Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
AKRON - With only a handful of people in attendance, Gary Turner, of R.W. Clinton & Associates Inc., Richmond, an architect, engineer and planning firm, presented three different renovation schematics of Tippecanoe Valley High School Monday.
The meeting was the third and last community meeting on the high school feasibility study.
"We focused on, mainly, initially, on trying to size improvements that were going to be needed from the standpoint of the anticipated enrollment into the future. From there, we added to that particular a list of needs that were identified through discussion with faculty and staff," said Turner.
"And from that last meeting, we outlined, broadly speaking, the range of improvements that our office should look at in terms of additions, renovations of the building. And that's what I'm here to present tonight. Three different ways of looking at how you might make additions, renovations to the building."
In option A, the additions to the high school are east of the current building. The auditorium would be at the northeast corner. The administration office would be approximately doubled and next to a new media center. There would be seven new classrooms, four science labs and two prep rooms. A wrestling room and office would be on the west side of the building.
Renovations would include making the industrial shop room an agriculture and industrial shop room. The current agriculture room would become an art studio. An English room and the food labs would be a clothing lab, while the current media center would become a suite for special education. An area by the gym would be renovated to concession storage.
The total cost for option A would be approximately $15,120,912.
The auditorium would cost $2.86 million, while the classrooms would be an estimated $1.617 million of the total cost.
"It's a very conservative space program for the auditorium," said Turner, "and not out of the ordinary."
Option B would have most of the additions to the south of the high school, including a new media center, eight classrooms, four science labs, two preps and a mechanical room. The 22,000-square-foot auditorium would be at the northwest corner of the building. The wrestling room and office would be in the same location as option A.
The renovations for options B and C are similar to option A.
Costs for option B would total an approximate estimated cost of $14,040,287.
Last, option C would be similar to option B, except the auditorium would be at the southwest corner of the building, connecting all the additions. The renovations are the same as the previous option.
Option C would cost an estimated $14,275,515.
For all three options, there would be 19,865 square feet where no work would be done on the building.
A financing option also was presented to the small crowd. The information is based on a current interest rate for Indiana school bonds, using a maximum term of 25 years, and on the 2000 net assessed value of property in the school district of $89,581,745, with an annual growth rate of 1 percent. The financing options were prepared by Steven A. Meno, vice president, Banc One Capital Markets Inc.
With a total cost for option A, the estimated annual lease payment would be approximately $1.2 million with an estimated debt service tax rate increase of $1.12.
Option B, with a total cost of $14,040,287, would have an approximate estimated annual lease payment of $1.11 million and an estimated debt service tax rate increase of $1.03.
Option C, with a total cost of $14,275,515, would have an estimated annual lease payment of $1.13 million and an estimated debt service tax rate increase of $1.05.
Turner said the total cost and financing options were not the suggested budget. He said it's just the total they came up with based on the needs and wants and the community can delete any parts of the project they see fit.
Forrest Kampter questioned the need for spending approximately $3 million for an auditorium that "will sit empty 95 percent of the time."
Leslie Andrews said there were two gyms and a lot is done for sports, but more is needed to be done for students who aren't in sports but are in other activities, such as band or drama.
According to Turner, the auditorium would be big enough to seat 800, but 600 would be adequate.
Bruce Andrews asked Turner if much time was spent by the architects at incorporating other facilities in the corporation, instead of building additions or renovations.
Turner said he didn't really look at that. He also said he didn't understand the idea of busing students to and from classes. He said it was far more expensive to renovate classes at Burket Elementary to accommodate the high school than to do the work at Tippecanoe Valley High School.
TVHS Principal Charlie Mills said there really was no program at the high school that could separate itself from the school.
At the June 10 Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. Board of Trustees meeting, Turner said he will present all the information to the board.
