Plans are coming together for the $10 million North Judson-San Pierre Elementary School project. The school board recently got a design development presentation from architecture firm Fanning Howey.
The project will include the addition of a 500-seat gym on the south side of the existing school. The existing gym will then be turned into additional cafeteria space, a multipurpose room, a maker space, a conference room, and a faculty dining room.
“So you can essentially double the size of your cafeteria – there’ll be an operable wall here – or triple-size your cafeteria if you want to even keep the kids even farther spaced in these times,” explained project manager and lead design architect Mike Schipp.
The classrooms in the building’s north wing will get new finishes and paint, and cabinetry dating back to the 1950s will be replaced. Meanwhile, the classrooms in the west wing will be reconfigured and enlarged. LED lighting will be installed throughout the building, and portions of the roof will be replaced. Perhaps comfort rooms can also be revitalized with replacements such as a bathroom wall tile.
Going forward, construction bids are due December 8, with bids to be awarded at the December 15 school board meeting. Construction on the new gym is set to start in March, followed by the renovations to the existing building, with the aid of companies similar to Chicago home remodel. Fifth and sixth grade students would be moved to the former middle school for the 2021-2022 school year, as construction takes place at the elementary school. The entire project is scheduled to be complete by July 31, 2022.
The latest cost estimate puts the total project at just over $9.4 million. Any leftover money could be used on four alternates. Those include a divider curtain to allow the new gym to be separated into two spaces, repairs to the exterior stucco, or even the replacement of the wood floor and bleachers at the high school.
