Board wants plan to improve Mars Middle School
ADAMS TWP — Mars Middle School will turn 50 years old in 2019, having undergone renovations twice in its life span.
As education has changed so have the needs of educators and students, making the 50-year-old building off Three Degree Road less accommodating. To address that issue board members this week voted to instruct district administrators to explore a major renovation plan that would break ground in 2019.
According to Dayle Ferguson, board president, a facility study completed in 2015 indicated the school was in need of many repairs and upgrades. Earlier this month the board was presented two options by Thomas & Williamson: Program Management for how to best pursue that work.
Under the first plan, the footprint of the existing building would remain unchanged, with updates made to the exterior and HVAC system. The academic spaces would be modernized to bring more natural light into classrooms, and three classrooms would be converted into an open learning commons. The total cost of that project is estimated to be $12 million to $15 million.
These renovations would occur while school is in session, forcing a phased construction schedule and temporary accommodations for some classrooms. According to Ferguson, those disruptions would be potentially harmful.
“It would make it difficult to hold class,” she said this week.
The second proposal would see the construction of a three-story tower in the parking area adjacent to the existing main entrance. Once that phase of work is completed, students would move in, allowing for the southern portion of the existing building to be demolished. The rest of the building would be renovated, including upgrades to the exterior, academic spaces and HVAC system.
A new main entrance would be built facing Route 228, resulting in traffic patterns being redrawn. The plan would also expand and relocate parking, though it would result in the elimination of parking near the district's athletic fields.
The second proposal also contains an option for a 1,700-seat gymnasium to be added following the completion of the main project.
This plan, which Ferguson called a “combo option,” would cost an estimated $22 million, $3 million of which is budgeted for the gymnasium. Ferguson said this amount exceeds the district's budget for the project, which would require financing.
“The concept may be doable, but that range in pricing is not going to be achievable,” she said.
During Tuesday's board meeting, Ferguson asked board members for their opinions on the two options, with a majority choosing a variation of the second option. However, they agreed a lower cost should be sought.
“Maybe we don't do so many bells and whistles,” said Rebecca Brown, board vice president.
Ferguson said the $22 million estimate did not differentiate between needs and wants, and could be adjusted during the course of the planning.
'The goal here is functionality and flexibility, not fancy,” she said. “We want something that will last and serve us for many years.”
Additionally, she said while the initial scope of work called for bids to be received in summer of 2019 and the project breaking ground that fall, moving those dates forward could help secure more competitive prices.
“Having been involved in a number of construction projects over the years, it is fairly well understood that it is best to bid ... in the first quarter,” she said.
The board unanimously voted to direct Superintendent Wes Shipley to seek a design that would align closely with the second proposal, while also keeping the overall costs at $15 million to $18 million and being bid in January 2019. Ferguson said the gymnasium addition could be sought later at the board's discretion.
Additionally, board member William Pettigrew asked that the district extend an offer to Thomas & Williamson to spearhead the project at a rate of no more than 2.5 percent of the contract. If the company agrees to the terms, the project can be further expedited, he said.
“It has to be a really big team effort,” he said.
