August Caught DGS

Bob Hamilton, Sr., maintenance supervisor at the Mary E. W. Risteau District Court and Multi-Service Center in Belair, has been with DGS since September 2011. A master electrician by trade, Bob shows pride in his work by being very tidy and precise as he goes about his daily tasks. Special projects, particularly, highlight the commitment, determination and initiative he brings to the job.

Not long ago, Bob had two HVAC projects to address. The first required replacing/repacking bearings in a small exhaust fan motor. The project bid was $2,022. Bob thought twice about the price and decided it was a DIY job that he could handle. He purchased new bearings and other needed materials and completed the job for under $100!

The second project entailed replacing an eight inch flow-control valve for chiller condenser water. The project bid was a whopping $10,010! Bob did some research and purchased the valve for $1,246, along with about $30 in gaskets and miscellaneous items, and completed the project for less than $1,300.

He saved DGS over $12,000 on the two projects!

Mike Ireland, Regional Manager, Northern MD Courts/MSC’s

Ben Wood, a Capital Project Manager in the Office of Facilities Planning, Design, Construction and Energy, is overseeing design and construction of the new Freedom Readiness Center in Carroll County. The 57-acre site was conveyed by DGS Real Estate from the northern end of the Springfield Hospital Campus to the Maryland Army National Guard. At over 65,000 gross square feet and combining two existing armories (Catonsville and Ellicott City), the facility will be the largest readiness center in Maryland.

Once design began, it became evident that the site would be costly to develop. The design budget was $23.3 million. At 35% design submission, the cost estimator came in at $29.2 million.  At 65% design submission, the cost estimator came in at $30.7 million. Ben worked on the site design with the civil engineer. Road access, parking surfaces, and site slopes were all refined, and Ben directed the architect to make substantial revisions to interior layouts and finishes. At the 100% design submission, the cost estimator predicted $28.4 million. Ben pushed for further cost savings. His project management efforts paid off significantly; the construction contract that went to the Board of Public Works on September 5^th was for $24.5 million.

Wait! There’s more. While refining and revising these intricate project-cost details, Ben also had to address four issues outside the design of the readiness center: 1) SHA plans to widen Route 32; 2) SHA requests to gain site access to survey and ultimately restore the streams on the property; 3) Carroll County’s desire to obtain permission to use the water wells on the property; and lastly, the County’s desire to develop a hiking trails system through the property. He has handled all of them with finesse and, importantly, an unwavering focus on his ultimate goal – ensuring that the readiness center is constructed as planned.

Well done, Ben!

Barry Miller, Senior Capital Project Manager