It will be August 2020 before students and teachers move into the new elementary school that will replace Colonial Elementary, Botetourt Economic Development Director Ken McFayden said after last Thursday’s Economic Development Authority (EDA) meeting.
At that meeting, the EDA approved a contract with Spectrum Design PC to do the architectural and engineering (A&E) work for the new school that’s planned on Murray Drive in Blue Ridge. Spectrum Design will handle the design and engineering for the building only.
Engineering Concepts Inc. (ECI) is contracted to do the engineering for the mass grading for the new school and the two will coordinate on the project going forward. ECI will handle the site utilities, recreation fields, site lighting, landscaping, parking/circulation and site amenities.
County Administrator Gary Larrowe said it will be a while before grading starts for the new school. He said there have been some delays because buildings on the almost 27 acres the county acquired earlier this year had asbestos in them.
New county Capital Projects Manager Jim Whitten has solicited bids for demolishing those buildings. Whitten was also introduced to the EDA members at last week’s meeting. Working out of the county Development Office, Whitten is overseeing construction of the new school.
Under the A&E contract, Spectrum Design will provide a building design that includes construction bid alternatives for a school for 480 students (the base bid), one for 540 students and one for 600 students.
The school design will include up to 26 classrooms that accommodate 22 to 24 students, a music room, art studio, gifted classroom, elementary-size gymnasium with seating, cafetorium, administrative suite, resource area (media center), teacher workrooms and storage along with several support areas for the various programs.
The design will have four classrooms for each grade kindergarten through fifth with two pre-kindergarten classrooms, along with the ability to add onto the school.
According to the A&E contract, construction documents have to be complete by November 1, bidding receipts by December 1 and construction awarded by January 14, 2019 with construction to begin on January 15.
The substantial completion date is June 1, 2020 and building occupancy on August 1, 2020.
The Botetourt Board of Supervisors approved a $22.5 million bond issue earlier this year to pay for the new school.
The EDA met in closed session to discuss two other items— the acquisition or disposal of real property for economic development purposes, and about prospective businesses or industries or the expansion of existing businesses or industries.
There was no action in open session on those two items.
