As things stand now, the proposed new middle school to replace CF Patton Middle School will cost an estimated $139.5 million. That, according to Director of Facilities James Whitesell.
Whitesell’s comments came during an update of the middle school project during the school board’s January work session. That figure is $19 million more than what was presented after the feasibility study, but roughly $8 million less than after the preliminary schematic design.
Superintendent of Schools Tim Hoffman said, “I’m pleased that we were able to reduce the original cost estimate by around $9 million without sacrificing the identified needs of the new space…and I’m very excited about moving forward with this new project.”
However, he added there are some realities that need to be addressed, and one suggestion is to delay the construction.
“The total cost of the project is over budget by about $19 million, which is a large number. This calls into question our ability to responsibly afford the project on our current timeline without harming the instructional programs, activities, and having the flexibility to innovate and adjust to changing conditions in the long-term,” Hoffman said.
He suggested moving forward, but with “adjusted terms.” Those adjustments include moving the construction date from 2027 to 2031. Hoffman said that aligns better with the district’s values, given that current estimates are significantly over budget.
“Given the current estimates, we’re not able to reasonably able to take on the additional debt,” he said, adding that by delaying construction, the debt from the high school renovation project will drop off. Yet, he acknowledged that future construction will likely cost more.
“This is. hard, but it’s important for the long-term financial health and overall prosperity for the district.”
Overall, however, Hoffman said he’s excited about the design, though current cost estimates exceed the budget of the current timeline. He also said adjusting the timeline allows the district to move forward with a better fiscal plan, and that more information will be available during the March work session.
Other business
The board will be voting next week on several facilities projects. One of those projects is for the HVAC renovation at Unionville Elementary School. The cost for that project is $2.83 million, which is part of the Long-Range Facilities Plan.
There is also a cost proposal for building management system controls for HVAC renovations at UES for a cost of $293,000.
The board will also vote on whether or not to award a 935,870 bid for a rooftop solar array at Unionville High School.
Also scheduled for a vote are construction bids for outdoor learning classrooms at UES and Chadds Ford Elementary School. That contract would cost $699,494.
There will also be a vote for $30,992 for a new projector and controls at the Pocopson Elementary. School gymnasium.
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.
