The State College Area School Board on Monday approved the contracts for Crabtree Rohrbaugh & Associates and Massaro Construction Management Services to be consultants for the school district’s updated facilities master plan.
The two firms were selected largely because of their work developing the design and overseeing construction of the State High project. They will guide demographic analysis of the updated facilities plan — which has been accelerated to take advantage of possible state funding — and focus on renovation or construction on three elementary schools.
CRA will receive a lump sum of 5.75 percent of new construction costs or 6.25 percent of renovation costs, as well as $63,000 for work on the master plan update. MCMS contract to manage pre-construction and construction call for payment of $472,000 for one school, $460,000 for a second and $456,200 for a third.
Public meetings to discuss the facilities master plan, each starting at 7 p.m., have been scheduled for:
– May 25 at Corl Street Elementary
– May 31 at Radio Park Elementary
– June 1 at Houserville Elementary
– June 16 at Mount Nittany Middle School
Residents can attend any or all of the meetings. A list of questions and answers about the plan and a place to submit questions will be added to the district’s website.
Business Administrator Randy Brown said the district will know on June 13 if it will receive a Department of Community and Economic Development grant for up to $2 million each for two elementary school projects. Houserville and Radio Park were identified in the application as potential projects because they would cost the most to update and would receive the greatest benefit from the grants, though the district is not bound to those specific projects if other needs are identified.
State High Project
The board approved three State High project change orders totaling $11,500. They included an increased elevator door fire rating that was not previously correctly identified; extending and finishing walls in the new South Building information technology room due to unforeseen conditions that required correction; a maximum credit of $6,500 resulting from the reconfiguration of stormwater piping caused by field conditions.
Ryan Cole of MCMS told the board construction is on schedule. He said that currently concrete foundations are being poured for four classroom pods and underground plumbing and electrical conduits are being installed. Concrete floors are also being poured with vapor barriers to prevent ground moisture from seeping through.
Work this summer includes installing under-slab plumbing and electric; pouring the ground floor slab for pod B; building concrete masonry unit walls for pods A and B; continuing foundation work for pods C and D; preparing for demolition; and beginning utility work behind the South Building.
Memorial Field
The board approved a contract with Weber Murphy Fox for design services for phase 2 of the Memorial Field Project. The firm, which set an initial design fee of $500,000 will design upgrades to locker rooms, spectator restrooms and other facilities. The total project cost is estimated at $13 million
