District 303 board to weigh options for Haines project
With construction bids coming in higher than expected and many project options on the table, St. Charles Unit District 303 officials are now faced with choosing a plan for repurposing the shuttered Haines Middle School.
Discussions over the fate of the building at 305 S. Ninth St. have been ongoing for more than a year, resulting in a proposal that calls for updating the facility and relocating some student programs and district offices there. The park district and library also have signed leases to use portions of the building for their own programming.
But with a vote on contactors and construction costs looming Monday, some school board members remain hesitant to commit to certain aspects of the project.
During a committee meeting last week, administrators said the proposed "bare bones" improvements would include remodeling spaces to accommodate the NorthEast Academy and special education transitions programs, replacing the roof, adding sprinkler systems and completing other upgrades.
The work would cost about $3.8 million, they said, factoring in the demolition of a two-story wing that officials say would not make economic sense to keep.
The district also sought bid "alternates" that could be woven into the project at the discretion of the board. Administrators' recommended combination: all base-level improvements, plus creating a community room, updating offices, adding classrooms to the transitions program area, and razing both the two-story wing and a sixth-grade wing.
Those additional renovations would bring the construction costs up to $4.6 million - roughly $800,000 higher than initial estimates.
Fees, contingencies, furniture and other expenses are likely to add upward of $1 million to the project's total price tag, regardless of which alternates are chosen, said Seth Chapman, assistant superintendent for business services. Payments by the park district and library would cover about $225,000 of construction costs, per their agreements.
Board member Heidi Fairgrieve has advocated for delaying major capital projects until the district completes a long-range facility master plan. The board is expected to vote Monday to hire Wold Architects and Engineers to complete such a study.
Fairgrieve said she would support the improvements necessary to fulfill the district's obligation to the park district and library, but would not approve the administration's recommendation.
"I think it's a significant investment and amount of money that conflicts with the facility master plan we're trying to put in place," she said. "I wish I could see in the future, but I don't know if they'll come back with a recommendation that supports this."
Board President Carolyn Waibel suggested moving forward with the "bare bones" improvements, including the two-story wing demolition, while also adding the construction of two transitions classrooms. The program helps 18- to 22-year-olds with disabilities gain life skills and needs a "permanent home" with more space and accessible transportation, she said.
That plan would bring construction costs to nearly $4 million. The other pieces could then be considered at a later date, Waibel said.
Vice President Nick Manheim, an architect, warned that current bids offer the best value for completing the entire project, with costs likely to rise if the district waits.
"I tend to go with, anything we want to do, we should do now," he said. "I understand the concerns of the board, so I don't want to take that lightly. But I guess from a professional standpoint, I tend to follow the recommended alternates."
The contractor could change depending on the combination of improvements chosen by board members. If they go with the administrators' recommendation, the project will be awarded to The George Sollitt Construction Co. of Wood Dale. The lower-cost options would go to St. Charles-based Schramm Construction.