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Bond design teams show Sumner addition, Central and Argentine middle school plans; Sumner bid expected this fall
Summary
Hollis & Miller presented updates on bond projects: a five-classroom, ICC‑500-rated addition and new weight room at Sumner Academy; schematic design for Central Middle School on a new site; and programming work for Argentine. The board heard timelines and that Sumner bids could return in November.
Bond program consultants Hollis & Miller updated the board Aug. 26 on three bond projects: a Sumner Academy classroom addition, and new Central and Argentine middle schools.
Sumner Academy: Megan Barnes and project leads presented a plan to replace mobile classrooms with a five-classroom addition on the building’s northeast corner, add a roughly 1,700-square-foot weight room (more than double current space) and reconfigure underused media-center areas into classrooms. The firm said the addition will be an ICC 500 rated storm shelter (precast concrete) and will improve dock access; removing the mobiles will yield a net gain of about 12 parking spaces. The design uses durable materials and student input on color and finishes. The design team said administrative review with the Unified Government Landmarks Commission is underway because the building is in a historic district. The firm expects to complete documents, bid the project in September and bring bids to the board in November with the goal of starting construction in spring.
Central Middle School: Consultants presented a site concept northwest of the current Central school (near Riverview and 11th–12th) of roughly 10 acres with a terraced two-story building, separated bus and car loops, internal courtyard and flexible commons/performance space. Programming recommends stacked grade levels (6th on lower level, 7th–8th upstairs) with six core classrooms per grade, two science rooms, shared flex classroom and resource/ESOL rooms, producing an initial capacity of about 859 students with a future-addition master plan to increase capacity if needed. Consultants said they are moving into design development and will provide pricing information in coming months.
Argentine Middle School: Programming for Argentine was completed in tandem with Central; the schedule is staggered due to site constraints, with schematic design underway and completion planned later than Central. Consultants said Argentine's current enrollment is smaller and design allows optional phased additions.
Why this matters: The bond projects will replace aging facilities and add classroom and athletic spaces; decisions will affect construction schedules, neighborhood traffic and program locations. Board members asked the team to expand community and alumni engagement, ensure gym size meets program needs and confirm that historic rooms or commemorative materials at Sumner are preserved or displayed.
Ending: The consultants will return with pricing, refined schedules and additional community-engagement results. Sumner bids are expected by November, with Central and Argentine documents and schedules advancing through the fall and early winter.
