School board squeezes building sizes to remain within budget
Staff reporter
The pencil point was sharpened a little more Aug. 30 by board members of Marion-Florence USD #408 to make certain the building project stays within budget and meets expectations of patrons.
Architect Greg Tice, project manager with Spangenberg Phillips Architecture, presented plan revisions that would make the project at least closer to the $9,020,000 proposed budget.
"The purpose of the meeting was to make sure the designs and square footage of the building and the desires of the board matched the dollars," said Lee Leiker, superintendent, USD #408.
The goal of the meeting was to reduce the square footage of the two buildings without compromising promises made to constituents.
At the end of the meeting, it was back to the drawing board for the architect and construction management company to hone in on more cuts. No final decisions were made.
The board will review additional options at the board's regular meeting at 7 p.m. Monday.
The bond issue is for $8 million with the school district providing $1 million from capital outlay.
Initial projections fell short of cost estimates, requiring the architect, construction management company, and school district to begin the unpleasant task of cutting costs.
Obvious luxuries were initially eliminated. Fine tuning other options was the next step.
Gym/pool options
The meeting was not a waste of time as board members and the architect determined the gymnasium will be a top-loading gym.
This was one of the major issues Leiker and board members agreed should not be changed. A track around the top perimeter also remains in the plan.
The pool will be eight lanes, as in the original plan, with a modified zero entry area.
Board member Jan Helmer agreed, adding the pool team will be pleased.
The main depth of the pool is 42 inches with the diving area being nine to 10 feet deep.
The bottom of the gym will be the same depth as the deep end of the pool, said Tice.
A viewing area of 90 seats will be included in the pool area.
Marion City Councilman Stacey Collett asked if a solar panel would be used to heat the pool. Tice responded no. A pool cover would save more heat than a solar panel.
The southeast pool doors will be similar to garage doors and will provide cross ventilation. There will be no skylights or other natural lighting from the room.
With the zero entry area being modified, Tice said a splash or spray pad area by the sundeck could be included for younger children, which wouldn't take additional square footage.
Instead of a masonry construction, the gym and auditorium will be steel construction, concrete basement walls, metal studs, steel framing, and metal roofs.
The pool will be a precast concrete structure with metal roof.
Options that can be included to set the gym/pool building apart from others would be a brick and horizontal metal panel on the west side.
Tice agreed to provide cost savings by eliminating a hallway around the pool and locker area, reducing the size of entryway to gym, and reducing windows on north side of gym.
Tod Gordon, Marion Middle School principal and athletic director, commented that Tabor College had skylights in its gym. Halstead had windows but were covered.
"Skylights cost about the same as windows," Tice said, but added there are times when windows without covers can impede activities on the gym floor.
A wellness center has been eliminated from the footprint.
Auditorium options
The set design and changing room areas were reconfigured in the auditorium. Bathrooms will remain in the changing areas for performers to use.
A row of seats were eliminated, leaving 546 seats in the auditorium.
A raised seating area in the balcony could be used for video equipment or special seating.
Originally, the auditorium was to be of a 12-inch masonry construction with a brick veneer. The front will still be masonry.
Exterior light columns will be located in the front of the building on the north side. The back side of the auditorium (west end) will be metal.
The buildings will have the same insulation standards of an R30 with four inches in the roof.
Two or three heating/air conditioning units will be used for the auditorium.
Wrap-up
Following the meeting, Leiker explained that no specific cost estimates like a line item budget have been presented to the district officials or the board.
Hutton Construction of Wichita was hired as the project construction manager. Chris Meeker of the company is a professional estimator and was providing costs to Tice to help make the cuts.
"Greg (Tice) brings ideas to the board, and then goes back to the estimator and they look at it again," Leiker said.
Items that will not be changed, Leiker said, are a top-loading gym, walking track, year-round pool, and auditorium that seats 500 or more.
"We sold the patrons on these items and we'll work within those parameters," Leiker said, without raising taxes.
Leiker said he "applauds" the board for sticking to the original concept.
With a construction management company, the board will review all bids, not just the ones a general contractor wants the board to see. This should provide more competitive bidding, particularly from local contractors.
"This also keeps the board in greater control of the project," he said.
Also, typically the entire project would be bid out at the same time. With a construction manager, the buildings can be bid in stages which should make the bids more competitive yet.
When the footprint is approved, a control budget will be set.
The process is taking longer than anticipated and everyone is eager to get the projects started but the board and Leiker know these decisions will affect patrons for the next 50 or 60 years.
"What's a few more weeks?" Leiker asks.
