District 95 administrators are taking the final steps toward beginning the construction process of the Brook Park School addition, exploring potential timelines for construction at last Thursday’s school board meeting.
In his first board meeting as superintendent, Thomas Hurlburt presented to the board two alternative timelines for construction at Brook Park that had been designed by the district’s architect firm, FGM Architects Engineers, Inc.
The first, called the “very fast” option, called for the district to begin the site and building designs within the next two weeks, with construction of the addition beginning in October and ending by the beginning of next August. Under this timeline, the addition would be ready for teachers and students to move in by the beginning of the 2007-2008 school year.
The second, “fast” option would delay the site design until August, with the building design not beginning until October. Under this timeline, construction would be pushed back until March of next year, with the addition not being completed and opened to classes until January 2008.
While the first deadlines under the “very fast” option are quickly approaching, the board did not commit to either timeline at the meeting. Rather, they discussed the administrative steps that Hurlburt has been working on putting in place before either can go into effect.
The most important of these, Hurlburt explained, was determining the district’s bonding capability to finance both the Brook Park addition and future renovations planned for S.E. Gross Middle School. In working with a financial adviser for the district, Hurlburt said, they had determined that the district would be able to finance both projects without exceeding its debt service limit.
Other steps include completing 10-year life safety surveys, which Hurlburt said had recently been started for both school buildings, and determining the need for a construction manager for the project.
“We’re getting our ducks in a row now so that we can do either timeline when it comes time to make the decision,” Hurlburt explained. “We’re not committed, but we’re enabled to do either. We want to make sure we’re making the best decision for this district.”