With a June 16 vote planned, Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board directors received a recommendation to retain Breslin Architects to design a new middle school. If the board votes to give Breslin the design contract, the actual design phase will begin in July.
The school board will also vote on a budget for the next school year at the June 16 meeting.
Director of Facilities James Whitesel made the recommendation during the June 9 work session. It came roughly three months after the board voted to request bids from six architectural firms and after a bid evaluation team reviewed proposals.
Breslin’s proposal calls for them being paid 4.6 percent of the final construction cost estimate, Whitesel said, adding there are “supplemental services for various design elements on a not-to-exceed time and material basis,” and that some of those supplementals will likely be used.
He also said the 4.6 percent was better than the limit set in the budget for the project, which was 6 percent. However, using the supplementals will bring the design fee to more than 5 percent.
Director Raski Akki, who chairs the Facilities Committee and was part of the evaluation team, said it was a fun and informative process. The team had the opportunity to visit buildings that the different firms had already built.
Of the top three firms, those the team interviewed, she said, “All of them were fantastic, but of course, Breslin was head and above.”
The cost of the project is still estimated to be about $120 million, but there have been no construction bids yet. That won’t happen until after the design phase is completed. But the board must first award the design bid during the June 16 meeting
Once that’s done, the anticipated remaining timeline is to officially award the design contract this June. The design phase is expected to go until July 2027, followed by awarding a construction bid in August 2027. Construction is expected to take about three years, with the new school opening in August of 2030.
Other business
Several other facility concerns will be coming up for a vote. The district wants a new roof for various sections of Unionville High School. Whitesel said the current roof was installed 14 years ago with a 15-year warranty, but leaks are starting to occur. The recommendation is to offer the work to Garland/DBS, Inc. at a cost of $1,787,938.
“While the warranty is covering repair work for these leaks, it will expire in 2026. This award will install a new 25-year roof system and warranty. It will also help support the installation of new solar panels,” he said, adding that the work is budgeted in the Long-Range Facilities Plan.
Roofing work is wanted for Hillendale Elementary School. The estimated cost is $241,750 for a metal roof to cover the older copper pyramid roof over the LGI. Garland is also recommended for this project.
The district is also looking for six new 82-passenger, diesel-powered school buses. One of them would have a wheelchair lift unit. They would be purchased from Wolfington at a total cost of $1,019,437.
The board will also consider buying a robotic floor cleaner for Patton Middle School at a cost of $64,800, and two combi ovens for Pocopson and Unionville Elementary schools at a cost of $81,590. Whitesel said the current ovens are 20 years old and have reached the end of their usefulness.
Also, up for a vote next week is the2025-2026 school budget. Director of Finance Joe Deady said the budget under consideration is the same as the proposed final budget agreed upon in May, with revenues of $108.3 million and expenditures of $108.4 million. Millage rates are 33.91 mils for Chester County property owners and 19.24 mils for property owners in Chadds Ford Township.
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
