Sigma Alpha Epsilon | NY Epsilon Chapter

Garage Restoration Project

This page contains information about the damage and remediation of the Garage. Check out these quick links:

PROGRESS| NOTICE | RECOVERY EFFORTS | PHOTOS | PLANS

Latest Progress

October 9, 2010

The garage renovation was completed a few days prior to the start of classes in August. The LAE Board and Chapter would like to take an opportunity to thank you for your significant contributions during our 2010 Phonathon. In recognition of your generosity, a plaque will be hung in the Chapter Room with our other chapter awards. For those of you that are unable to join us at Alumni Weekend October 15th-17th, here is an image of the plaque that will be unveiled at the reception. Thanks again for your contributions to this project.

Matt Jeffers '95, LAE Vice Chairman

P.S. - It's not too early to plan for the 60th anniversary celebration. October 14th-16th 2011 at the Albany Crowne Plaza. Stay tuned for details!

August 11, 2010

Things got stopped at the start of May due to a glitch in the building permit and some life safety enhancement requirements, but we finally got the full building permit July 1 and restarted work the next week. As of today, the contractor is nearly completed and we should be finished before work week that starts Aug. 20. We'll have some painting to do, but then the new, fully restored garage will be back in business - which it needs to be since the house and garage are completely full for the fall semester. The construction plan drawings are posted here. We've installed forced hot air heat and air conditioning, an on demand water heater, wood floors, full insulation in the walls, and new high efficiency windows. The upstairs rooms have been vaulted open up to the roof line to give more space and to remove a storage area that was fire safety concern. Check out the new photos of the work near completion. Matt Jeffers '96 is hoping to have the certificate of occupancy in his hands on Friday the 13th. Let's hope that is a lucky day.

April 22, 2010

Things are moving along rapidly. All of the subflooring and wall framing has been completed. All of the electrical wiring complete. The fire alarm system wiring is being coordinated with our alarm service contractor Protection One. The bathroom plumbing partially complete with the new shower in place. The upstairs window openings have been enlarged and framed. All the new windows are supposed to be in by the end of the week. The HVAC ducting scheduled is for later this week. Next week we expect to reach the third milestone and make a $20,000 payment. Check out the latest photos.

April 15, 2010

Well we signed a contract for $78,000 and construction started April 4th. First thing was to complete the full demolition of all the drywall and framing. The floor joist on the first floor were re-leveled and new subflooring installed. The stairs had to be widened for code about 6 inches and the upstairs doors were also widened. For fire code egress the windows upstairs will be increased in height. The loft storage (often sleeping area?) will be removed and both bedrooms ceilings raisted to the rafters. Storage shelf space will be added above the stairs. The forced hot water heat will be removed to eliminate winter freeze problems and a high efficiency gas furnace with air conditioning will be installed. This allows us to also adress the problem of having the boiler right next to the toilet in the bathroom and we'll install a gas "on-demand" water heater as part of a completely new bathroom. All new windows, framing, insulation, electrical wiring, and drywall will complete the project. The chapter will have some do-it-yourself painting and furnishing to complete over the summer. We expect to be back in there before July 15th. Check out the latest photographs of the progress at the gallery below.

Notice of Garage Damage During Winter Break

January 5, 2010

Good morning Brothers,

If you can only skim---please be sure to read the "action items" at bottom.

For those of you who don't know, we had an incident at the house involving the living quarters in the garage sometime between Christmas and New Year's day. At some point during that time period we had 3 leaks develop in the how water heating piping in the 2nd floor bedroom (on the right), which resulted in the boiler continuously pumping water onto the floor of this bedroom. Naturally, the water made it's way down to the 1st floor causing the most extensive damage to both of the 1st floor rooms.

We have brought in a restoration company (First response) to begin removing all of the damaged furniture, taking down water logged walls and ceilings, and the installation of equipment to help remove the water from the structure of the house. This will result in at least 3 out of the 4 rooms, more or less completely gutted for an indefinite amount of time as we rebuild and make sure that proper steps are being taken to eliminate mold.

Six brothers were affected by the loss of or significant damage to their belongings. They have all been contacted and we are in the process of speaking with their parents to ensure them that they will be given alumni support as well as help by their undergraduate brothers. The main house is not at capacity, so we are in the process of finding space for the 3 brothers who were planning on living in the garage this coming semester, which shouldn't be a problem space wise, but will require a few of the undergrads to be willing and open to modify their living arrangements to help the brothers in need. As they are all True Gentlemen, I know that they will "think of the rights and feelings of others, rather than of his (their) own" and will do what is needed to help their brothers.

This may be an opportunity to make some major improvements to the garage living quarters, including any additions that may be required for new RPI or city code standards. We are assembling a task force among the LAE board to develop a scope of work for what modifications we would like to make to the garage during this time. If you would like to be involved, please contact LAE board member Kurt Spiegel ASAP as the timeline for this project is very tight. ("Kurt Spiegel" <Kurt@SpiegelPD.com> )

Also, as you can imagine much of the cost associated with "bringing the garage back to previous state" will have major insurance implications with our carrier Favor insurance. We are awaiting the arrival of the adjuster, but will certainly welcome any alumni assistance with regards to negotiating this major claim to protect our investments. There seems to be some questions over what is covered by what type of damage and our deductible can be extremely variable depending on cause. If anyone has a substantial law background or experience with deciphering very complicated insurance terms and legal documentation, please contact Matt Jeffers (Matthew Jeffers <mjeffers83@hotmail.com> ) to lend assistance as he will be our liason to the insurance company.

Lastly, if you would like to see for yourself the damage, I have posted pictures to my profile in an album entitled "SAE garage damage" to document our findings as well as a few videos.

http://www.facebook.com/JTsae?v=app_2392950137&ref=profile#/album.php?aid=139462&id=710648225&ref=mf

http://www.facebook.com/JTsae?v=app_2392950137&ref=profile#/video/video.php?v=231908593225&ref=mf

http://www.facebook.com/JTsae?v=app_2392950137&ref=profile#/video/video.php?v=231911828225&ref=mf

WHAT IS NEEDED BY YOU!

1. If you have experience working with insurance companies and want to help protect the house and the LAE investments, please contact Matthew Jeffers. Matthew Jeffers <mjeffers83@hotmail.com>

2. If you would like to be involved in the garage reconstruction, including possible engineering design changes, please contact Kurt Spiegel. "Kurt Spiegel" <Kurt@SpiegelPD.com>

3. Be on the look-out for calls from the undergrads during our upcoming annual phone-athon, where as always your generosity is greatly appreciated and with incidents like this one, definitely needed.

If you have any questions feel free to contact Jerry Witter (LAE board chairman) at Jonathan Witter <jonathan.witter@gmail.com> or myself at jtsae@hotmail.com

Phi Alpha,

John Thomas ('02)

We have Facebook and Linked-In groups that you can join for keeping up to date. Contact John Thomas for the Facebook Group (Student Groups/Fraternities & Sororities/SAE RPI Alumni and Active) and Kurt Spiegel for the Linkedin Sigma Alpha Epsilon - New York Epsilon group

Mission Statement: Lambda Alpha Epsilon exists to provide and protect a beneficial undergraduate experience and meaningful member relationships through dedicated alumni participation and efficient use of alumni resources.

Recovery Efforts

LAE has launched a project to restore the Garage to living hopefully before the end of the semester, but absolutely before the fall 2010 semester begins. IT should be a great improvement to the conditions out there and is serving as a learning project for when we will eventually have to do something with the Main House as part of SAE2011 project. The Garage was to be part of that project scope, but now it is getting done in conjunction with the water damage remediation.

January 1-3 - Discovery and crisis management, personal items moved in to the house to dry out; breaks fixed to stop leak and restore heat to garage
January 3-10 - Quick Response emergency clean up guts most of the garage; insurance claims adjust inspects along side our local contract on retainer; communications with affected brothers and their parents; set LAE teams off for acctions. Matt Jeffers heading dealing with the insurance company and parents, Kurt Spiegel heading the team on design specificaitons, Steve Knapp heading the undergraduate chapter response for physical and emotional damage and the rearrangement of where brothers will live
January 10-17 - LAE teleconference calls to continue updates; taking opportunity to make upgrades and renovations in addition to simply restoring the Garage to what it was (RPI and insurance company had suggested improvements as well as discoveries during the deomolition of the damage); Spiegel and other local board members walk through the garage for measurements and assessment.
Late January - will get the claims settlement finalized and restoration/renovation, get bids out to 3 contractors, with options broken out for costs or time and material
February - Award the contract and begin recontruction; LAE Board meeting at the house on Feb 14th 11:59am; newsletter to go out with chapter and LAE information details on the Garage Restoration will be a big piece
March - hope to have major progress completed by Spring break, Phonathon at the end of the month
April/May - hope to have the majority of the restoration completed.