Committee recommends plan for high school facility

The high school study committee recommended a ?remodel and add-on? phased construction project for Fairfield High School during a presentation to the school board Monday night.

Committee co-chairmen Troy Seeley and Jennifer Anderson outlined the group?s recommendation for the board.

They explained the master facility plan, devised by Bill Lawrence and Brian Buttery of Shive-Hattery Architects and Engineers, is divided into a four-phased approach to allow the district to complete the project in a cost effective manner while minimizing disruption of the school day and avoiding the need to move classrooms off-site.

If completed as a single project, the work, in 2009 dollars, would cost $48.5 million. Breaking it into phases would result in costs of $23.6 million for Phase I, $22.5 million for Phase II, and $6.95 million for Phase III.

Anderson pointed out the individual phases could be combined or the district could complete Phase I and decide not to continue with any additional phases.

?If after Phase I, nothing else can be completed, we?ll have classrooms,? said Anderson.

Having adequate classrooms to meet the needs of a 21st Century education was the committee?s top priority.

During a pre-project preparation phase, site boundary and topographic surveys of the high school site would be done. A geotechnical engineering service would conduct soil boring exploraitons and well tests relative to the construction and a geothermal heating and cooling system.

The pre-project preparation also would include establishing a bond campaign committee in September to prepare for and present the master plan to the communty in a ond referendum in December.

In Phase I, the old bookroom building behind the high school would be demolished. A new 102,700 square foot addition would be constructed to the west and north of the existing auditorium. The addition would include classrooms for language arts, foreign languages, social studies, math, science special needs and ICN, plus a media center with two computer labs. Support spaces for central receiving, storage and mechanical/electrical equipment rooms also would be provided.

The northwest stairwell adjacent to the auditorium and part of the existing four levels of the 1938 building would be demolished to allow for a firewall. Two new code-compliant enclosed stairwells would be built.

A food preparation area would be built, and the existing kitchen would be converted to a food servery area, which will expand the seating capacity of the cafeteria. Having the additional space available will be a factor in allowing the school to become a ?closed campus.?

The auditorium, band room and vocal music rooms would be remodeled to bring them into compliance with accessibility and energy code requirements.

Phase I also would include site improvements, including a bus transfer queuing area, parent pick-up and drop-off area, and parking for students, faculty and visitors.

For the complete article, see the Tuesday, May 12, 2009, Fairfield Ledger.