GOSHEN — Goshen Community Schools has hired Barton Coe Vilamaa as the architect for its $65 million building project involving three sites.
The school board approved the hire by unanimous vote Tuesday, praising the Fort Wayne-based architect group for its expertise in handling prior projects at the school corporation.
In 2015, the architect group was part of the Design Build Team, along with Anchon Construction, that constructed the last GCS project, that being the Aquatic Center and music addition at Goshen High School, according to Superintendent Diane Woodworth.
Now, the group will be tasked with the school corporation’s most recent voter-approved multimillion-dollar referendum project, which calls for the construction of an intermediate school for Grades 5 and 6, renovations and expansions to the high school as well as renovations to the middle school.
“Since Barton Coe Vilamaa has been a trustworthy partner to GCS, it is our recommendation that you approve them as the architect for the upcoming project that includes building a new intermediate school and an addition to GHS,” Woodworth said.
According to the firm’s proposal, the corporation’s new intermediate school building is anticipated to be about 190,000 square feet, with some portions having two stories.
Site development to support the new building will also be within the project. The anticipated project site is just northwest of the intersection of Greene Road (C.R. 19) and Plymouth Avenue (Ind. 119) in Goshen.
The budgetary estimate for construction hard cost was $38 million.
The GHS project consists of newly constructed additions as well as renovations of existing interior space, the proposal states.
The new additions are anticipated to include potentially 30,000 square feet of new building area, potentially on three stories.
The renovations are expected to affect approximately 20,000 square feet of existing floor space and other related infrastructure improvements in various locations through the building.
Minor site development to support the new additions and renovations will also be within the project.
The total estimate for construction hard cost was quoted at $10 million.
According to the proposal, the GMS project involves renovations of existing interior space at the middle school.
The renovations are anticipated to include approximately 20,000 square feet of existing floor space and other related infrastructure improvements in various locations through the building.
Minor site development to support the renovations or for other reasons related to programming may also be within the project.
The total hard cost for the construction is quoted at $2 million.
Concluding the hard costs for the firm’s proposal is the contingency fund, budgeted at $2 million.
“At this stage in the project, we recommend setting aside additional contingency funds within the hard construction costs to protect the total budget against items like unsuitable soils, unforeseen conditions, inflation and other needs,” the proposal states.
That brings the total budgetary estimate for construction hard costs for the project to $52 million.
Although Tuesday’s proposal outlined the hard costs for the project, it did not include other soft costs such as surveying and utility location fees, soil and material testing fees, hazardous materials assessment and abatement fees, testing and balancing of mechanical system fees, technology testing fees, building commission fees, attorney fees, permitting fees, costs for specifying and purchasing loose equipment costs of financing and fees for code variances.
In addition to the proposed hard costs, the firm is also proposing a fixed fee for architecture and engineering services at $2.66 million.
This fee would allow the firm to program, design, draw, specify, assist with bidding and other traditional construction administration during the project.
Below is a timeline of the construction project schedule as indicated in the proposal:
• Receive and award bids for new intermediate school and GHS renovations in February or March 2019
• Commence construction on the new intermediate and GHS in April 2019
• Substantial completion of the GHS renovation and addition in July 2020
• Receive and award bids for renovations to GMS in February or March 2021
• Commence construction on the renovations to the middle school in June 2021
• Substantial completion of the new intermediate school in June 2021
• Substantial completion of the GMS renovations in September 2021.
(14) comments
As Mark Twain said. “It is easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled.” That sums up the miserable acceptance of what is called education. The corporate fascist imperialists have it pretty well sewed up. Gotta hand it to em.
most commentors here still think milk is $1.00, bread is 20¢, and we should still pay people $2.00 an hour... Progress has cost, and incase you haven't noticed, prices have gone up....It's your opinion kids today are failing.....It's these kids that will one day cure cancer, and invent a flying car...because the older generation failed at that....They got complacent and all they can do now is complain it isn't like the 1950's....pathetic really.
Only a few commentators actually have a brain.
Why do public school systems think they can spend their way to excellence? Because we have allowed them to. Laws need to be changed beyond tax caps as they have all figured ways to get around that. The public school system is broken beyond repair and MUST be dealt with. Taxpayers simply can no longer afford the lavish lifestyle of public school administrators !!
Unlike the ECS project the public voted on this project and the people voted in favor of this spending, which is exactly the way it should have been done. I can't help that the former ECS Superintendent decided to bypass the referendum process. That's a problem for the people of ECS to deal with, and apparently no one has ....yet. By the way, Rick, I'll bet you didn't know that the Legislature changed the funding streams for schools last year and this is why so many school corps. in Indiana are now in crisis mode. There were four school corps. that had referendums on the ballot in May including two of the best AND wealthiest in the state; Avon and Warren Central.
Taxpayers simply can no longer afford the lavish lifestyle of public school administrators !!
That's right, Mr. have a brain and you don't..........let's spend our money on more important things than educating our future leaders.......let's give MILLIONS to corporations that make hundreds of MILLIONS.......it's the American Way !
Ahhhh in keeping with tradition....the spending keeps going up while the quality of education continues to go down. Plenty of room for new grads on the assembly line.
Yea, but just think. Our students are becoming more and more proficient at staring at computer screens and feeling "good" about themselves. Those two things plus more luxurious surroundings and expensive athletic facilities have become what schools strive for.
Luddite thinking.....
Well, you're going to have to talk to the Building Code people that establish and enforce building capacities. Nice try though.
"The quality of education keeps going down." Just what is this comment based on JustFacts?
Pretty sure it’s based on reality. You’d have to be blind not to see the products of public education.
and exactly what are we 'blind' to not see in these 'products'? Please, tell us you are a 'product' of home schooling....
you just dis-proved your 'point'....maybe, JUST MAYBE today's youth are SMART ENOUGH to not jump at a dead end-only benefits the owner's kind of 'job'.....tells me that our kids are SMARTER than us used-up and poor with no insurance 'conservative thinkers'......"I LOVE THE UNEDUCATED!"
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