News
Westhope presents new plans for school additions
Scott Wagar
10/01/2013
Westhope Public School has not seen any additional work completed on its school building since the late 1960s, but the school district could be seeing some new improvement added on to its edifice as early as next year.
“It was around 1967 the last time an addition was built to this structure. Since that time, code deficiencies have come into play, we are not ADA complaint (asbestos, exits, doors, signage, fire control, etc…); we do not have an elevator in the school and our main offices are on the second floor, which is a large security issue of having offices upstairs and we don’t have a door on the main level that is covered by a main office,” said John Gruenberg, superintendent of the Westhope School District.
“The school is also running out of space for its students. Right now we are floating three teachers and sharing classrooms. We have lost three classrooms over increased student enrollment. We have to combine grades for space and our pre-school students use our elementary library and former ITV classroom for their pre-school room.”
“The way the school is laid out, it is not conducive to flow, security, public interest or anything. The additions will take care of all this,” he added.
“Parking at the school building is also difficult,” Gruenberg said. “There is no parking lot any where (on the school grounds) and we take up all the side streets for parking. So, we are going to make more use of our space.”
The Department of Public Instruction also requires a specific amount of square footage in each area of the school building. It was discovered the Westhope’s school building was 20,000 square feet short of the required DPI regulation.
COMMUNITY
Gruenberg added that the rehabilitation of the building is a community venture, too.
“It is a community expansion as well,” he said. “There will be a new community library attached to the south end and a community fitness center on the north end. The library and fitness will be for both the students and community members. So, that is part of it as well.”
The schematic concept consists of four primary additions and two corridors, along with renovation work on 10 existing rooms and one vestibule.
ADDITIONS
On the south side of the building, an addition will be added on that will consist of administrative offices, the new library and a pre-school room, which will all be on the first floor. Just inside the present building on the south side an elevator will be installed, granting the school ADA compatibility.
The addition on the north side of the school will hold the fitness center.
On the east side of the structure the addition will make up two classrooms for the music and vo-ag departments.
On the west side, the new addition will be a kitchen.
Corridor additions will take place at the main entrance on the south side, the east side and a hall next to the new kitchen.
Total square feet for the new additions equal 11,095.
RENOVATIONS
The renovation work that is planned will be to rehabilitate the fourth and fifth grade rooms; the present band room will become a new commons room, which will include a new concessions space; the boiler room where the coal furnace will need to be replaced and a room on the southwest side of the building will become a day care room with outside access to the school’s playground and for drop off and pick-up of the children. Other renovations include a number of bathrooms, an existing corridor which will be attached to the new corridor on the south side and the vestibule that is located on the southeast side of the school building.
Total square feet for the renovation project equal 8,915.
The present kitchen and lunchroom would be turned into classrooms, while one of the classrooms would be turned into ADA restrooms.
On the second floor, the current English room will be moved to the present day library; the administrative offices would become a teachers lounge and ITV room and bathrooms would be constructed where the English room is located.
COST
The estimated cost for the additions and renovation is $4.5 million.
TIMELINE
Gruenberg stated that the school board will vote on the new additions and renovations this month. If passed by the board, the school district will have 60 days to have public forums to discuss the school project before deciding or not if the school district should take the project to a vote for public assistance with the project. If that motion passes an election will take place in December. If the resolution passes in the election, the construction for the project could start as early as next spring.
ICON Architectural Group is conducting the schematic plans for the project.