District 303 to spend nearly $4 million to repurpose Haines Middle School

St. Charles Unit District 303 is moving forward with a nearly $4 million construction plan to repurpose the former Haines Middle School.

The school board voted 5-2 this week to approve a set of "bare bones" improvements for the building at 305 S. Ninth St., in addition to tearing down a two-story wing and creating two classrooms in what will soon be designated space for the special education transitions program. The project bids were awarded to St. Charles-based Schramm Construction.

Vice President Nick Manheim said the board "made some good compromises" to balance elected officials' concerns with the administration's more costly recommendation.

"This has been a robust discussion we have had for years," he said, pointing to evaluations and suggestions from district staff members, architects and engineers. "I think we have the information, at this day and time ... to make that decision."

The Haines project will include adding sprinkler systems, replacing the roof, updating infrastructure and remodeling spaces to accommodate transitions students and the NorthEast Academy alternative program. The base-level improvements fulfill the district's agreements with the library and park district, both of which are renting out portions of the building for their own programming.

School board members also chose to proceed with two "alternate" bid options, one of which would add classrooms to the new transitions center. The district has been searching for years for an adequate space to house the program, which helps 18- to 22-year-olds with disabilities gain life skills and attain postsecondary educational and vocational goals, board President Carolyn Waibel said.

"They need an environment better than what they have right now," she said. "I feel very, very strongly about putting student-based needs first, and the needs of this student group are definitely something we need to focus on."

In the second bid alternate, board members decided to raze the two-story wing that they say is too expensive to keep and not feasible to renovate. "It's unfortunately really not a workable piece for us," Waibel said.

The board chose to hold off on several other proposed alternates, such as tearing down the sixth-grade wing, creating a community room and updating office space.

Board members Michael Bryant and Heidi Fairgrieve voted against awarding the bids, saying they don't want to move forward with a major construction project until a long-range facility master plan is completed. The board on Monday unanimously approved hiring Wold Architects and Engineers to complete that analysis of district properties and programs.

"What I struggle with is spending $4 million-plus today, when 18 months from now there will likely be recommendations that are going to require investment that is supportive of whatever our overall comprehensive strategy is," Fairgrieve said.

But the upgrades will ensure the building remains a "usable space," even if a facility master plan suggests it be used differently, board member Ed McNally said. In the meantime, he said, the district will be able to better serve community members and the transitions and NorthEast Academy programs.

"I don't want (those students) to wait another year and a half for us to make a decision when we have done what we can to pare down and cut some of the fat from it so we really have what's necessary for those programs," he said.