Ringgold prepares to seek middle school bids
After years of planning and debate, construction of a new middle school will begin this year.
The Ringgold School Board on Wednesday took the final administrative step before seeking bids for the nearly $42.9 million building on the same Carroll Township campus as the high school.
The board approved PlanCon F on Wednesday during its regular monthly meeting.
Planning and Construction Workbook, known as PlanCon, is the multi-step procedure used by school districts to apply for state reimbursement of capital projects.
Applying is the first of 11 steps in PlanCon. Reimbursement does not come until a project reaches Part H.
Matt Franz, vice president of HHSDR Architects, said PlanCon F is the state Department of education’s approval of the construction plans for bidding of the project.
Bids are expected to be advertised Feb. 10 for construction of the new 150,000-square-foot structure.
The first phase of construction on the project will begin in the spring.
After the bids are reviewed by architect HHSDR and the administration, the contract will be awarded, possibly as early as the board’s March 16 meeting.
The project, estimated by the district at $42,887,249, is eligible for $7,821,276 in state reimbursements.
The school is on schedule to open for the first day of class in August 2017.
Donora and Monongahela elementary centers were closed at the end of the 2010-11 school year. At one time, the Ringgold School Board was considering a plan to reopen the buildings and renovate them for use as middle schools.
The board ultimately decided to pursue construction of a new middle school at the Carroll Township site where the high school is located.
The board Wednesday night approved paying the HHSDR $162,718 for architectural services for the middle school project, $14,000 to Massaro CM Services for the pre-construction phase of the project and $990 to The Gateway Engineers Inc, for services related to the preparation of the plans for design of Ram Drive at the middle school.
Meanwhile, construction of a roughly $9 million renovation at Ringgold Elementary School North is at the halfway point.
Classroom additions should be completed next month, Franz said. Improvements in the kitchen area are slated for completion in March.
The entire project, including classroom updates, is slated for completion in August.
The board Wednesday approved the following expenditures for the middle school:
n Yarborough Development Inc., $382,596.93;
n East West Manufacturing and Supply Co. Inc, $66,510;
n Vern’s Electric Inc., $53,140.10;
n Enders Plumbing and Heating Co., $50,860.80.
n Foreman Program and Construction Managers, $19,345.22.