The State College Area School Board on Monday approved the 60 percent design plans for renovations and new construction at three of the district’s elementary schools.
The vote comes four months after the board approved the 30 percent plans for major renovations and additions at Corl Street and Radio Park elementary schools, and the construction of a new school for Houserville Elementary, which will merge with Lemont Elementary to form a single K-5 school. The board voted in November to move forward with updates for each of the schools, which have not had major renovations since the 1960s.
Since the plans in February, overall costs across the three projects have increased by $3.67 million, mostly the result of a revision of soft-cost estimates for various fees and expenses such as zoning, engineering, utilities, construction management, contingency funds, interior furniture and playground equipment, according to the district.
Ed Poprik, director of physical plant, told the board that the design team expects a competitive bid process that could drive down costs.
The 60 percent design for Corl Street shows a slight increase in total square footage over the 30 percent plans, from 63,710 square feet to 64,101, with three classrooms per grade. About 54,000 square feet will be new construction. Architectural firm Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates’ low-bid estimate for the project is $17.44 million, an increase from the original estimate of $15.92 million. After state reimbursement the total cost to the district would be $16.2 million.
For the Houserville construction, total square footage in the plans has decreased from 76,072 to 71,342, with three classrooms per grade. CRA’s low-bid estimate at the 60 percent phase is $20.63 million, up from $20.2 million at the 30 percent phase. The district stands to receive state grants and reimbursement for the project bringing the estimated district cost to $17.7 million.
The Houserville plans include a proposed parking agreement with College Township, which based on the planned square footage and township ordinance would require 142 parking spaces. The plans for the site include 86 spaces. Under the agreement the district would set aside undeveloped land to meet the legal requirement if needed. The township has reviewed and supports the agreement, according to the district. Two open pieces of land adjacent to the main parking lot are designated to be set aside.
Business Administrator Randy Brown said administrators will start talking in the fall with parents and community members about a new name for the combined Houserville-Lemont school.
At Radio Park, two possibilities are included in the planning. Additions and renovations with three classrooms per grade would result in 80,173 square feet of work, down from 82,510 in the 30 percent plans. An alternate bid with four classrooms per grade would add 8,865 square feet of classroom space to the project total. The estimated cost for the base bid is $21.1 million and $22.58 million for the alternate bid. Grants and projected reimbursements from the state would bring district costs to $18.1 million for base bid or $19.29 million for the alternate.
Classrooms at all three schools are being designed to be about 900 square feet each. CRA architect Jeff Straub told the board that each school includes more storage space than their current facilities, and that the planned gyms and cafeterias for each meet the needs of the schools without driving up costs.
All three schools are expected to be LEED certified.
Prior to the board’s meeting, an Act 34 public hearing was held, which is required by state law for new construction and major addition projects for public schools.
The board is scheduled to vote on 90 percent designs on Aug. 28 and award construction bids on Nov. 13. Construction is expected to begin in January 2018 and be completed in the summer of 2019.
