Story posted Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Dist. 64 Plans '10 Summer Projects
By DWIGHT ESAU Journal & Topics Reporter
The summer of 2010 is going to be one of the busiest, construction-wise, in Park Ridge-Niles School District 64's recent history. The district is not constructing any new buildings or additions, but renovations, remodeling, and modernization activities at all eight of its school buildings next summer will total more than $6 million.
The district now is busy planning how to accomplish more in the 10 weeks of summer next year than in any recent year since Emerson Middle School was built in 1998. Two of the projects involve soundproofing from O'Hare Airport aircraft noise. Other projects involve life safety upgrades at all buildings, and one involves improvements at Jefferson School using federal stimulus money.
* The second phase of soundproofing at Washington School (phase one was done this past summer) will be completed next year at a cost of $2.6 million. This expense will be reimbursed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Chicago Department of Aviation.
* Soundproofing at Roosevelt School will be completed next summer at a cost of about $4 million, also to be reimbursed by the FAA and CDA.
* Extensive life safety work will be done at Lincoln Middle School and at all other school buildings at a total cost of about $200,000. This is a district expense, mandated by state law. These projects involve routine maintenance and upgrade activities such as paving parking lots and driveways, painting, tuckpointing, new carpeting and flooring, and plumbing, electrical, and roof repairs.
* At Jefferson, which houses the district's pre-school programs, the courtyard and lockers will be replaced, and a new gym will be built using $400,000 in federal stimulus funds. A lot of work will be done to improve the district's school properties, at minimal cost to the district.
At the board of education meeting this week, members spent an hour discussing a staff recommendation that they use construction management firms to coordinate these projects. The district has occasionally used construction managers for major projects in recent years, but mostly has used general contractor representatives as coordinators.
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