Winchester School Board talks building renovations
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By JESSICA BROWN
The Winchester School Board held its regular meeting on October 15th. After roll call and other agenda items were taken care of, Performance Contracting group Varegy presented the Board with a Feasibility Report for the Winchester High School renovation project. That group also handled the renovations of Winchester Grade School just under a decade ago.
A recap was given to the Board concerning the updates that had been done to the WGS, including asbestos abatement, boiler and mechanical piping, the installation of a Geothermal Heat Pump System and the modification of the electrical service to provide for the addition of a new HVAC and technological needs in classrooms.
Using what the group refers to as Energy Conservation Measure or ECM Recommendations, Board members learned about several projects that will be proposed to achieve the recommended renovations.
Replace the HVAC System:
-install 4 pipe hot water/chilled water system OR geothermal system
-remove existing boiler system
-remove existing hvac units in classrooms and exposed piping
-new ventilators in classrooms, including auditorium
-new electrical feeds
-new electrical service
-patching and painting
Renovation of the school kitchen/cafeteria:
-Demolition of existing walls, asbestos removal, new ceilings, LED light panel, new doors
Renovation of the Home Ec room:
-Install new cabinetry, asbestos removal, new exhaust hoods, LED light panels, new paint
Renovate Lower Level Locker Rooms:
-demo existing stalls, fixtures
-modify bathroom to convert to ADA
-new Plumbing
-Epoxy Floors
-exhaust fans
-new paint
-new partitions
New Concession Stand/Visiting Team Locker /Rooms/Public Bathroom
-demo existing brick and roof
-install beams in existing locker rooms to provide storage
-install new concession stand, locker rooms and bathrooms
-extend plumbing supply/drain system
-modify drive for extended building
Renovate Interior Bathrooms to ADA Compliance/ Replace HS/Water Softener Systems
-creation of Teachers’ Lounge bathroom
-ADA conversion of girls and boys’ bathrooms on 1st floor
-replace existing domestic hot water system
-add water softener for building and HVAC water
Install New Interior Elevator
– general demolition to accommodate the construction of elevator lift
– construction and installation of elevator lift area
-new chair lift installation (if vote is for both chair lift and elevator installation combined)
Replace All Windows in the Building
-replace all windows with dual pane, low-E, thermally broken new frames
Superintendent Kevin Blankenship commented that none of the projects had been prioritized as of yet, adding that he and the Board will come to a decision regarding that in the near future. “All of these projects are subject to be covered by funding the district has under the Health, Life and Safety provision,” he said. The caveat there is that completion of all of the projects proposed will total nearly $12 million dollars and the Health, Life and Safety fund only contains $7 million. “We will have to ask for a referendum on the April ballot,” Blankenship said.
That means only a few projects can be completed before the certainty of that additional funding is secured. Those will be what is prioritized as most urgent, he said. Blankenship commented that according to survey results about the cost to taxpayers collected earlier in the year showed the most support being for $10 million to fund renovations. “That’s about one third of what new construction would have been at $36 million,” he said.
