Bartlett High athletic complex work to begin later this fall
Construction on a roughly $1.5 million project involving the first phase of the Bartlett High School Activities Complex is expected to start soon and be completed by August, officials said.
The Elgin Area School District U-46 school board last week reviewed bids for the project, which largely will be funded through more than $900,000 in donations and up to $700,000 from the district through tax revenues and loans. The low bid was submitted by Aurora-based L.J. Morse Construction Co. for $1,577,700.
The first phase of construction includes installing bleachers seating 1,500 people, a press box and stadium lighting, said U-46 Chief Operations Officer Jeff King.
"This has been in the works for a while with an extreme amount of help from the booster club and the administrators at the school raising the money they have to put toward this project," King said. "The district also (paid) for the design piece of it, and we will be contributing an additional $600,000 or $700,000."
The district's contribution will be split between operations and maintenance fund revenues and debt certificates to be issued later, he added.
"It's really to get the first phase of the project off the ground so we can get started before winter," King said.
Bartlett High School Booster Club past president and project chairman George Kantzavelos said the group will present the district with a check for $925,000 in the coming weeks.
Money was raised largely through donations, including $500,000 from food products distributor Greco and Sons Inc., and Cheese Merchants of America, both owned by Bartlett business owner Eddie Greco. A donation of $100,000 came from the Bednarke family, owners of Brooke Graphics in Elk Grove Village. Their children attend Bartlett High. Other businesses donated more than $180,000, and the remainder came from fundraising, Kantzavelos said.
The booster club has raised funds for more than five years to build the complex at the 20-year-old school so its students would no longer have to share facilities with Streamwood High School. Bartlett students have competed at Millennium Field since 1997.
Initial cost estimates exceeded $5 million, but plans were scaled back. A $50,000 scoreboard was installed last fall, partly funded through a $25,000 donation from the Bartlett Rotary Club.
The second phase of the project involves building the complex entrance, concession stands and visitors' stands. A third phase could involve installing new turf for the field.
"We don't intend to stop here," Kantzavelos said. "Our fundraising efforts will continue until all phases of the project are complete."
To support the booster club, visit bhsboosters.org.