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District construction update: several projects on track; Bonita Springs rebuild request for additional funds presented
Summary
Facilities staff reported multiple project status updates, 60% cost estimates for new schools, and change-order details; staff said Bonita Springs rebuild will seek an additional $1.5 million to cover demolition and temporary power/MDF needs before phase‑2 bidding.
District facilities and construction staff provided the bi‑monthly construction update, reported change orders for January and gave progress notes on multiple ongoing projects.
Scott Rickenbacker said January saw limited change‑order activity ($36,072.40 reported for non‑direct materials) and described time extensions granted for projects that encountered weather delays or design schedule adjustments. He highlighted a $17,455 change order for design work related to a staging area for a Lehigh site.
Project updates included 60% cost estimates for several major builds: Bayshore K–8 expansion (60% estimate in the low $40 million range and on budget at that stage), a large high‑school project (architect and construction-manager estimates near $110 million and still within capital-plan budget), and Cypress Lake Middle School where the guaranteed maximum price (GMP) process showed substantial savings relative to the capital plan. Rickenbacker said Cape Coral Technical College GMP would come to the board in April.
He also told the board staff would request a $1.5 million addition to Bonita Springs phase 1 to fund demolition of historic buildings and to provide temporary electrical and MDF facilities so the rebuild can proceed on schedule. The report noted ongoing permitting coordination with Army Corps and South Florida Water Management for some east‑zone projects and that Franklin Park returned project savings to the capital plan in an upcoming change‑order report.
Board members asked about reuse of prior design prototypes and timing for ground‑breaking on specific sites; staff said reuse of prototypes can save design costs and that a shovel‑in‑ground target for one project was April 3. No formal votes were taken at the workshop; staff said several items will appear for board action at future meetings.
