Levy approvals fund Washington school construction

A bevy of school levies passed across the state, and that's not only good news for students but also for the construction and design industries.

Voters approved $4.66 billion in maintenance and operations levies, along with $507 million in bond issues and $816 million in capital projects.

Four districts failed to pass bond issues totaling of $351 million, most of that in the Lake Washington ($234 million) and Marysville ($78 million) districts.

Here are some of the larger levies:

Seattle

The state's largest district, Seattle Public Schools, had the largest capital levy that passed - $270 million. About $140.5 million has been earmarked for building improvements, with the rest going to technology and academic enhancements.

Nearly $50 million will be used to repair and reopen five elementary schools to meet growing enrollment. Those projects are: $15 million for McDonald, $11 million for Viewlands, $7.5 million for Old Hay, $7.4 million for Rainier View and $7 million for Sand Point.

A breakdown of building improvements includes: $27.7 million for energy efficiency and green projects at six schools; $18 million for preventive maintenance and painting; $15.5 million for fire suppression and/or ADA and life safety improvements; $13.4 million for HVAC systems at seven buildings; $13.2 million for seismic improvements to three schools; $10.7 million for roof replacements and earthquake safety at 11 schools; $4 million to replace waterlines in 13 buildings; $849,000 to upgrade electrical systems at four schools; $303,000 to replace windows and upgrade exterior walls at four schools; and $100,000 to improve the communications and security system at Roosevelt High School.

Shoreline

Shoreline School District voters passed a $150 million bond measure that will fund replacements for Shorewood and Shorecrest high schools. Another $35 million is expected in matching funds from the state, according to Deputy Superintendent Marsha Harris.

Harris said the 50-year-old schools mostly will be replaced, but the theater at Shorecrest will be saved and modified. She said they plan to seek bids for general contractors for both schools in mid-2011. Both are expected to be finished in the fall of 2013.

Bassetti Architects is designing Shorewood and Integrus Architecture is designing Shorecrest.

Northshore

The Northshore School District got a $149.2 million bond measure that will cover the second phase of construction at Woodinville High School and the third phase of the Kenmore Junior High replacement project.

About $72 million allocated to Woodinville High will be used to construct a three-story building with 49 classrooms and a new theater. Cornerstone General Contractors is the general contractor/construction manager and Studio Meng Strazzara is the architect. Construction will begin this spring and finish in the fall of 2012.

NAC Architecture is designing the $25 million Kenmore Junior High project, which includes 16 general education and science classrooms plus music, shop and technology areas. The cafeteria and kitchen will be replaced. The district expects to open bids for a contractor in the spring of 2011 and have the project finished in the fall of 2013.

The remaining $52 million will be used for districtwide upgrades to HVAC systems, carpets, roofs, play fields, running tracks and tennis courts. Other projects will include indoor air improvements, seismic bracing and upgrades to technology infrastructure, such as voice and data networks. About $4 million will fund an update to Pop Keeney Stadium.

Tacoma

Three big projects make up the bulk of Tacoma Public School's $140.4 million capital levy. They are a $51 million replacement of Baker Middle School and a $48 million replacement of Hunt Middle School. The third project is a $25 million renovation of Washington-Hoyt Elementary School.

The remaining funds will be used for upgrades to various schools, such as new roofs and carpeting.

The district will seek a contractor for Baker in June and construction will finish in January of 2012. Work on Hunt will start in June of 2013 and finish in January of 2015. BLRB Architects is designing Baker. McGranahan Architects is designing Hunt.

Pete Wall, director of planning and construction, said work on athletic and play fields will continue through the spring after students move into the renovated Baker and Hunt schools.

At Washington-Hoyt, which consists of two buildings, only the brick portion (Washington) will be renovated. The construction timeline is June of 2015 to September of 2016. No architect has been selected.

Clover Park

Three big projects also head up the list at Clover Park School District, where voters passed a $92 million bond. Topping the list is the new $48 million Hudtloff Middle School. The district plans to put $38 million from the bond into that project and get the rest from state matching funds.

Kim Prentice, director of community relations, said the new Hudtloff will be built on the same site as the existing school. She said there is no schedule, but officials expect to have one in about a week.

Another $19 million of bond money, plus $7 million in state matching funds, will be spent on a new elementary school. A site has not been identified, but the new school would consolidate kids from Oakwood and Southgate elementary schools, according to Prentice. No construction schedule has been set.

The third project involves a partnership with Clover Park Technical College for a new $42 million Harris Preparatory Academy. Prentice said the academy serves grades six through 12 in a cramped former elementary school. About $7 million in state matching funds are expected. Prentice said no schedule has been set.

Lake Washington

Even though a $234 million capital bond measure failed in the Lake Washington School District, voters passed an $83 million capital levy.

Kathryn Reith, the district's director of communications, said the $83 million will be roughly split between facilities and technology improvements. She said that will include major systems replacements and some smaller remodeling projects, such as new roofs, lighting and energy management controls, flooring, heating systems, ADA improvements and upgraded fire sprinklers.

The improvements will be spread among 45 buildings and won't get under way until 2011.

Reith said the failed bond would have funded a modernization to Juanita High School, two new elementary schools, additions to two high schools and expansion of a choice school.

Cheney

Voters in the Cheney School District approved a $79 million capital construction bond.

Superintendent Lawrence Keller said about $37 million will be used to replace Cheney Middle School and a similar amount will fund a second middle school in the district.

Keller said they are selecting a project manager for both and NAC Architecture will design them. He said both projects will likely be bid separately in early March of 2011. Construction would be finished in the fall of 2012.

Keller said the district hopes to get $18 million in state matching funds, which would allow it to open a new elementary school in 2013. Construction on that could begin in the spring of 2012.

Bellevue

Bellevue schools are getting $74 million from a five-year capital levy.

Jack McLeod, director of facilities and information technology, said about half of the total will go to technology upgrades, such as new computers, servers and fiber-optic networks.

About $2 million of new funds will be spent on Ringdall Middle School, which is being upgraded to serve as a temporary school while other schools are rebuilt or replaced. The district is spending about $8 million on the remodel, with most of the cost funded by a previous levy.

Tenant improvements designed by NAC Architecture and built by Cornerstone General Contractors are expected to be finished in June. McLeod said play field improvements, funded by the recent levy, will be built in the future.

About $8 million has been set aside for the transportation facility, which is in need of a new roof diaphragm, additional bus maintenance bays and improvements in fire/life safety systems. McLeod said they haven't set a schedule for that work and the scope could change.

Another $3.5 million to $4 million will be used to replace synthetic turf and rubber tracks at four high schools. Other funds will be used on districtwide maintenance projects, such as new roofs, floors and mechanical systems.

Everett

Hal Beumel, construction director for Everett Public Schools, said voters approved a $48 million capital levy that includes $11.2 million for building repairs and infrastructure upgrades. The work won't start until the summer of 2011 and will take a number of years. It will include energy management system upgrades, HVAC upgrades, roofing upgrades, painting and wood floor refinishing at a number of schools.

Beumel said the remaining $36.8 million will be used for technology upgrades.

Here are some of the other significant capital project levies approved by voters:

$38.55 million for Issaquah

$25.26 million for Olympia

$24.5 million for Mercer Island

$20 million for Kent

$20 million for Mukilteo

$11 million for Tahoma

$9.9 million for Snoqualmie Valley

Other larger bond measures that passed included $17 million in the Meridan (Whatcom County) and $15.65 million in the Medical Lake school districts.

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Information from: Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce, http://www.djc.com/