School building
design under way Design is under way for the $84 million building program for the Beavercreek City Schools and construction will begin as early as this coming fall, according to superintendent Dennis Morrison.
A design firm and construction management firm have been hired and the board of education has approved the first phase of design, Morrison said.
The $84 million project scope will include:
• new 69,360-square-foot elementary school designed for 700 students (site will be east of Trebein Road, north of Hilltop Road);
• new 148,050-square-foot middle school designed for 1,150 students (site consideration is underway)
• renovations to existing middle schools (Ferguson, Ankeney)
• renovations to Beavercreek High School.
The district has established facilities design committees for both the new elementary school and the new middle school, according to Morrison. "The purpose of these committees is gain input from building users so that the architect can incorporate ideas for design issues such as exterior appearance, building layout, traffic patterns and technology," he said.
These committees have identified six major strategies for the building program:
• careful stewardship of taxpayer dollars;
• daylighting, which leads to improved academic performance;
• healthy indoor environment for students and staff;
• lower utility costs;
• schools that are efficiently maintained and serviced;
• school size and scale relates to students.
As the district, architect, and construction management team move forward, all decisions made regarding the building program will support and reflect these six strategies, Morrison said.
At its February meeting, the board of education approved the program of requirements (POR) for the new elementary and middle schools. Developed by architect SHP Leading Design, the POR identifies room counts and square footage for each individual room and department. With this information, SHP Leading Design will now move into the schematic design phase to begin laying out the spatial relationships of the rooms and further conceptualize the design, Morison said..
In addition, the district has been working closely with construction manager Quandel-Danis to develop a renovation plan. The renovations will take place over two phases, with Phase 1 beginning in June 2009, according to Morrison. Although the plan has not been finalized, renovation work will include upgrades at numerous buildings to lower energy costs and provide a better overall learning environment for students and staff such as asbestos abatement, window replacement, boiler repair and new HVAC controls, he said. The first phase will be complete before the start of the 2009-10 school year, and the second phase will begin early 2010, he said.
As the renovation plan is finalized, the district will communicate all planned construction activities to the Beavercreek community, students, parents and staff prior to construction beginning at each individual school. Much of the complex work will be complete during the summer breaks in order to minimize disruption to school operations.
The project team has also developed a tentative schedule for the new facilities. Design will continue over the next year, with input from the Facilities Design Committees. The projects will both go out for bid Spring 2010, and construction is scheduled to begin during Summer 2010. The elementary is currently scheduled for completion by Fall 2011, and the middle school is scheduled for completion by Winter 2012.
Beavercreek City Schools appreciates the community's continued support and looks forward to the start of construction. As the project moves forward, the district's goal will be to design and build functional, cost-effective facilities that provide a safe and productive learning environment, while serving as an asset for the growing needs of the Beavercreek community.
For additional information, please visit http://www.beavercreek.k12.oh.us/construction
