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CIP update: Davis, Bensley and Deep Creek on track; Dale District school delayed while land is negotiated
Summary
Staff told the board the division faces significant capital and maintenance needs amid rising construction costs; projects under construction include Davis Elementary, Bensley and Deep Creek Middle; the Dale District elementary project remains delayed while county staff negotiate land and funding, likely shifting earliest opening to 2028.
Josh Davis, presenting the proposed FY2026 capital improvement plan on Feb. 4, told the school board that the division has many projects underway and rising construction costs have increased project estimates.
Davis said both local and national construction price indices show marked increases over the past several years, with some elementary bids rising as much as 63% per square foot compared with 2017 bids; middle‑school bids showed smaller increases in the 12–20% range. The division’s list of priorities includes new capacity schools, school replacements and renovations, and major maintenance needs such as roofs, mechanical systems and security upgrades.
Projects under construction or near completion include Davis Elementary (opening August 2025) and Bensley Elementary (targeted for August 2026). Deep Creek Middle, a Falling Creek prototype design, is expected to enroll about 1,472 students and is nearing bid/award stages. The West Area elementary and a planned high school remain in various stages of design or site work.
Dale District Elementary: Davis said the Dale District elementary — intended to relieve overcrowding in several eastern‑end schools — has funding earmarked for design and land acquisition but the district and county are still negotiating land. As a result, the earliest realistic opening date is August 2028 rather than 2027. He said the county has indicated interest in funding the project but land acquisition must be resolved.
Other points: Davis reviewed a range of aging schools that will require future attention, from Midlothian Middle and Grange Hall Elementary to Thomas Dale High School’s West Campus. He showed a district inventory indicating 11 elementary schools with significant overcrowding and noted the system currently uses dozens of modular classrooms as temporary capacity. On major maintenance, he warned that without additional funding the division’s current transfer from operations (about $9 million annually) will not be sufficient to maintain the recommended 1.5–2.5% of current replacement value the industry recommends; at current spend rates the division’s maintenance balance could be depleted partway through FY27.
Board members asked about procurement timing: the high‑school bid deadline was moved from Feb. 6 to Feb. 11 to accommodate addenda and bidder questions; staff still planned to present a contract approval to the board on Feb. 25 at the budget adoption meeting. Trustees also asked about options for geothermal HVAC in new projects and whether modern prototypes would include LED and other efficiency requirements; staff said those analyses (geotechnical surveys and early‑procurement concept work) occur early in design and could be included as feasibility studies.
Davis said the division continues to rely on a mix of referendum bond proceeds, county gap funding, grants (including ARPA) and other sources to fund projects and that further funding choices will determine which deferred projects advance.
