Update on Construction from Gary Jantz

Here is an complete update from Gary Jantz, Asst Supt for Business on everything that has been happening with construction projects district wide:

The air conditioning of Lindley Hall is pretty much completed. This project involved replacing and insulating the ceiling and adding air conditioning to the gym and upgrading the heating and air conditioning in the locker rooms. This project had a construction cost of just over $360,000.

The addition of 6 classrooms to Northridge is well underway. The addition is enclosed, heating and air installed and much of the sheet rock and wiring installed. Estimated completion date is early December. The plan is to move 3rd and 4th graders into those classrooms at semester. The Northridge addition construction cost is around $1.2 million which is about $100,000 under budget.

The extension of Boyd Avenue is being done with bond proceeds and City funds. The extension of Boyd was necessary to provide access to the new agriculture and woods technolgy building to be built north of the high school. The district share of the cost will be around $500,000.

Bids were approved for the Santa Fe and Educational Technology Center additions and renovations last Monday. The low bid was submitted by Walz Harman Huffman Construction at a total cost of $2,822,000. This is the same contractor that did the renovations to Santa Fe in the last bond election. This project involves the addition of 6 classrooms and other renovations at Santa Fe and the addition of 6,000 sq ft to the ETC along with interior renovation of existing space. The bulk of this project will be completed about a year from now with some interior remodeling in Santa Fe in the summer of 2010. This project also includes replacement of windows in Lindley Hall. The bid came in about $500,000 under budget.

Bids are currently being sought for the new agriculture & woods technology building and additions and renovations to Brooks Trades Center and the Auto Technology building. Those projects are estimated to cost $6-7 million. A pre-bid conference is scheduled for October 1 with bid opening on October 15. The project is estimated to be completed by the start of the 2009-10 school year.

Design of the additions and renovations to the main high school building is underway. This includes the addition of a new media center, offices, conference space and an exterior entrance to Ravenscroft gymnasium. The existing media center and vo ag shop will be renovated into classrooms. A grant is being sought to include a distance learning lab in the new media center. Budget for these projects is $6-7 million. Construction is scheduled to start next spring.

Design is also underway for additions and renovations to Chisholm Middle School. Plans are to add 7 classrooms, conference room, locker rooms and gymnasium. If budget allows, a wrestling and weight room may also be added. Additional parking and drive access are also planned. The project is scheduled to bid late this year with construction to start in 2009. The budget for this project is about $4.7 million.

Planning for additions to Cooper Early Education Center will begin late this year with construction to start in the summer of 2009.

Gary Jantz
Asst Supt for Business Services

Northridge Construction Continues...

Construction at Northridge has progressed nicely and the exterior brick work is now completely done and workers are installing canopies above the classroom doors and windows. All plumbing and ductwork has been installed and some of the drywall is up. The AC units are in place on the roof and ready to run, which will help dry out the interior before the drywall work (taping, plastering and painting) can proceed.

Work at Santa Fe's Lindley Hall is almost finished. The AC units are up and running and were very much appreciated during the volleyball scrimage last weekend.

Opening bids for Santa Fe and the Education Technology Center addition and remodeling projects will be held this Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 1:30pm. Bids are expected to go out in about 3 weeks for the NHS addition, the Brooks Trade Center and the Automotive Technology building. The floor plans for Chisholm Middle School are finalized and bids will go out by November 21.

Thanks to a grant, the Walton Rural Life Center will be building a barn this fall. It will be a 30x40 metal building and will hopefully be completed in the next few months to help keep the animals warm this winter!