Locust Valley delays middle/high parking-lot work; facilities director lists this year’s capital upgrades

The Locust Valley Central School District’s director of facilities told the Board of Education Tuesday the district completed a broad set of capital projects during the 2024–25 school year but will delay a planned middle- and high-school parking-lot and bus-loop reconstruction because bids exceeded available funds and the board wants to preserve landscaping and site character.

Eric, the district’s director of facilities, listed completed and ongoing projects and explained why officials postponed the parking-lot work.

Why it matters: The parking-lot and bus-loop project affects traffic, bus staging and the aesthetics of the campus. The district delayed the work after multiple bids returned higher than budgeted and because the project’s scope may need to be spread across summers to avoid disruption.

What was completed this year: Eric reported the district completed the new stadium bleachers and press box, field lighting and a lit pathway; installed tennis turf to replace cracked courts; repaired the middle/high school roof; replaced sidewalks, curbing and asphalt in other locations; renovated the girls’ locker room; epoxied most kitchen floors; upgraded visitor management to new Verkada units; and added air conditioning to elementary cafeterias. In addition, maintenance staff completed more than 375 work orders this school year.

Planned summer work and technical details: Eric outlined major upcoming projects: replacement of a slate roof at Bayville Intermediate (starting June 30, weather permitting) and installation of a new turf field at Bayville Intermediate to replace a poorly drained grass field. The new turf, he said, “will not contain any of the black crumb rubber that you typically see. It’ll be a shorter, napped, sports turf, very similar to a playground turf, which will utilize a shock pad and sand.” The turf will be lined for multiple sports and available for school and community use under the district scheduling process.

Why the parking-lot project was delayed: The board discussed three factors that led to postponement: (1) bids were higher than available budget despite multiple solicitation rounds; (2) the scope likely requires work across two summers to avoid excessive disruption; and (3) concern the planned layout could reduce greenery and campus character.

Board questions and small changes: Trustees asked about dugouts for the new field. Eric said the baseball diamonds were repositioned so two games can be played simultaneously and that “we’re not gonna put in traditional dugouts. They’d be very similar to what they are now. They’ll just be caged dugouts,” though he said coverings or awnings could be considered in the future.

Ongoing infrastructure upgrades: Eric said the district is replacing a 32-year-old gasoline tank at the bus garage, upgrading lockdown and intrusion systems to integrate with the Arcata (card access) system, replacing the aging building-management system at the middle/high school, and adding air-conditioning to the band room. Those projects are in progress and expected to continue into the summer.

Attribution and context: The project list and quotes come from Eric (Director of Facilities). The board did not vote on the parking-lot delay; the facilities report was informational and the board agreed to pause and reassess the scope and budget.

Next steps: The facilities office will rebid and reassess scope and schedule, proceed with slate roof and turf projects this summer, and continue other ongoing upgrades. Trustees asked administration to explore options (such as awnings) for dugout coverings without additional cost where possible.