest single line item here is the smoke evacuation system which was not part of the original design and became required due to the added floor. The electrical load from the smoke evacuation system also added to generator re-sizing.

Only yesterday, the Chief Fire Officer reminded us that buildings of five storeys or more are now designated in the NFTA code as ‘high rise’, a designation that was not in place at the time that the building was designed. Consequently, pressurization of a further two stairwells in the north building was required.

3. During the construction phase, each tenant has been consulted and the internal fit out of their space designed to meet specific operational needs. Consequently, during the course of the project, its scope expanded in a number of areas, including all Bermuda Police Service and Magistrates’ Court user changes such as compliance with provisions of the PACE legislation, and in part including the addition of ten holding cells, added security for both custodial and Bermuda Police Service personnel and other PACE related changes. PACE compliance had a significant impact upon both time and cost.

This additional scope of works, facilitated by variations or Contract Change Orders, has been defined and incorporated into the ongoing base build contract to ensure that all operational space and service requirements are met at construction completion.

I am happy to report that the contractor reported “Substantial Completion” of the Dame Lois Browne-Evans Building on 31st January, 2011. You may have noted that the very attractive exterior stone tiling on the street level floor of the building has been completed. Also, the installation of Corporation of Hamilton approved lamp posts on the perimeter of the building. Required plantings along the pavements adjacent to the new structure are also completed and Police flagpoles will soon be installed.

The Dame Lois Browne-Evans Building remains a beehive of activity. Vendors are currently delivering and installing office furniture, equipment and appliances and personnel from Government’s Information Technology Office are currently completing installation of network and telecommunications equipment whilst the building systems including fire alarm, security and court recording have been commissioned and tested in preparation for phased occupation of the building.

The Ministry of Youth, Family, Sports and Community Development Headquarters is expected to move into the fourth floor of the south building this weekend, with the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, to be located on the same floor, to follow shortly thereafter. The Ministry of the Environment, Planning and Infrastructure Services is expected to begin moving onto the fifth floor of the north building next week, to be followed shortly thereafter by the Department of Planning which will be on the same floor. Over the next month, we shall see this magnificent building reaching 100% occupancy, with major public announcements to be made regarding the move of the Magistrates’ Courts, the Department of Court Services and the Hamilton Police Station in particular.

Approximately 35 variations or Change Orders were issued up to 4th December, 2009 involving the major internal fit out works, with the result the contract completion date was extended from 7th August, 2010 by 146 days to 31st December, 2010 to reflect the additional work required. Subsequently, a further 110 variations have been issued and the completion date was further extended to 31st January 2011.

The former Auditor General said that for projects of this size it is an international norm to experience a 10% to 15% cost overrun on a major project like the Dame Lois Browne Evans Building. I anticipate that this project will experienced a maximum 3% cost overrun.

I plan to make a final Statement on the Dame Lois Browne Evans-Building once it is 100% occupied. During that Statement, I shall provide definitive information on the overall cost of the construction project.

Thank you.

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