FSU Lab School proposes $2 million capital-improvement plan focused on safety and deferred maintenance

School leaders presented a three-year capital improvement and deferred maintenance plan that prioritizes safety repairs, building systems and a slate of campus projects estimated in the aggregate at about $2 million in tentative allocations.

Major priorities identified for 2025 include: renovating the elementary art room (to split an oversized band hall into two instructional spaces and to install hookups for an uninstalled $40,000 kiln), upgrades to the baseball and softball complexes and backstop nets, culinary-area ventilation and electrical work, fencing for a front practice field, track-safety fill and grading, playground surfacing options, phase-one roof and gutter repairs, parking-lot resurfacing, and lighting upgrades to reduce energy costs.

Staff said cost estimates are preliminary. One project cited board minutes from 2023 that allocated $103,000 toward a stage curtain; the most recent bid for that curtain and associated installation came in at $237,906, and the school’s foundation has $93,000 earmarked for the project, leaving a roughly $42,000 shortfall. For the baseball backstop, a temporary net-only quote was discussed at about $25,100 to get the field through the upcoming season while larger repairs are planned.

Board members emphasized the maintenance focus of the plan and asked for design clarity on athletic projects to avoid piecemeal fixes that later conflict with larger designs. Several members also suggested fundraising and alumni-donation approaches for specific items such as cafeteria tables. Staff said projects will proceed through the university’s facilities and contracting process; many items require formal budget allocations before university partners can begin design and permitting work.

Staff will ask the board to approve tentative funding allocations at the next meeting and will return with updated quotes and final project budgets for any items that move forward.