Final stretch of construction nearing for 12 Lawrence schools

In this file photo from Monday, Sept. 15, 2014, workers do some foundation work on the north side of Cordley Elementary School.

With students just under a month away from deserting their classrooms and hallways, the final stretch of construction is nearing for more than half of the Lawrence school district’s buildings.

Two years after voters approved a $92.5 million bond issue to give all 20 schools a facelift and build a new technical education center, 12 of those projects are expected to be completed by the end of August.

“This summer’s crazy,” Superintendent Rick Doll said.

So far the only school that’s finished is Langston Hughes Elementary, which was largely done with its $2.9 million worth of work in November. It received four new classrooms, expanded office space and a more secure entryway — something every building will also receive.


Cordley Elementary

“Probably Cordley will be the one people are most amazed with,” Doll said, when asked for the most anticipated project.

Students and staff who report to Cordley, built in 1915, have spent the last year at the otherwise unoccupied East Heights Elementary building. Cordley’s interior was gutted and is receiving more classrooms, a separated gym and cafeteria and an expanded library.

The project calls for $7.5 million in construction costs and is still on budget and schedule for its July deadline. All that is left is some interior work (painting, flooring, elevator installation) and landscaping.

“They’ll walk into the building and be amazed at the transformation,” school board president Shannon Kimball said.


Hillcrest Elementary

It’s been years since Hillcrest has had the space to accommodate all of its students. Principal Tammy Becker said the school has used several portable classrooms throughout her 15-year tenure. Soon that will come to an end.

After finishing an addition that included nine classrooms and more office space, Becker said, construction has shifted toward remodeling other rooms and building a new library. Once the $7.2 million in construction is finished in August, Hillcrest can finally ditch the portables.

“The new space is wonderful,” Becker said.


Kennedy Elementary

Kennedy is another school that will be done with portable classrooms once its construction is finished (Schwegler and Sunset Hill are also in the same boat, Doll said). Work has started on 10 new classrooms, while remodeling interiors will come later principal Cris Anderson said.

Construction costs will run to $7.52 million and will finish in January 2016.

“It will be a 21st century environment, where kids can be working in groups and have a lot of different places they can go to be involved in learning,” Anderson said.


Budget overruns

Bids coming in too high have the district re-evaluating the designs for Lawrence High and Deerfield Elementary.

Including construction, architectural and design costs, the district planned for $3.9 million and $3.3 million of improvements for Lawrence High and Deerfield, respectively.

But right now, officials are trying to shrink costs without shrinking the scope of the projects, according to a report by Kyle Hayden, the assistant superintendent of business and operations. Doll blamed the high bids on rising construction costs.

Construction at Deerfield is scheduled to begin in January 2016. The school board on Monday will vote on a partial construction package for Lawrence High that would lead to work beginning in May. The rest of the project would require board approval in November.


Other works in progress

Construction of the new College and Career Center is on schedule for its August debut. The price of the building has gone from an initial $5.7 million to $6.7 million because the district chose to add two more classrooms in July and have them ready by August. The extra million will be paid by the premiums the district earned in its bond sales, Doll said.

Meanwhile, as Cordley staff and students exit the East Heights building, Sunset Hill will move in. The school has $8.32 million in construction costs coming, forcing its people to vacate the building from August through December this year.

Sunset Hill will receive remodeled classrooms, and work has already started on a new parking lot and gym.

Remodeling and classroom additions at Free State High, Quail Run and New York elementary schools are on budget and pace for an August finish.

Minor interior work and construction of safer entrances in all four middle schools is also set to finish in August.


Yet to start

Projects at Broken Arrow, Pinckney, Prairie Park, Schwegler and Sunflower elementary schools are still in the design stages and will be bid in the fall. Construction for those would finish in 2016, while Woodlawn Elementary will soon begin work and also finish this summer.