THE TRANSFORMATION HSC PROJECT: BUILDING LEARNING AND COMMUNITY
FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

1. What does the Project entail?

The full ‘Transformation HSC’ project consists of a new Senior School and College-wide Community & Athletic Complex.  It also includes a multi-purpose room, two connecting corridors to the current facilities, a College Commons, relocated parking and potential for a future track, field house and new tennis courts.  These new facilities constitute a total of approximately 134,000 square feet.  Once the new facilities have been constructed, a number of other spaces will be made available to alleviate the space needs of the Middle School, the Junior School and administration, thereby accommodating our academic and program needs for many years to come.

2. What was the decision of the Board of Governors on February 3rd, 2011 regarding construction?

The Board previously resolved that construction would not commence on ‘Transformation HSC’ until the necessary funding was in place. Significant fundraising for this project has taken place over the past three years and, with the support of the Finance Committee, the College has now developed a viable financial plan to allow for Phase I construction to begin in the Spring of 2011. This Phased approach will also allow fundraising to continue in order to complete Phase II in the shortest delay possible. Phase II will see the addition of the College-wide community and athletic complex, as well as a heated walkway to connect the new facilities to our existing campus.

3. Why are we building in Phases?

Essentially, in order to capitalize on our fundraising successes to date and to move into the new Senior School in the shortest delay possible.  Commencing construction in the spring of 2011 will allow for students to be enjoying the new school in September 2012.  We also believe that commencing Phase I served as a tipping point for the remaining fundraising efforts required to complete the entire project.  We still have hundreds of families who have yet to make a decision on their possible commitment to ‘Transformation HSC,’ and we are optimistic that many will feel comfortable doing so now that construction is imminent.

The Project was designed so that it could be constructed in phases, the Senior School first, and the Athletic & Community complex as soon as funding is in place for Phase II.

4. How much additional fundraising is required for Phase II?

It is anticipated that we will need to raise an additional $10 million to support Phase II of the ‘Transformation HSC’ project. However our experience over the past three years, combined with a comprehensive prospective donor analysis, has indicated that we have sufficient capacity within our community to meet this remaining goal.

The major gift fundraising efforts, led by the Campaign Cabinet of volunteers and senior staff, continues to engage lead donors in supporting the final Phase.  Of particular note, a donor has proposed a Philanthropic Financing Opportunity in which the donor would agree to finance the remaining cost of the project (approximately $17 Million) by co-signing with the College for a bank loan and absorbing all of the interest costs. This opportunity would allow the College to conceivably complete the project over the next 18 months or so. This offer was conditional on the College increasing the level of parent participation in the fundraising effort. As of December 2011, the 100@100 campaign which was seeking 100% participation from families at a minimum of $100 per month for five years has increased parent participation to 17% and the amount committed by current parents to over $3.2 million dollars.

We firmly believe that our Case for Support, dedicated leadership and a strong campaign strategy has the College poised for success on the final leg of this campaign. The Board of Governors will be making a decision about the second phase of the project in early 2012.

5. What impact will the new facilities have on operating costs? Will it necessitate higher fees?

Preliminary analysis indicates that the new facilities should not necessitate significantly higher tuition fees. With the demolition of some inefficient buildings and several portables, the Project will result in an overall net gain of 112,000 square feet and a transformational value-added component to the College-wide programming opportunities.   The increased operating costs attributable to the higher square footage is planned to be offset by the potential for College-wide increases in enrolment that the new space and vacated spaces will allow for. 

The College will continue to monitor the amount of Expansion Fees in order to ensure that we can sustain our existing building projects and cover our debt obligations.

6. How has the Construction Steering Committee determined that the Project is not excessively expensive?

Cost has been a key consideration in developing the schematic design.  The program has been closely scrutinized throughout the process to ensure that the final design is meeting our current and future priorities, curricular and otherwise.  Our process also included concurrent planning to ensure that all functional spaces are utilized to their full potential within the Senior School program and the College as a whole.  An example of such programming is the utilization of the tri-gym to accommodate additional non-Senior School athletic and physical education needs that cannot be met by our current facilities. We have also analyzed the facilities to be vacated by the Senior School to ensure how they will meet other program needs College-wide.  The effective use of the vacated spaces will result in other operational efficiencies, including reduced transportation costs and the elimination of the maintenance costs associated with the inefficient structures slated for demolition.

Finishing materials have been selected that are most appropriate to the function of the space.  For example, durable and basic materials will be used in teaching spaces, while appropriately well-appointed materials will be used in some more public spaces affecting the image and branding of the College.  It is important to recognize that finishings represent approximately 5-7% of total cost, in comparison to approximately 30% for mechanical and electrical systems.  

The Board of Governors and the Head of College have been kept informed about the ongoing progress of costing the project at every stage.

7. How many students will the new Senior School accommodate?

The new Senior School is planned to accommodate approximately 480 students, which represents a small increase from the current Senior School population of 465 (six classes at every grade, with an average of 20 students per class).  A larger Senior School will allow us to enhance both our academic and co-curricular programs without compromising the strong sense of community that is a distinguishing characteristic of HSC.  There also is the potential for an expanded Middle School once the Senior School has vacated its current facilities.  

Our Demographic Study and Admission trends here at HSC verified that there would be a sufficient number of school-aged children in our catchment area to fill a larger Senior School with Mission-appropriate students.  In fact, current enrolment from Grade 7-12 is very strong and supports that projection. Should further expansion be desired in future years, the Senior School design would allow for this addition without sacrificing the sense of community that is so important to HSC.

8. Once the new facilities have been completed, what will happen to the facilities vacated by the Senior School?

The construction of a new Senior School will allow us to re-allocate several current buildings.  The Strathallan Building will accommodate all our administrative functions, including Advancement, Finance, Admissions, Operations, Human Resources, IT, Campus Store and the Parents’ Guild.  The vacated spaces in the Young Building will be re-occupied by the other Schools, primarily the Middle School, which currently are overcrowded and lacking the space required to enhance programs such as music. The College-Wide Athletic and Community Centre will provide much needed learning space for the Junior and Montessori students.

9. Will any structures be demolished as a result of the Project?

Several portables, namely the Board Room, the Parents’ Guild portable and the Advancement portables, will be demolished once the new facilities have been constructed.  We will also demolish the Wansbrough building (with Mr. Wansbrough’s approval!) as part of Phase II.  Although it is one of our newer buildings, it is a pre-fabricated, modular structure with a limited lifespan and in continuous need of repair.  This building currently houses the Swap Shop, the Business Office, the Senior Library upstairs, and the Campus Store and IT Services below.

10. What expertise has been brought to bear on this process?

In addition to the expertise afforded by the members of the Construction Steering Committee and Moriyama & Teshima Architects, we also engaged early on the services of a consultant to complete a Constructability Review. Cooper Construction has been contracted to provide pre-construction services, to include value engineering analysis and current trade support for budget and costing.  

Additionally, we have engaged a full-time, independent Project Manager to support the College in managing this project through to its completion.  This individual will oversee the project and coordinate between the College, the Architects and the Builders.

11. Does the Transformation Project incorporate elements of sustainable design?

Yes, the Transformation Project reflects sustainable design, and it is potentially LEED certifiable.  

As an educational institution, we have a responsibility to demonstrate to our community a commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship as an outgrowth of our commitment to global citizenship. Some of the green initiatives that are being designed into this project include the potential for a green roof and solar panels.  The design plan is to include high-efficiency condensing boilers, air to air heat recovery, variable pumps and automation controls, free cooling, optimized efficiency to fans, chillers and pumps, low-flow water fixtures, low-e efficient windows, a white reflective roof membrane to reduce the building cooling load, automatic light sensors in classrooms, and the use of sustainable materials such as marmoleum and retro plate concrete flooring, amongst other features.  The interior Senior Quadrangle also brings natural light to the core of the building.