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New plans get addition under $20.1M
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · September 22, 2016
At a Sept. 7 work session, members of the West Branch Board of Education grew frustrated trying to find ways to pare back to $20 million plans to build additions at two schools.
The numbers stood closer to $25 million, yet none of their “What about this …?” questions, pitched by video call to Struxture Architects’ Jesse Lizer, produced significant cuts, even when added together.
However, Lizer took another shot at the drawings, considering the boards questions and priorities, and showed the board on Sept. 12 an idea with construction costs closer to their goal. The new estimate: under $20.1 million.
Some highlights:
• eliminating the second-floor classrooms. The school board liked the idea as far as saving money, though they want the ground-floor classrooms built to later accept a second level.
The addition and current building had been designed for a total of 26 classrooms and five science laboratories. Lizer’s suggestion removes five or six classrooms and one or two labs.
Lizer noted that this also eliminates the expanse of building stairs and an elevator.
• Swapping the proposed classroom wing for the proposed auditorium. This means combining the two commons areas — the one set aside for middle school pupils and the one for high school students — into one, reducing square footage.
Lizer said this would put the proposed commons closer to the new gymnasium, which the school district hopes to eventually turn into a competition gym.
Lizer said that with these two major changes, as well as some smaller, related changes, the plan reduces about 2,000 square feet, and about $4 million from the total cost.
The school board also wants to upgrade the mechanical heating and air-conditioning system — a cost of more than $700,000 — which is included in that $20.1 million total, Lizer said.
“This is definitely a doable target,” he said.
The end result means “fewer wide-open spaces,” in place of “smaller group zones,” the architect said.
Lizer said the trend for school libraries is fewer books and more technology, and “media centers” tend to include “more social room” and the creation of “book rooms.”
Board member Jodi Yeggy said she would be interested to hear feedback on these changes from the School Improvement Advisory Committee.
Superintendent Kevin Hatfield said he hopes to present new drawings by Sept. 26.
With that done, the school district can estimate the necessary property tax rate to cover the cost of the bond issue, assuming voters pass the bond referendum.
Board President Mike Colbert referred to some negative comments on Facebook regarding the plan, but board member Mike Owen said the comments come from one or two “usual suspects who don’t like anything we do.”
“We’ve been looking at this for years,” Owen said. “We’re listening (to the public) … and we’ll continue listening to the community and hope we’re all on the same page when it eventually comes to a vote.”
Colbert wants to get the main pieces of the project in place for the public, then work on the details later.
“We’ve got one shot in 20 years to make our walls and roof right,” he said.
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