Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Capital Projects topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tacoma Public Schools outlines bond-funded capital projects; warns Central Administration window replacement will cost about $10 million
Summary
District construction director presented progress on Oakland High, Maritime Skills Center, LeMay robotics partnership, roofing and athletic-field upgrades, and a major renovation of the Central Administration Building that will require staff moves and expensive window replacement.
Tacoma Public Schools construction staff briefed the school board on multiple bond-funded projects and long-term capital work, highlighting partnerships with Port of Tacoma, LeMay Museum and Parks Tacoma and flagging several near-term costs and logistics items.
Morris, executive director of planning and construction, told the board the district is advancing large projects including the new Maritime Skills Center (adjacent to a Port facility), the LeMay partnership for a robotics program, the Lowell/Third Floor project, and Whittier Elementary in Fircrest. He said the district expects the Lowell project and the Maritime Skills Center to open in 2026 and that Whittier will open in 2027.
The Central Administration Building (CAB) renovation drew attention because the building is on the historic register. “Just the windows for this building are about $10,000,000,” Morris said, explaining that historic wood-frame windows must be removed, refurbished or replaced in like kind and that asbestos and old hydronic piping will complicate work and costs. District staff said most central-office staff will be relocated temporarily to McKinley and other sites during construction.
Morris also described district plans to remove crumb/cronized rubber infill from older turf fields and replace them with a zero-infill turf product the district says has a 12-year warranty and lower maintenance needs. He said the district plans to spend roughly $8 million a year on roofing projects through 2032 to prevent classrooms from experiencing leaks.
The update emphasized partnerships: the district is co-locating or partnering on several projects (for example, the robotics center at the LeMay Car Museum site and a Port partnership for a maritime facility). Staff said those partnerships are meant to expand program offerings while sharing cost and land-use responsibilities.
Board members and staff also noted the project-tracking pages on the district website that break projects down by local and disadvantaged business participation, and thanked voters for bond support that finances the capital work.
Morris closed the presentation by listing additional upcoming projects, including smaller capital improvements across multiple schools, pool upgrades and ongoing athletic-field replacements.
