Danville board approves New Atlantic for Forest Hills renovation under construction-manager-at-risk delivery

Danville Public Schools on Thursday approved proceeding with New Atlantic Construction for preconstruction work on the Forest Hills Elementary School renovation under a construction-manager-at-risk (CMAR) delivery method.

Mr. Lucas, a school staff member presenting the item, told the board the district had run a competitive process and shortlisted four firms. "At that point, I will be back here around Thanksgiving to, notify the board of what the final contract pricing will be. And then we're looking at starting construction in January of next year," he said.

The decision lets New Atlantic begin the preconstruction phase, during which the firm and the district will refine drawings, perform constructability reviews and negotiate a guaranteed maximum price (GMP). District staff said the GMP negotiation is expected around Thanksgiving and construction is tentatively scheduled to start in January, with a target completion in May 2028.

Why it matters: Forest Hills is a renovation and additions project on a constrained site, where unknown conditions are common. The CMAR approach brings a contractor onto the design team early to reduce change orders and manage subcontract bidding once documents are finalized.

Board members and presenters described the procurement process. The solicitation, listed in the agenda as RFP 2425-528 Seymour, produced a shortlist of four firms after proposals and interviews; the committee used a rubric-based evaluation and re-interviewed the finalists. Mr. Lucas said the committee selected the firm it judged "best suitable for our needs to proceed with the contract."

Yancey Powers, the project architect, told the board the design documents had been completed and submitted to state and local permitting agencies and that comments had been addressed. "The documents have been filed with the state, and the documents have been filed with local permitting agencies. They have been reviewed, and comments have been addressed," Powers said.

District staff and contractors described the CMAR workflow: once on board, the contractor conducts a detailed review of completed drawings, identifies ambiguities, and leads the competitive bidding of subcontract packages that will inform the GMP. Presenters said the project will issue roughly 30 bid packages, each expected to draw multiple subcontractor bids.

New Atlantic representatives described the approach as standard for tight, renovation-heavy projects. Dwayne Rick Straw, introduced as New Atlantic's project director, told the board: "The construction manager at risk... you're not able to ask for what our price is during that process. You say, I'm gonna pick the best person to join our team upfront and then negotiate on a price."

Concerns and next steps: Several board members asked for more transparency about the interview rubric and selection scoring. Miss Walker, a school board member, asked about the factors that led the committee to choose New Atlantic; other members requested a future work session on the CMAR process and asked that the district provide any documentation it can legally share. The superintendent's staff committed to a work session before the final price is presented.

The motion to proceed with New Atlantic for preconstruction was made by Miss Walker and seconded by Dr. Silverman. The roll call vote recorded six yes votes and one no: Miss Averett — yes; Mr. Payne — no; Miss Cunningham — yes; Miss Walker — yes; Dr. Williams — yes; Dr. Silverman — yes; Mr. Graves — yes. The motion carried.

Other project notes recounted to the board included a recently acquired property that will expand playground space and allow different construction entrances; district staff also said a relocated house will be moved to the George Washington High School campus and over time converted for use in a life-skills instructional program for students who require that course.

Board members and district staff emphasized that the GMP will be negotiated in the preconstruction phase and returned to the board for approval before the construction contract is finalized. The district said subcontract bids will be publicly opened and reviewed during the GMP development.

The board asked district staff to present the CMAR process and the committee's interview documentation in a work session before the district returns with final pricing and a construction contract for approval.