Board approves John Jay, Clark fine‑arts schematic and Oliver Wendell Holmes construction contracts
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Summary
Trustees approved a guaranteed maximum price amendment for John Jay work, selected a construction manager at risk for an Oliver Wendell Holmes renovation, and approved schematic design and a long‑range master plan for Clark High School fine‑arts replacement.
The Northside Board of Trustees approved three facilities recommendations tied to the 2022 bond program and advanced a long‑range campus master plan for Tom C. Clark High School.
On an amendment presented by district facilities staff, the board approved Amendment No. 1 — a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for initial site and “make‑ready” work at John Jay High School’s SEA project. Facilities staff said Amendment No. 1 covers site demolition, temporary bus loops and utility relocations and recommended the contract to begin work this summer.
Trustees next approved a construction manager‑at‑risk selection for a renovation at Oliver Wendell Holmes (cafeteria/kitchen and athletic replacement). The district’s evaluation committee interviewed firms and recommended the selected firm; staff said the contract and fees were reviewed by accounting.
The board then considered the Clark High School fine‑arts project. Alamo Architects presented a schematic design for a new fine‑arts facility on the Clark campus: a roughly 900‑seat auditorium, two band halls, choir and orchestra rooms, art classrooms arranged around an art patio, a black‑box theater and a vertical connection that includes an elevator to accommodate significant grade changes on the site. The design replaces the existing building B fine‑arts spaces with a new facility sited lower on the hillside and adds roughly 340 parking spaces, security fencing and a bus canopy; the project design team said the auditorium lobby could double as an art gallery and that exterior materials would be brick and metal accents.
Trustees also approved a multi‑phase master plan for Clark High School that lays out a potential 10‑to‑15‑year sequence of projects to bring campus spaces in line with district design standards. The master plan proposes converting the existing auditorium and adjacent spaces to a modern cafeteria and culinary suite, relocating CTE and special‑education classrooms to consolidated facilities, and ultimately replacing the gymnasium and relocating the library to activate the campus courtyard.
Votes at a glance: - Amendment No. 1 — John Jay High School GMP (make‑ready/site work): approved (motion moved and seconded; roll call not recorded in transcript). Outcome: approved. - Construction manager‑at‑risk award for Oliver Wendell Holmes cafeteria/kitchen and athletic replacement: approved (motion moved and seconded; roll call not recorded in transcript). Outcome: approved. - Tom C. Clark High School schematic design (fine‑arts replacement): approved, 6 ayes, 1 nay. - Tom C. Clark High School master plan: approved, 6 ayes, 1 nay.
Why it matters: The Clark master plan and fine‑arts schematic will shape multiple bond cycles and campus logistics; trustees and staff said planning before construction reduces the risk of piecemeal work and protects prior investments such as an existing band pad. The district noted some site constraints, including steep grade and Edwards Aquifer environmental considerations that could affect future drainage and permitting.
Board action: Trustees moved and seconded the consent and capital items during the meeting. The building committee had reviewed projects in advance, and the district said a construction manager is now on board for the Clark fine‑arts project to assist with constructability and cost control during construction document development.
Next steps: With schematic approval, staff will advance construction documents, address constructability and site‑permit questions, and bring contract and GMPs forward to the board for approvals as construction phasing is defined.
