BV to lead off major Westside bond work in 2006
Buena Vista Elementary will be the earliest Westside school to receive extensive building improvements under the 2005-2009
Capital Program.
The school is slated to have $426,000 of work done - including new windows, doors, sanitary system, electrical wiring and components and a chain-link fence all around its perimeter - during the 2006 summer vacation. “We're excited about it,” Principal Brenda Smith said. “We're definitely thankful to the voters.” The Capital Program funding is coming from the $131.7 million buildings bond issue ($16.7 million on the Westside) that received final voter authorization in the November election (after being approved in 2004). Smith said she was especially happy about the fence, which she thinks is highly needed for school security and safety. There is a fence partway around the school now, but “at the back of the campus, people can walk through and out the other side,” she said. “It's not going to look like a prison, but it will cut some of that walking through and make sure the kids are safe.” The work schedule was drawn up by District 11 Facilities officials and approved by a consensus of the Board of Education this month. Other Westside schools designated for improvements next summer are: Ivywild - new sanitary system ($75,000) and heating/vent ilation (HVAC) controller ($30,000) Jackson - new playground asphalt ($10,000) and parking/traffic improvements ($165,000). Pike - new HVAC system ($265,000). Featured Westside school projects under the bond issue will not start occurring until 2007, when air conditioning is installed at Bristol, Jackson, Washington and Holmes; and the interiors of Bristol and Washington are gutted to undo their original open- classroom designs. In 2008, work is to begin on the new Coronado High auditorium, as well as renovations to its science and art departments. Also, Midland Elementary will have air-conditioning installed that summer. With the exception of a new kitchen hood to go in at Buena Vista in 2009, all the Westside work is planned for completion by 2008. The legalities of the bond issue require that 85 percent of the work must be done within the first three years, District 11 Facilities Director Mike Maloney explained. In a document to the school board, Maloney listed several criteria that were used in deciding which school upgrades got the highest priorities. At the top of the list is construction of new schools - elementaries in the northeast and southeast, as well as the new CIVA charter school. (Regarding CIVA, the school's volunteer board is considering three different location options. One would be to purchase the Holland Park Christian Center. Board member Richard Van Scooter said he does not expect the board to make a final decision for a few months.) Priorities for existing schools, those that have unsafe or failing building systems are being addressed first, Maloney said. Other factors include the length of time required to design the work, potential academic disruption, timing with other projects and geographical correctness (to avoid an appearance of favoring one area of the district over another), the document states. Maloney elaborated in an interview this week that the schedule could be changed, although moving any project up the list would mean moving another one down. One school that may benefit from this flexibility is the Bijou (alternative) High School. Maloney described the school's 46-year-old campus at 730 N. Walnut St. as “one of the worst in the district.” However, it is not scheduled to start getting its $709,000 in upgrades until 2008. Maloney said he delayed the work because the district is considering relocating the school to a better site before then. However, if that does not work out, and the work must be done, he said he would “reconsider” the schedule, with the idea of moving Bijou up the list. Here is the current schedule for Westside schools. SUMMER 2006 Buena Vista - branch wiring, $10,000; outlets/switches, $15,000; doors, $12,000; windows, $125,000; HVAC system (controls), $40,000; counters/cabinets, $114,600; hardware, $32,000; sanitary system, $50,000; security fencing, $27,000. Ivywild -HVAC system (controls), $30,000; sanitary system, $75,000. Jackson - playground asphalt, $10,000; parking/traffic Improvements, $165,000. Pike - HVAC system, $215,000; HVAC controls $50,000. SUMMER 2007 Bristol - electrical outlets/switches, $7,500; electrical system (TVSS), $6,000; HVAC system (controls), $68,000; HVAC (kitchen fan), $30,000; carpet, $103,000; air conditioning, $297,000; open-school modifications, $340,000. Buena Vista -TVSS, $3,000; Jackson - branch wiring, $40,000; outlets/switches, $5,000; TVSS, $10,000; smoke detectors, $3,500; HVAC system, $66,000; HVAC system (kitchen hood) $30,000; carpet, $93,000; ceilings, $100,000; chalkboards, $10,000; hardware, $30,000; air conditioning, $226,000. Washington - electrical system (main distribution panel), $50,000; intercom, $22,000; electrical outlets/switches, $7,500; doors, $50,000; windows, $100,000; HVAC system, $146,000; kitchen fan, $30,000; playground repairs (asphalt) $15,000; play equipment, $20,000; air conditioning, $840,000; open-school modifications, $310,000. Holmes - library alarm, $20,000; HVAC system, $1,186,000 (start in March '07); carpet, $120,000; chalkboards, $16,000; lockers, $226,000; windows, $40,000; site asphalt, $17,500; air conditioning, $1,550,000 (start in January '07). Coronado - roof repair/replace, $220,000. SUMMER 2008 Buena Vista - roof repair/replace, $10,000. Howbert - outlets/switches, $7,500; TVSS, $3,000; fire/security system, $40,000; HVAC system (controls), $30,000; counters/cabinets, $80,000; plumbing fixtures, $15,000. Ivywild - doors, $6,000; windows, $200,000; kitchen hood, $30,000; carpet, $162,000; chalkboards, $7,000; counters/cabinets, $83,000; hardware, $30,000; concrete, $58,500. Midland - breakers/fuses, $40,000; intercom, $22,000; outlets/switches, $7,500; doors, $50,000; ramps, $3,000; fire/security system, $37,000; HVAC system, $57,000; chalkboards, $10,000; hardware, $36,000; keying, $6,000; asphalt, $32,000; air conditioning, $616,000; add wall (divide room), $27,000. Pike - intercom, $22,000; outlets/switches, $7,500; electrical system (subpanels) $40,000; doors, $60,000; windows, $175,000; fire/security system, $37,000. Whittier - doors, $27,000; windows, $174,500; HVAC system, $76,000; carpet, $42,000; chalkboards, $35,000; hardware, $36,000. West - HVAC system, $198,000; chalkboards, $16,000; lockers, $41,000; concrete, $25,000; landscaping, $60,000. Coronado - auditorium lights, $80,000; intercom, $40,000; outlets/switches, $59,500; doors, $15,000; library alarm, $20,000; HVAC system, $872,000; chalkboards, $35,000; lockers, $82,000; swim pool piping, $52,000; art room renovation, $225,000; new auditorium, $1,350,000; science area renovation, $901,000. Bijou - main distribution panel, $8,000; outlets/switches, $7,500; furnaces, $6,000; HVAC system (controls) $25,000; kitchen hood, $30,000; chalkboards, $3,000; doors, $15,000; hardware, $25,000; portable buildings, $360,000; roof repair/replace, $54,800; asphalt, $20,000; small auditorium, $100,000. SUMMER 2009 Buena Vista - kitchen hood, $30,000. Completed this year Midland -paint, $35,000; sanitary system, $25,000; new portable building, $500,000. Holmes - roof repair/replace, $330,000 West - fire/security system (pull stations/smoke detectors), $11,000. Westside Pioneer article |