Albion school district eyes $26.7 million capital project

Synthetic turf at football field, host of security improvements, other projects at 3 school buildings and bus garage

File photo by Tom Rivers: The project would replace the 9-inch wide lockers in the high school with ones that are either 12 or 15 inches wide. The lockers are considered too small by many students to fit in a backpack full of books and often clothes for an after-school practice. The district’s declining enrollment means fewer lockers are now needed and could be replaced with ones that are wider.

ALBION — The school district is looking to put a $26,690,000 million capital project before voters on Dec. 14. The project would be 97 percent funded by state aid, and would include improvements at all three schools, the bus garage and synthetic turf at the football field, varsity soccer and softball fields.

The Board of Education on Oct. 4 expects to vote on the project, and finalize the scope of work and the financing. It expects to put the $26,690,000 project before district voters on Dec. 14.

King & King Architects of Syracuse went over the project with the Board of Education on Monday. Kirk Narburgh, King & King CEO, is an Albion graduate and led the presentation from King & King.

If the project is approved by district voters, King & King would work on the design and construction documents for about eight months, with a four-month approval process then expected by the State Education Department. Bidding would be in January-February 2023, according to a timeline present by Narburgh.

Construction would be April 2023 through December 2024, with two summers of construction phased in. The project’s final punch list and close out would be January through March 2025, according to a timeline presented by Narburgh.

The project includes many improvements, but does not include new air conditioning throughout the school buildings, which Narburgh said would be a $10 million expense per building or $30 million total. (Editor’s Note: The original article said air conditioning would be $10 million throughout the three school buildings, but district officials said this morning it would be $10 million per school or $30 million total.)

“It’s been on the list and it will continue to be on the list, but it fell below the priority list,” Narburgh said about district-wide AC.

The project addresses the most critical and prioritized infrastructure issues identified during the 2020 building condition survey and building tours. It addresses safety and security building systems (such as access controls) identified in the Armored One security assessment of all buildings.

It would provide year-round accessibility through the installation of synthetic turf surfaces for the soccer/softball complex and the football stadium.

Mickey Edwards, the district superintendent, said the synthetic fields could be used by gym classes, and also the baseball team, allowing baseball to get outside earlier in the spring for drills when the grass field is often too wet. The synthetic fields also have much less maintenance costs for the district.

“We don’t have to water, fertilize or cut,” Edwards said.

The synthetic fields last about 15 years, Narburgh said.

The capital project also will modify the drop-off area at the middle school to allow more vehicles on the district’s driving lanes. Right now there is often a long line of vehicles in the morning and afternoon that stretches out on Route 31.

The project also meets a district goal of having no additional tax impact on the community, Narburgh said.

A breakdown of the project includes:

Middle School ($9,990,000)

• Security enhancements to include security films, access controls, exterior/interior door replacements/hardware, communication/notification systems
• Refinish gym floor, replace gym HC lift, new wall pads, ceiling and lighting
• Replace auditorium air conditioning
• Provide parallel pool pump and replace hot water heaters and storage tank
• Miscellaneous mechanical upgrades including original building wing unit ventilators
• Integrate carbon monoxide monitoring, upgrade building system controls to digital (from pneumatic) and miscellaneous panel board and switchgear upgrades
• Miscellaneous site work to include parent drop-off loop, renovate playground at east side, and multi-purpose surface at soccer/softball complex

High School ($9,975,000)

• Security enhancements to include security films, access controls, exterior/interior door replacements/hardware, communication/notification systems
• Replace gym floor, resurface folding partitions, replace bleachers, ceiling/lighting, ventilation system and new wall-mounted scoreboards. The main center scoreboard would be removed.
• Renovate locker rooms and replace recessed corridor locker with wider 12-inch (or possibly 15-inch). The current hallway lockers are 9 inches wide.
• Replace hot water heaters, add redundant boiler, and replace heating line
• Integrate CO monitoring, upgrade building system controls to digital (from pneumatic) and miscellaneous panel board and switchgear upgrades
• Miscellaneous site work to include new accessible sidewalks, tennis court reconstruction, and multi-purpose surface at football stadium complex, etc.

Elementary School ($6,025,000)

• Security enhancements to include security films, access controls, exterior/interior door replacements/hardware, communication/notification systems
• Refinish main gym floor and replace folding partitions and divider curtains
• Reconfigure entry vestibule and finish renovations to district office
• Replace some plumbing fixtures that have aged out and domestic cold water/hot water, sanitary and storm piping in 1955 building
• Miscellaneous mechanical upgrades including original building wing unit ventilators
• Integrate CO monitoring, upgrade building system controls to digital (from pneumatic) and miscellaneous panel board and switchgear upgrades
• Miscellaneous site work to include sidewalk replacement, east side loop drop-off loop

Bus Garage ($700,000)

• Security enhancements to include security films, access controls, exterior/interior door replacements/hardware, communication/notification systems
• Replace large overhead doors at 1997 maintenance bay addition
• Replace roof on 1997 maintenance bay addition
• Integrate CO monitoring and miscellaneous panel board upgrades
• Miscellaneous site work to include extension of paving at bus parking and dumpster pad

The district also plans to use $1,995,000 from the State Smart Schools Bond Act of 2014 for a new public address and visual notification system, which includes $780,000 in elementary school, $645,000 in the middle school and $570,000 in the high school.