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District 64 approves field construction and an $11.5 million energy/renovation contract; Emerson renovations draw safety-door questions
Summary
The board awarded field construction contracts not to exceed $4,856,622 and approved an energy performance and renovation contract with Amaresco not to exceed $11,497,200. During discussion on Emerson Middle School renovations, board members raised questions about interior door glazing and potential safety upgrades to windows or impact film.
The Park Ridge Community Consolidated School District 64 Board of Education on March 20 approved awarding construction contracts for district referendum projects, including field work and a comprehensive renovation and energy-performance contract with Amaresco.
For field work, the board approved awarding contracts to the lowest responsive bidders for construction projects at Field in an amount not to exceed $4,856,622. Board members noted the City of Park Ridge had recently cleared zoning approvals, enabling the board to act. The motion carried on a recorded roll-call vote.
Separately, the board approved an energy performance contract and related renovation work with Amaresco, not to exceed $11,497,200. Amaresco representatives Diana Vargas, senior account executive, and Jackson Bodie, project development engineer, presented scope details for Emerson Middle School that included mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire-protection (MEPFP) upgrades, new building automation controls, a new Notifier fire alarm system, interior and exterior LED lighting, boiler replacements, gym cooling, and a complete rekey and lock retrofit to standardize district locks. The presentation also described classroom and lab renovations, added science labs, a testing/conference room, a mothers' room, expanded teachers’ lounge space, new gym drop curtains and replacement athletic mats, and a life-skills suite with a kitchenette and washer/dryer for special education instruction.
During board questions about Emerson, members raised a safety concern about interior classroom doors with large sidelights. Board member Gareth and others asked whether the existing glazed sidelights could be made more resistant to breakage. Amaresco staff and district facilities staff discussed retrofit options, including adding impact-resistant film to glass or replacing glass, and agreed to price options for a districtwide solution and return with estimates. Facilities staff noted the current doors are structurally sound and that exterior vestibules already have protection; they said there is still time to evaluate options before construction ordering deadlines for MEP equipment in May.
A board member publicly thanked the Zoning Board of Appeals and city staff for assistance with parking and other approvals tied to the field project. Both contracts passed by roll-call vote.
The board also directed staff to follow up on door-glazing options and cost estimates to ensure equity across schools if additional protections are added.
