By David Avitabile
SCHOHARIE - The bids have been awarded and work will begin soon on a major renovation of the Schoharie elementary school.
Construction and break down areas will be installed around September 15, Superintendent David Blanchard told school board members Thursday evening. The project will have a major impact on the elementary school installing a new gym and relocating the cafeteria and library, among other work.
"It's been a long planning process," he added.
A construction meeting was held Friday with the four firms that will be doing the work.
Board members last week approved four bids for the project. The district received four bids for general construction and approved a bid from Murnane Building Contractors for $9.1 million. There were six bids for mechanical work, and board members approved a bid from Crisafulli Mechanical for $1.5 million. There were five bids for the electrical work and board members approved a bid from SW Burke Electric for $1.4 million. The district received five bids for the plumbing work and board members approved a quote from Tri-Valley Plumbing and Heating for $631,000.
Officials were very happy with the bids.
"The bids were extremely favorable," Mr. Blanchard said. The district was able to include all the alternates in the project and have $4 million left for contingencies.
"We're in really good shape to get this project going."
The construction and renovations will be done during the school year. The back parking lot will be a construction area and trailers will be brought in. A "lay down" area will be fenced off between the current gym and the soccer field. The administration parking lot will also be fenced off.
In addition to the new gym, library, and cafeteria, work will also include new locker rooms. The lights for the tennis courts and softball fields will be completed in mid-October.
Overall, the project will completely transform the interior of the elementary school, constructing a new and much larger gym and cafeteria, and a new, relocated library/media center.
Officials are looking for substantial completion of the project by September 2025 and final closeout paperwork on the project sent in to the State Education Department by November 1, 2025.
Parents and students will be informed on what to expect when school starts in September.
When completed, the construction would combine the current "1976" gym and elementary school cafeteria into a much larger gym with a stage at one end, move the cafeteria into the current elementary school library, and move the library to the current "1952" gym. In addition, classrooms will be facelifted and painted, bathrooms will be upgraded and there will be plumbing upgrades in the 1952 wing, Superintendent Blanchard noted.
The $25.9 million project was approved by voters in May 2022. The project does not require any new local taxpayer funds as state aid and the current building reserve will cover the costs.
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