North Judson-San Pierre’s proposed elementary school renovations drew no comments during a public hearing Tuesday, according to Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin. “We will be having upgrades and enhancements to plumbing, water units, roofs, windows, modernization of classrooms, those sort of projects,” Zupin explains.
One major proposed change is the addition of a new gym. “The current gym is small and it’s old, the bleachers are, and our cafeteria dining space is too small,” Zupin says. “So what we believe we’ll be doing is expanding the cafeteria into the old gym and repurposing some of that gym area. And the only new construction that we believe we would be doing in this project is a new gym.”
The estimated cost of the work is $9,963,000, according to information presented Tuesday by architecture firm Fanning Howey. Just over $8.3 million of that would be construction costs, while the rest would be soft costs.
Zupin stresses that the project will not affect the school district’s tax rate. “We’re going to keep our debt payment the same, and we’re going to use Fanning Howey, like we did with the junior/senior high project,” she says. “That went very well, so we’re hoping to mirror that whole process.”
Those who missed Tuesday’s hearing and presentation will have another chance to weigh in on the project next week. The second public hearing will be held next Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the North Judson-San Pierre Central Office. The school board will then consider a list of resolutions related to the bond process.
