The Columbia School Board will hold a public meeting on Sept. 4 to allow residents to review a feasibility study on planned renovations at the high school complex. Last week at its committee of the whole meeting, the school board got its first look at the study.
Three options were presented by the architectural firm of Reese, Lower, Patrick and Scott, which are the result of the study. The three options ranged from renovations to the construction of a new high school, with the price tag ranging anywhere from $13 million to $40 million for the construction of a new school.
Erin Hoffman, an architect for Reese, Lower, Patrick and Scott, reviewed the study for the board. The study was done after getting input from the board, administration, staff and faculty at the high school.
The study found that there was a lack of ADA requirements when it came to some of the bathrooms, water fountains and stairwells in the school; the classrooms were sub-standard size; there were seven teachers who did not have permanent classrooms and there was very little storage area.
The study also looked at curriculum issues and found the media center or library to be undersized, there was a lack of computer areas and there was no space for the school’s media production class. The administration area was also addressed, which found a lack of space and a shared conference room.
The study also found the lack of small group instruction areas, as well as a large group area.
There were also changes needed in the cafeteria and gym areas.
“There was needed space in the cafeteria because the serving areas weren’t meeting student needs,” Hoffman said.
In the gym area, there were concerns about the size of the lobby area and the locker rooms, as well as minimal bathroom areas.
“There was also the need to move the Middle School to a different area of the school,” she said.
Other areas addressed in the study were improvements to the lobby, the loading dock and the maintenance areas.
She said the study addressed the top needs after interviewing those involved. They ranged from a lack of storage, the need to increase technology and having a separate Middle School and High School.
Most of the work, Hoffman said would involve the inside of the building.
The first option reviewed by the board was making the current media center/library into the Middle School and adding classrooms in that area. There would be a large group instruction area added, the administrative wing would be reorganized, the art room and nurse’s suite moved. The gym area improvements would include changing the lobby area, additional locker space and adding 350 additional seats.
There would also be changes in the cafeteria and maintenance areas.
That option would cost between $13 and $18 million, depending on the scope of the work and other needs such as heating, ventilating and air conditioning.
Option two would include changes to the media center, the nurse’s area and adding a large group instruction area. It would also make the existing gym into the Middle School area and a new gym, that would seat 1,200 people built.
The cost of that option ranges from $17 to $23 million.
Option three, the worst case scenario, was the construction of a new school, which was all but ruled out.
Also reviewed were the various HVAC options and the various schedules needed to complete the project within 15 months.
If things so as planned according to the study, bids for the project could be awarded by April 2009 and construction started in June 2009 and be completed by the start of the 2010-11 school year.