Due to a combination of unanticipated conditions that are causing costs to be higher than originally predicted, we’re considering combining two of the three new elementary schools into one larger school at the Lexington site.
Along with the unprecedented rise of labor and materials costs, geological tests at both the Wallace and Lexington sites have returned soil and ground conditions that require a much more robust foundation in order to meet today’s building standards for public spaces.
Our main goal is to preserve the approved bond projects to the greatest extent possible and deliver the projects on time and on budget. Other priorities include maximizing state assistance and matching funds of $50 million, maintaining small class sizes at the elementary level, and ensuring that space for future enrollment can be preserved.
In light of considerably higher costs, we are looking at the following options:
- Maximize cost savings that can be gained using value engineering (V/E) while being careful to not compromise quality of programs
- Reduce bond program and deliverables to schools and community
- Explore large scale efficiencies to projects to reduce costs, such as combining two schools into one
We are working diligently with Integrus Architecture and FORMA Construction to apply value engineering to the designs, saving costs wherever possible and preserving programs. In addition, the Facilities Improvement Team and Design Advisory Committees are being brought back to re-define the project scope. Recommendations will be brought to the Board in mid-December.