DC Auditor Report on Duke Ellington

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who is the head of DGS and why hasn't that person been fired?

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who is the head of DGS and why hasn't that person been fired?

+1

Bowser appointed a new guy last year. Apparently he's having a tough time.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/bowser-names-a-retired-navy-rear-admiral-as-general-services-director/2015/08/15/5cf01aa2-42bd-11e5-846d-02792f854297_story.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The second concept is cost overrun - the actual cost of the project minus the expected cost. In this case, that overrun is >$100 million. That is an outrage. But the fact that it is in Georgetown has nothing to do with that. It is because of overpriced and gold-plated construction. Those same cost overruns would happen whether Duke was being rebuilt in Georgetown on Anacostia or downtown. The project is not costing >$100 million more than expected because the land in Georgetown cost more than expected.

Got it? There are lots of reasons for this cost overrun - none excusable. The failure to move Duke across town is a red herring that has nothing to do with those cost overruns.

When I said "high-cost," I wasn't talking at all about land values. I was talking about an expensive place to do construction. Different parts of the city vary tremendously in how much it costs to build things, Georgetown happens to be one of the most expensive parts of the city to build. Add on historic preservation, and the fact that there wasn't room on the surface for required parking, and you get a high-cost location.

The rational thing would have been to move to a more central location (not meaning the downtown business district, but more central in DC and on the Metro). DE decided to stay in Georgetown because they get off on the notion that they are some kind of beachhead in a "prestigious" location. Gimme a break.

PP - Any central location close to Metro would be expensive. Or is there some magic, inexpensive, centrally-located, close-to-metro neighborhood in DC that you are aware of that the entire world is not?

Also, your contempt for the students and families at DE - and your outrage that they would want to stay in he location where the school has been located for 40 years -- is not dripping through, it is pouring through. Read your words: "they get off on the notion that they are some kind of beachhead in a prestigious location. Gimme a break." PP, are you Donald Trump?

And to those who are looking for more evidence of why I think race plays a role here: Ellington is not the first school renovation project to go over budget.. But I don't remember hearing this kind of contempt for the students and families that attend say, Stoddert, or Janney.

Let's try this again people: be outraged at the Council, the contractors, DCPS, and DGS. Don't be outraged at the DE students and families.

No school in DC has has its renovation budget hit nearly 150% cost overruns and balloon to $200 million and climbing. Not one. Ellington is breathtakingly unique, and with its insular governance structure, no one seems accountable. This is a story of corruption and skimming in large gravy-train project or one of stunning incompetence and inept leadership and oversight. Actually, tt's probably both. As has been said before, you can always count on the ol' DeeCee crowd to try to play the race card when cronyism, corruption, mismanagement, waste, fraud or abuse are exposed and condemned.

And if you want to talk about race, why are there so few Hispanic students at Ellington? The school's demographics are very mismatched to DC's today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One doesn't expect well-heeled supporters of the fine arts in DC to have to travel to U Street or someplace in Wards 7 or 8. It's just not done.

There aren't many Ward 3 students at Ellington, so what's your point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The second concept is cost overrun - the actual cost of the project minus the expected cost. In this case, that overrun is >$100 million. That is an outrage. But the fact that it is in Georgetown has nothing to do with that. It is because of overpriced and gold-plated construction. Those same cost overruns would happen whether Duke was being rebuilt in Georgetown on Anacostia or downtown. The project is not costing >$100 million more than expected because the land in Georgetown cost more than expected.

Got it? There are lots of reasons for this cost overrun - none excusable. The failure to move Duke across town is a red herring that has nothing to do with those cost overruns.

When I said "high-cost," I wasn't talking at all about land values. I was talking about an expensive place to do construction. Different parts of the city vary tremendously in how much it costs to build things, Georgetown happens to be one of the most expensive parts of the city to build. Add on historic preservation, and the fact that there wasn't room on the surface for required parking, and you get a high-cost location.

The rational thing would have been to move to a more central location (not meaning the downtown business district, but more central in DC and on the Metro). DE decided to stay in Georgetown because they get off on the notion that they are some kind of beachhead in a "prestigious" location. Gimme a break.

PP - Any central location close to Metro would be expensive. Or is there some magic, inexpensive, centrally-located, close-to-metro neighborhood in DC that you are aware of that the entire world is not?

Also, your contempt for the students and families at DE - and your outrage that they would want to stay in he location where the school has been located for 40 years -- is not dripping through, it is pouring through. Read your words: "they get off on the notion that they are some kind of beachhead in a prestigious location. Gimme a break." PP, are you Donald Trump?

And to those who are looking for more evidence of why I think race plays a role here: Ellington is not the first school renovation project to go over budget.. But I don't remember hearing this kind of contempt for the students and families that attend say, Stoddert, or Janney.

Let's try this again people: be outraged at the Council, the contractors, DCPS, and DGS. Don't be outraged at the DE students and families.

No school in DC has has its renovation budget hit nearly 150% cost overruns and balloon to $200 million and climbing. Not one. Ellington is breathtakingly unique, and with its insular governance structure, no one seems accountable. This is a story of corruption and skimming in large gravy-train project or one of stunning incompetence and inept leadership and oversight. Actually, tt's probably both. As has been said before, you can always count on the ol' DeeCee crowd to try to play the race card when cronyism, corruption, mismanagement, waste, fraud or abuse are exposed and condemned.

And if you want to talk about race, why are there so few Hispanic students at Ellington? The school's demographics are very mismatched to DC's today.

Well said. Every single bit of it.

This has nothing to do with actual DE students, but much to do both with its board and of course DCPS/ DGS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One doesn't expect well-heeled supporters of the fine arts in DC to have to travel to U Street or someplace in Wards 7 or 8. It's just not done.

There aren't many Ward 3 students at Ellington, so what's your point?

I am guessing you mean Ward 2, where the school is located?

[Anonymous]

Just to put in all in disturbing perspective, the Duke Ellington renovation (approximately $200 with the project still far from completion) costs almost as much as the cost of the four-year total renovation of the storied, luxury Hotel Ritz in Paris (rumored cost of EUR 200 million). According to the New York Times, the Ritz project, a complete historic restoration and facilities expansion in one of the world’s most expensive cities, includes total renovation of all of the rooms and décor, restoration of antique furniture and fabricating of reproductions, a new underground ballroom, two retractable roof restaurants, a Versailles-style courtyard garden and a tunnel under the Place Vendome.

It seems that the Duke Ellington board took the tune “Puttin’ on the Ritz” a little too much to heart!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just to put in all in disturbing perspective, the Duke Ellington renovation (approximately $200 with the project still far from completion) costs almost as much as the cost of the four-year total renovation of the storied, luxury Hotel Ritz in Paris (rumored cost of EUR 200 million). According to the New York Times, the Ritz project, a complete historic restoration and facilities expansion in one of the world’s most expensive cities, includes total renovation of all of the rooms and décor, restoration of antique furniture and fabricating of reproductions, a new underground ballroom, two retractable roof restaurants, a Versailles-style courtyard garden and a tunnel under the Place Vendome.

It seems that the Duke Ellington board took the tune “Puttin’ on the Ritz” a little too much to heart!

The Duke Ellingnton board did NOT design the building or hire the contractors.

DCPS owns the building and created the Ed specs. DGS ran the bid process and is (mis)managing the contractors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just to put in all in disturbing perspective, the Duke Ellington renovation (approximately $200 with the project still far from completion) costs almost as much as the cost of the four-year total renovation of the storied, luxury Hotel Ritz in Paris (rumored cost of EUR 200 million). According to the New York Times, the Ritz project, a complete historic restoration and facilities expansion in one of the world’s most expensive cities, includes total renovation of all of the rooms and décor, restoration of antique furniture and fabricating of reproductions, a new underground ballroom, two retractable roof restaurants, a Versailles-style courtyard garden and a tunnel under the Place Vendome.

It seems that the Duke Ellington board took the tune “Puttin’ on the Ritz” a little too much to heart!

The Duke Ellingnton board did NOT design the building or hire the contractors.

DCPS owns the building and created the Ed specs. DGS ran the bid process and is (mis)managing the contractors.

You're telling me that Ellington's administration and board had nothing to do with space programming, design, extras and finishes? If that's the case, they're even more disengaged from providing good management and oversight than people suspect? I have no doubt that DGS is not run well, but do you really think that DGS added all of the cost-driving extras to the Ellington budget, while Ellington's leadership sat passively? Especially when DGS is cutting even basics out of other school renovations. Man, you must be drinking so kind of kool-aid.

[Anonymous]

We knew that the DE renovation was pretty Ritzy, but this sure puts it in context! Someone needs to pay for this, and it shouldn't be DC's taxpayers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The second concept is cost overrun - the actual cost of the project minus the expected cost. In this case, that overrun is >$100 million. That is an outrage. But the fact that it is in Georgetown has nothing to do with that. It is because of overpriced and gold-plated construction. Those same cost overruns would happen whether Duke was being rebuilt in Georgetown on Anacostia or downtown. The project is not costing >$100 million more than expected because the land in Georgetown cost more than expected.

Got it? There are lots of reasons for this cost overrun - none excusable. The failure to move Duke across town is a red herring that has nothing to do with those cost overruns.

When I said "high-cost," I wasn't talking at all about land values. I was talking about an expensive place to do construction. Different parts of the city vary tremendously in how much it costs to build things, Georgetown happens to be one of the most expensive parts of the city to build. Add on historic preservation, and the fact that there wasn't room on the surface for required parking, and you get a high-cost location.

The rational thing would have been to move to a more central location (not meaning the downtown business district, but more central in DC and on the Metro). DE decided to stay in Georgetown because they get off on the notion that they are some kind of beachhead in a "prestigious" location. Gimme a break.

PP - Any central location close to Metro would be expensive. Or is there some magic, inexpensive, centrally-located, close-to-metro neighborhood in DC that you are aware of that the entire world is not?

Also, your contempt for the students and families at DE - and your outrage that they would want to stay in he location where the school has been located for 40 years -- is not dripping through, it is pouring through. Read your words: "they get off on the notion that they are some kind of beachhead in a prestigious location. Gimme a break." PP, are you Donald Trump?

And to those who are looking for more evidence of why I think race plays a role here: Ellington is not the first school renovation project to go over budget.. But I don't remember hearing this kind of contempt for the students and families that attend say, Stoddert, or Janney.

Let's try this again people: be outraged at the Council, the contractors, DCPS, and DGS. Don't be outraged at the DE students and families.

No school in DC has has its renovation budget hit nearly 150% cost overruns and balloon to $200 million and climbing. Not one. Ellington is breathtakingly unique, and with its insular governance structure, no one seems accountable. This is a story of corruption and skimming in large gravy-train project or one of stunning incompetence and inept leadership and oversight. Actually, tt's probably both. As has been said before, you can always count on the ol' DeeCee crowd to try to play the race card when cronyism, corruption, mismanagement, waste, fraud or abuse are exposed and condemned.

And if you want to talk about race, why are there so few Hispanic students at Ellington? The school's demographics are very mismatched to DC's today.

Well said. Every single bit of it.

This has nothing to do with actual DE students, but much to do both with its board and of course DCPS/ DGS.

Read the thread.

No one is attacking DE students or families.

People are attacking DE leaders and their political backers and donors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We knew that the DE renovation was pretty Ritzy, but this sure puts it in context! Someone needs to pay for this, and it shouldn't be DC's taxpayers.

DE: the Ritz of global education.

Or, as some previous poster put it, the Taj Mahal of local, corrupt politics

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We knew that the DE renovation was pretty Ritzy, but this sure puts it in context! Someone needs to pay for this, and it shouldn't be DC's taxpayers.

Sadly, there's no one else on the hook.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just to put in all in disturbing perspective, the Duke Ellington renovation (approximately $200 with the project still far from completion) costs almost as much as the cost of the four-year total renovation of the storied, luxury Hotel Ritz in Paris (rumored cost of EUR 200 million). According to the New York Times, the Ritz project, a complete historic restoration and facilities expansion in one of the world’s most expensive cities, includes total renovation of all of the rooms and décor, restoration of antique furniture and fabricating of reproductions, a new underground ballroom, two retractable roof restaurants, a Versailles-style courtyard garden and a tunnel under the Place Vendome.

It seems that the Duke Ellington board took the tune “Puttin’ on the Ritz” a little too much to heart!

The Duke Ellingnton board did NOT design the building or hire the contractors.

DCPS owns the building and created the Ed specs. DGS ran the bid process and is (mis)managing the contractors.

You're telling me that Ellington's administration and board had nothing to do with space programming, design, extras and finishes? If that's the case, they're even more disengaged from providing good management and oversight than people suspect? I have no doubt that DGS is not run well, but do you really think that DGS added all of the cost-driving extras to the Ellington budget, while Ellington's leadership sat passively? Especially when DGS is cutting even basics out of other school renovations. Man, you must be drinking so kind of kool-aid.

Have you been involved in a DCPS school renovation project?

The school community leadership and members are part of the SIT -- they give opinions, ask questions but at the end of the day they have no power. In this sense the DE Ellington is no more or no less responsible than the SIT members at Murch, lafayette, Janney, Wilson, Ballou or Dunbar.

But the SIT doesn't make decisions. They point out problems with the design - e.g. the first one for Ellington forgot rooms for costume changes and a arts-related things taht DGS forgot to include despite the fact that it existed in the old building.

The "Taj Mahal' features of the design came from DGS. This all happened back when the director was 're-envisioning' school spaces for the city and hoping to change academic culture through architecture and design. The roof feature, underground parking and other luxurious stuff came from DGS, not the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Have you been involved in a DCPS school renovation project?

The school community leadership and members are part of the SIT -- they give opinions, ask questions but at the end of the day they have no power. In this sense the DE Ellington is no more or no less responsible than the SIT members at Murch, lafayette, Janney, Wilson, Ballou or Dunbar.

But the SIT doesn't make decisions. They point out problems with the design - e.g. the first one for Ellington forgot rooms for costume changes and a arts-related things taht DGS forgot to include despite the fact that it existed in the old building.

The "Taj Mahal' features of the design came from DGS. This all happened back when the director was 're-envisioning' school spaces for the city and hoping to change academic culture through architecture and design. The roof feature, underground parking and other luxurious stuff came from DGS, not the school.

There is a significant difference in the way that the DE renovation has been handled compared to other schools. At other schools, when cost over-runs were discovered, the school was forced to accept less within the same budget. At DE, the budget keeps increasing -- and word on the street is that it's soon going to $210 million.

It's circumstantial evidence, but it's highly suggestive that DE plays by a different set of rules than the rest of DCPS. Also, while just about every renovation has had overruns, the scale at DE is unlike anything seen anywhere in DCPS. The scale prompts suspicion that the initial estimates were low-balled because the people doing them knew that once construction started there would be no stopping.