Top Stories

HUNTSVILLE — The current estimate for a new school at Robbins is in excess of $7.4 million, while renovations and/or new construction at Burchfield is also expected to be in the millions of dollars.

Architect Neal Richardson of Upland Design, Inc., in Crossville, met with the Scott County Board of Education at the Central Office in Huntsville Thursday afternoon, to finalize plans for a new school at Robbins, and to discuss the scope of work needed at Burchfield Elementary.

A new pre-K through 8th grade school at Robbins and demolishing existing buildings at the site is estimated to cost just over $7.4 million.

That figure was arrived at by multiplying the planned square footage (56,049) by $120 per square foot construction costs, plus a 5% fee for the architect, and a contingency fund estimated at $350,000.

That cost projection does not include the funds which would be needed to extend Hughett Lane into the new school site, nor does it include money for “loose equipment and furniture,” Richardson told the board.

Although using the “footprint” of the Winfield School as a guide, Richardson said his preliminary plan for Robbins “has a lot of similarities, but is very different, too.”

And it’s approximately 6,000 square feet largers than the Winfield school, he added later.

Using an aerial photo in lieu of an actual survey of the site, Richardson began his presentation before the board by showing how a new building could fit on the newly-acquired property on the north side of the existing campus, and explained how the new facilities could be built while school remained in session.

“Big issues,” he said, would be leaving space for access to the kitchen (for deliveries), and allowing buses in and out of school property to pick up and drop off students.

The first step in his proposed plan would be to extend Hughett Lane into the construction site.

“Who pays for it? I can’t tell you,” Richardson said, pointing out that it was needed “to access the new property.”

Phase I of the project, constructing the new facilities at Robbins, would take 10 to 12 months to complete. He said if the project were begun immediately, it would take about four months for the design, documents, funding and bidding process. Construction could then start as early February or March of 2009 — and then would be complete by March of the following year, Richardson said.

“As soon as school is out, we would remove the old buildings and complete the site work. We would put up fences . . . while construction is underway during the school year,” Richardson said.

Phase II, razing the remaining buildings and finishing up one of the two classroom wings planned for the facility, would take about three months to complete.

“Your best scenario is to complete the project by the fall of 2010?” asked Director of Schools Sharon Wilson.

“That’s a realistic time line,” Richardson responded.

Using a preliminary floor plan drawing, Richardson pointed out the features of the proposed new Robbins School. Administration offices are off the front entrance with the built-in security of office personnel being able to see who is entering the building and prevent access to classroom wings if the need should arise.

He showed the board how the public could be given access areas like the gym, library, multi-purpose room and cafeteria, without being able to enter the classroom wings.

As the discussion on the proposed school facility continued, Richardson pointed out separate “loops” for buses and private vehicles to control the flow of traffic; the creation of new, expanded public parking for school events; and, using his pointer, did a virtual “walk-through” of the two classroom wings.

Richardson said the plans call for a Pre-K through 4th grade wing, and a separate 5th grade through 8th grade wing, which could be reconfigured to best fit the needs of the school. He described the academic areas as “simple wings” which additional classroom space could be added for future growth.

Planned are a science lab and computer lab in each wing, and a total of 20 classrooms. As drawn, this plan could accommodate 500 students, he pointed out.

Principal Marva Robbins, who had reviewed the proposed floor plan with her staff earlier, expressed concerns about the lack of a speech therapy room and support services; the need for a working science lab as well as a science presentation area; classroom and office space for special education teachers and students; and expressed an interest in having outside access from each classroom in both academic wings.

“We will make the revisions requested in the preliminary design and get back to you for your review,” Richardson said, adding that he felt there was “a meeting of the minds” on the big issues, and only details remained to be ironed out.

Discussion on the needs of Burchfield Elementary began 45 minutes into the meeting, with Richardson unveiling an aerial photo of the present school site and “guessing” at the school property boundaries.

He said that there were areas where a cafeteria, gym and additional classrooms could be added, but his main concern was having to build new facilities while school was in session.

“It’s going to be tough,” he said.

Richardson told the board that he needed to know what was in each classroom, and to sort out what the present needs of the school are.

He then pointed out that the county would get “more building for dollars in new construction” than through additions and renovations.

That launched a round-table discussion about the feasibility of constructing a new facility on or near the present site, and making one building a Pre-K through 4th or 5th grade school, and the other a middle school.

Board member Vivian Smith brought up the fact that one school would not have a gym, while Director Wilson cautioned board members to consider “future costs” such as maintenance, transportation and separate administration needs, and “other costs we don’t think about.”

Her biggest concern, she stated, is how best to alleviate the overcrowded conditions at the school.

Long-time educator and Central Office staffer Duane Limburg pointed out that there was a tract on the east side of the present school running from Third Street to the vocational school which might possibly be as large as five acres.

Richardson stated that if five acres could be added to the site it was possible to make the expansion project work, and to plan ahead for potential growth.

He asked the board to work with personnel at the school to update what’s really needed. Board member Smith said that those details could best be determined by a committee made up of Board member Rodney West, Director Wilson and Principal Randy Shelton.

Richardson asked whether or not the recent increase in enrollment is expected to continue.

Shelton said in the 20 years he’s been at Burchfield, there have been two additions, both of which were too small the day they were completed. He stated that in March 2007 there were 396 students at the school. “Today it’s 557.”

West pointed out that a plan also should be made to deal with the traffic problem at the school.

As the discussion wound down, Wilson said she wanted “the two projects [Robbins and Burchfield] simultaneous funded” and that she wanted to make sure “we are adequately serving our students.

“I can’t emphasize enough the need for expansion . . . we’re quickly coming to the point where we cannot accommodate more,” she said.