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Board members see renovation designs |
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Tuesday, 12 August 2008 |
District has $33 million in upgrades
The architect and construction company hired to handle the Benton School District’s facility improvement projects presented schematic designs to board members on Monday.
The companies will handle district renovations and additions financed 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 building 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 Howard Perrin classrooms into a cafeteria; a roof replacements for Angie Grant and Howard Perrin elementary schools and the high school auditorium; and a Benton Arena heating and air conditioning system.
Also, a canopy-entrance updates at all elementary schools; renovating administration space at Howard Perrin; and new high school and track and soccer fields.
Construction costs are not to exceed $32,892,950, according to Nabholz Construction, which along with Taggart Foster Currence Gray Architects Inc. of North Little Rock is under contract with Benton School District. The district approved contracts with both firms in May.
On Monday, Jerry Currence, vice president of the architectural firm, presented a schematic design on the multipurpose buildings at the elementary schools. He said the designs are similar to multipurpose buildings at several Bryant elementary schools.
School board president Andy Bloxom reminded board members that they would be voting to approve “just the basic schematic design” and that final renderings would be presented at a later date.
Currence said the multipurpose buildings would be separated from the elementary buildings, but many, if not all, would have covered walkways between the buildings.
He also said he believes the acoustics of the structure will be such that students inside the classrooms of the multipurpose building will not be able to hear what is happening on the gymnasium side.
Currence talked about how the plans would affect each elementary school individually including possibly having to remove a wooden pavilion and basketball courts at Ringgold.
The schematic design for the middle school includes adding four classrooms. Currence said the original plan was to add the rooms to the back of the school, but now the plan is to add them to the front left wing.
“That back area just created too many issues,” Currence explained. “We also found that moving to the new area opens up an area to expand in the future.”
Currence said that the designs will make the new classrooms appear that they have “always been there.”
The board unanimously approved the schematic designs.
In other business, Stan Hobbs, vice president of Nabholz, said bids for the softball field project will be advertised on Sept. 4. He said originally the plan was to have bids go out before Labor Day, but moved this to after Labor Day. Hobbs said he hopes to have the project complete by January 2009.
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