|
Board OKs contracts for facility upgrades |
|
|
Tuesday, 13 May 2008 |
The architect and construction companies hired to handle the Benton School District’s facility improvement projects presented progress reports Monday night after contracts between the companies and the district were approved.
The board approved contracts for Nabholz Construction and Taggart Foster Currence Gray Architects Inc. of North Little Rock during a Benton School Board meeting.
The companies will handle district renovations and additions that are made possible by a 6.5 mill increase approved by voters in March.
Projects include high school expansions and additions; elementary school additions with physical education, music and art classrooms; junior high renovations; a new softball field; junior high band and music additions; four classrooms at the middle school; and doors and frame hinges for Howard Perrin, Ringgold and Caldwell elementary schools.
Other projects include converting two classrooms at Howard Perrin into a cafeteria; roof replacements for Angie Grant and Howard Perrin elementary schools and the high school auditorium; a Benton Arena heating and air conditioning system; canopy-entrance updates at all elementary schools; renovating administration space at Howard Perrin; and new high school and track and soccer fields.
Total construction costs are not to exceed $32,892,950, according to the Nabholz contract.
Compensation for the architect’s basic serves will be 6 percent of the construction cost, according to the architect’s contract. Compensation for additional services will be computed at hourly rates ranging from principal architect at $175 per hour to administrative/ support at $45 per hour.
Architect Jerry Currence said schematic designs for the high school projects should be completed by the end of this month. He noted that schematic designs for the softball field are completed and that all the architectural items should be completed by Aug. 1.
Stan Hobbs of Nabholz provided a timeline for all the projects. He said the softball project is expected to begin the middle of June and should be completed by January 2009.
“At the high school, our priority is asbestos abatement and then tearing down,” Hobbs said. Noting that students can’t be in the buildings when those projects take place, he said two summers will need to be devoted to high school construction.
“Next year is the earliest we can start,” he said.
A tentative completion date for the high school renovations is April 2011, Hobbs said.
The elementary additions will be worked on in a staggering timeline, Hobbs said. The plan is to start those projects in March or April of next year.
The junior high projects should begin in June of next year, he added.
Board members — Judd Hart, Amy Daniel, President Andy Bloxom, Sam Stueart, Paul Childress, Steve Deer and Bill Ford — also approved a resolution authorizing the issuance and delivery of bonds.
Carey Smith of Stephens Inc. presented the resolution. Stephens is the district’s fiscal agent.
The district offered its $28.6 construction bonds on May 1 for public sale. Six bids were received. The bid by Crews and Associates Inc. was accepted at an interest rate of 4.77 percent.
The board approved the proposal for a geotechnical investigation of the proposed softball field press box and bleachers. The estimated cost for Grubbs, Hoskyn, Barton & Wyat Inc. to conduct the investigation will be $3,725. Also approved was a proposal by TME Inc. to establish the electrical master plan for the athletic complex. The cost would not exceed $10,800.
|
Razorbacks
