Board approves expanded Measure E work at Mountain View, holds Los Altos to smaller scope

The Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District Board of Trustees voted May 19 to move forward on an expanded Measure E gym modernization at Mountain View High School and to limit work at Los Altos High School to a smaller original-scope package.

Trustees approved a motion to authorize design work for Mountain View items 1 through 14 (with two items removed) and Los Altos items 1 through 5 (original scope only), after staff said the pair of projects together are currently estimated at $31 million in construction and soft costs and could be started concurrently in mid-2026.

Board members said the decision balanced equity between campuses and the practical limits of renovating an older building. Superintendent Eric Volta and project staff told the board the district has about $43.8 million available today to apply to remaining Measure E projects, including roughly $7.9 million in remaining local bond funds plus about $35.9 million already received from the state School Facility Program (SFP). If the board proceeds with both gym projects at the current estimate, staff said roughly $12.8 million would remain for other projects; staff also noted the district has approximately $27 million in potential future SFP eligibility that has not yet been awarded.

The board heard a detailed presentation from district construction staff and the architect team (QKA) covering scope options for both gyms. Options discussed included new lobbies, improved ticketing and storage, HVAC and ADA upgrades, replacement/added bleachers, new hoops and electrical/lighting improvements, acoustical panels and AV upgrades. Staff said adding bleachers at either gym would not allow either facility to seat the full student body (about 2,200), and some proposed bleacher additions were dropped after site committees judged the benefit limited.

Trustee Catherine moved the winning motion that directed staff to advance Mountain View's expanded scope (items 1'14 with two items removed on the motion) and Los Altos's original-scope items 1'5 only; the motion was seconded by student trustee Alex and passed unanimously, 5-0. The motion text recorded on the transcript: "I make a motion that we do the list, Mountain View 1 through 14 minus 13, which you already took out and 9, which you already took out. And we do Los Altos 1 through 5 of original scope only." (moved by Catherine; seconded by Alex).

District staff said the current timetable anticipates schematic design finishing in the coming months, agency approval and construction documents to follow, and a projected move-in in fall 2027 if the projects proceed on the current schedule. Staff cautioned that doing the two gyms sequentially instead of concurrently could raise the second project's cost by 5% to 10 percent. The board discussed but removed a planned Los Altos lobby expansion (about $1.365 million construction cost cited by staff, before soft costs) to preserve funds for future, larger modernization work at that vintage building.

The district's construction manager also reminded the board that some work'such as restroom ADA upgrades and certain HVAC or code-driven replacements'may be required even under a smaller scope. Trustees asked staff to return refined budgets and to proceed with the site committee design process under the approved direction.

The vote concluded the presentation and gives staff direction to continue design and cost refinement for Mountain View's expanded scope and the smaller Los Altos package.

The board did not take separate action on other Measure E items during the meeting.