Durango bond update: Miller project nearing certification; elevator delay could last into September

Jacobs program staff updated the Durango Board of Education on Aug. 19 about progress across the district’s bond projects, saying most work is on schedule but a handful of contractor-supplied parts and site issues are delaying final closeouts.

Key points - Miller renovation: Jacobs’ team said the Miller project’s first construction review is trending positively and that staff “don’t have any concerns” about securing CHIPS verification after a second round of testing and a final submission. The project team said some items remain in contingency that could be used to pursue additional points if needed. - Bond commitments and contingency: the presentation showed the bond program near full commitment; managers said the district’s reported committed total will rise next month following a large contract the board approved earlier in August. Remaining contingency was described as roughly 4–5% of the program and likely to shrink to about 2–3% after the upcoming contract commitments—roughly in the low millions of dollars. - Elevator at Durango High School: one elevator car required newly fabricated parts two days before inspection; Jacobs told the board the operator is being replaced and new parts were being fabricated and rushed to the site. Worst-case schedule given to the board was a Sept. 12 finish, though managers said they expect an earlier completion if the vendor meets its delivery commitments. A single elevator outage is restricting access to the library area; some classes have been temporarily relocated. - Miller site work: managers reported irrigation-pressure problems and weed issues after hydroseeding; they said irrigation repairs are imminent and plantings are expected within two to three weeks after repairs. For the new football scoreboard, a vendor backed out of foundation work two weeks before installation; the team said it engaged an engineer, obtained stamped drawings and is pricing excavation and foundation work to resume installation. - Other projects: secure vestibules and roofing packages are substantially complete; HVAC upgrades at Riverview and Escalante are wrapping up and entering testing/commissioning; Big Picture High School renovation has permits and construction is starting with a spring completion on the contractor schedule.

Why it matters: the bond program includes multiple active school renovations and system upgrades that affect student access, building safety and fall operations. The elevator outage is a site-specific operational impact; irrigation and landscaping delays affect outdoor spaces and athletics scheduling.

District direction and next steps: Jacobs said they have pressed vendors for overtime and deliveries to shorten the elevator outage. They will provide a status update later this week on the elevator and irrigation timelines. Program managers said they will apply remaining contingency funds strategically for any final scope needs and will provide an updated committed-total figure in the next monthly packet.

No formal votes tied to construction were taken at the Aug. 19 presentation; the board had previously approved the large contract referenced in an earlier meeting.