Trinity moving ahead with $72.3 million school projects
Faced with rising construction costs, Trinity Area School Board voted Wednesday to move ahead with school construction projects totaling $72.3 million.
Among the projects are construction of a new intermediate school – which will be built as an addition to Trinity Middle School – and renovations to the middle school. The district also is moving forward with an improvement project at Trinity West Elementary School at an estimated cost of $1.8 million.
The construction and renovation projects will cost an estimated $8 million to $10 million more than the project costs originally approved by the school board in November 2021.
In all, the projects are estimated to total $72,331,369, with the middle school renovation and intermediate school addition now estimated to cost $70,522,569.
Before the special voting meeting, the district held a public hearing, where Daniel Engen, president of the architectural and design firm DRAW Collective, pointed to factors that led to the increased costs.
The most significant, he said, are substantial increases in material costs since the fall and increase in labor costs.
“Essentially, it’s very simple. In our current environment, it’s all material and labor escalation that we’ve gotten sucked into, unfortunately, since November, when original numbers were set for the project,” said Engen.
Engen said his firm has attempted to control the cost overrun by reducing the square footage of the new intermediate school building, reducing the amount of space to be renovated, removing scope items, and simplifying design elements and materials.
“And still, here we are today with challenges on the cost,” said Engen.
Superintendent Dr. Michael Lucas said he was disappointed but not surprised about the cost escalations, and is comfortable with the architectural firm’s and the district’s efforts to address rising costs.
“To know that we will move forward by cutting out the extraneous without sacrificing improvements makes me feel comfortable with the district’s decision to build, and excited for Trinity Area School District’s future,” said Lucas.
At the meeting, the board awarded the following contracts for the middle school additions and construction project:
General Construction: Rycon Construction Inc. in the amount of $42,065,000;
HVAC Construction: Renick Brothers Construction Co., $7,439,000;
Plumbing Construction: Shipley Plumbing LLC, $2,876,863;
Electrical Construction: A-1 Electric Inc., $6,387,945.
It also awarded a $1,808,800 general construction contract to Stone Mile Group LLC for the Trinity West project, which includes minor parking lot upgrades and the construction of five tennis courts.
The middle school project’s soft costs are estimated at $11.7 million.
Two residents who spoke during the public meeting questioned the district’s decision to undertake the projects in today’s financial climate.
Lucas said Thursday that the projects are an important step in providing students with a quality education.
The school district “has expanded significantly” over the last five years, and students’ learning, social, and emotional needs have become increasingly more complex.
Additionally, the district’s special education population has skyrocketed. Between 2018 and 2022, the district has found space for three preschools, eight emotional support classrooms, four autistic support classrooms, three classrooms for English language learners, and 10 career programs. It has added two guidance counselors, four licensed therapists, five social workers, and six police officers.
Trinity Middle School was built in the 1970s, and Lucas said its outdated infrastructure “doesn’t always accommodate such additions.”
The district has resorted to renovating storage closets and teachers’ work areas to provide additional instructional space, and combined classrooms and required teachers to share space.
“Teachers have conducted classes on stages and in cafeterias, hallways, and even unrenovated storage rooms. While we are thrilled with the community’s growth and incredibly grateful for the additional personnel, we recognize that, to do our best for students, we must address the issues of overcrowding and the old infrastructure,” said Lucas.
Lucas also said the construction and renovation is necessary to prepare for a projected influx of students in the school district.
“Our goal as educators is always to provide students with a quality, 21st-century education in a safe environment that invests in teaching and learning,” said Lucas. “This project will help us meet this goal.”