Narrowing the Scope:  The process of choosing the right plan

With any strategic plan the facilities of the school district need to be assessed for concerns, allowing the board of education to complete short term and long range plans.  In October, 2018 the board of education sent out RFP's (Requests for Proposals) and began to receive bids to complete a facility assessment.  In December, 2018 the only vote taken on the facility to date was recorded to hire Wilkins ADP to complete the facility assessment along with providing options to the board of education about how to address deficiencies.    The assessment was completed in February, 2019 after visits from architects and various engineers.

The following is a list of deficiencies that were identified by the architects, mechanical and electrical engineers. This is a comprehensive list of the concerns at each site and may at current be functional but will need to be updated and adressed in the near future.

Primary Building

  • Replace original windows
  • Replace original Soffit at Portico w/New Metal Soffit
  • Construct corridor at South Side of Classrooms
  • Mechanical/Electrical Systems
  • Upgrade Controls, HVAC System
  • Replace Kitchen Exhaust Hood, Add Make-up Air
  • New Fire Sprinkler
  • Upgrade Plumbing Fixtures
  • Replace Galvanized Water Piping w/Copper
  • Upgrade Electrical Service, Panels, & Receptacles
  • Replace Lighting with LED Fixtures
  • Replace Fire Alarm System and Clock/Bell/Paging System

The costs for these updates have a probable cost $1,283,601 to bring up to code and does not include any changes in program space and makes the classrooms smaller to create a hallway.This cost includes design costs due to space being renovated and change in usage.

Elementary/Middle School

  • Replace/Add Hot Water Heating Pumps
  • Upgrade Plumbing Fixtures, Add Backflow Preventer
  • Add Boiler Shutdown Switches
  • Replace Lighting with LED Fixtures (Except Gymnasium)
  • Replace Receptacles w/GFCI Type
  • Replace Fire Alarm System

The costs for these updates have a probable cost of $261,000, this does not include design fees and other costs.

High School

  • Add Cooling in Gymnasium AHU
  • Repair Water Cooled Condensing Unit
  • Replace Lighting with LED Fixures

The costs for these updates have a probable cost of $375,000 this does not include design fees and other costs.

Planning for the Future

Once the facility assessment was completed the Board of Education began the process of concept drawings for what a remodel of the K-2 would look like and the cost.  At the same time looking at what the options were for replacing the program space needed, with the option of adding a pre-kindergarten space onto either the primary building or onto any possible addition to the 3-12 campus.

As with any long range plan there have been no votes taken or final projects selected only to continue to work with Wilkins ADP to create a design that meets the needs of program space and to create a feasible option to present to the public.  When the concept drawings began in February, 2019 the costs for construction were $212 per square foot but cost estimators updated during the spring of the year to $225 per square foot as per industry standard.

Our first option showed the updates to the Primary building to address safety, prekindergarten, efficiency, and ADA concerns. The possible cost evaluation with construction costs of $225 per square foot would be $3,900,860.  This option keeps the K-2 building intact and has 9,618 sq ft of additional space and 7,650 sq ft of renovated space.  It sets aside a media center space at the K-2 building, office space to have a secured main entrance.  The concept drawing is below.

At the same time as Option A was presented to keep the Primary Building, Option B was being presented that would create an addition to the existing Elementary/Middle School.  This project created as many classrooms as are in the current Primary Building and added Pre-Kindergarten space.  It also included taking into the structure the existing mechanical building, new office space, staff work space, and nurses office. The possible cost evaluation with construction costs of $225 per square foot would be $5,801,429.  The concept drawing is below:

 

 The Primary building renovation and remodel had few options and Option B was more money and space than our board of education felt was acceptable.  Option C cut back the classroom space and some administrative office space, but still enveloped the existing mechanical building, the nurses office was moved to a more central location.  The possible cost evaluation with construction costs of $225 per square foot would be $4,884,479.  Again the board felt the project cost was too high and still felt that existing space in the current building could be used more effectively and they asked the architect and site committee to cut back on the project and submit another option.  The concept drawing is below:

 Option D removed all administrative offices, moved the building farther away and added some itinerate offices that would be needed if space was reallocated in the other parts of the building.  This proposal also took away a large amount of playground space by creating a long hallway with the nurse, technology, OT/PT and school psychologist.  The possible cost evaluation with construction costs of $225 per square foot would be $3,887,871.  The concept drawing is below:

Option E moved the building closer to the existing structure and still allowed for lots of natural sunlight in the existing building.  The classrooms for 1st grade were smaller and the mechanical room was adjacent to the building.  The possible cost evaluation with construction costs of $225 per square foot would be $4,507,752  The board sent it back to the architect with the idea of cutting classrooms to 2 in addition to Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten which utilized more space in the current building.  In addition, the board felt that the project was still too high in cost and asked for the next options to reflect a much lower cost outlook.  The concept drawing is below:

Option F removed additional classroom space, moved the itinerate office space but still kept the classrooms at an appropriate size and balanced office space to have more playground space retained.  This is the smallest of the additions and still meet all of the needs outlined by the board of education.  The possible cost evaluation with construction costs of $225 per square foot would be $3,638,332.  The concept drawing is below:

 

 Option G rearranged the common area space and moved the bathrooms to the outside wall which limited natural light.  The possible cost evaluation with construction costs of $225 per square foot would be $3,844,362.  The concept drawing is below:

Each of these plans was preliminary and allowed the board to discuss what was needed to plan for the short and long term.  It will be an ongoing process to share this information with the community and continue to get feedback.  Financial options will be sought out and brought to the public as the board plans both the physical needs of the district and the financial implications.

Questions about these plans can be directed to Ms. Simpson, Superintendent, at her office located in the elementary/middle school 308.745.0120 or angela.simpson@lcpublic.org.