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Board hears multi-site construction updates for intermediate school, middle school HVAC, new elementary design and bus depot bidding plan
Summary
District architects and contractors updated the South Fayette Township SD board on construction progress at the intermediate school, HVAC completion at the middle school, design milestones for a new elementary school and a bus depot moving into the bidding phase; the board was told key permits and bids remain on the critical path.
South Fayette Township SD board members on Sept. 23 received progress reports from Draw Collective and project consultants on four district facility projects: the intermediate school addition and renovation, middle school HVAC replacement, design of a new elementary school and the bus depot project, which is moving toward public bidding.
District and consultant presenters emphasized construction milestones, remaining schedule risks and required permits. Draw Collective representative Dan (last name not provided) said brick and ground-face block work in Area C of the intermediate school is nearly complete and that exterior scaffold removal is expected by the end of the week or early the next week. "The rooftop unit is getting set" and another crane will be used to place that unit, Dan said, adding that drywall, ductwork and metal-stud framing have started in several interior spaces.
The consultants described Area D foundation work as ongoing with structural steel targeted for arrival in October or early November. "Foundations and foundation wall work is ongoing; the goal in this area is to have structural steel hit the site October, early November," Dan said. He also noted that underground plumbing work has begun and that contractors cut a connection through an existing foundation wall to create a future corridor.
On the middle school, consultant Tim reported that the HVAC project is substantially complete except for one air handler delayed by supply-chain issues. "The old air handler was hooked back up to provide airflow into the space, and it'll be removed. The new unit is expected to arrive in October," Tim said.
Tim summarized design progress for the proposed elementary school: geotechnical field work is complete and the written geotechnical report is expected this week; the team submitted an NPDES application and completed a design-development set that has been shared for cost analysis. He said a preliminary traffic engineering study is underway and that those findings will be discussed at the planning commission meeting at the township offices the following Thursday; the board of commissioners meeting on Oct. 8 was also listed on the project schedule. Tim said the aim is to finish construction documents by the end of the year and to bid the elementary project in January–February of next year, "and that is all very much dependent on us getting the NPDES permit approval."
The bus depot project is farther along: Tim told the board construction documents are complete, the district has final NPDS approval and the project is expected to be bid between Oct. 1 and Nov. 5 with a bid opening on Nov. 5. "Bidding, we will plan to take place October 1 through November 5," he said, and added that final building-permit review and a developer's agreement remain in coordination with township staff.
Board members asked technical and circulation questions. One board member asked for clarification about a recent construction change order related to door framing and mullions; Draw Collective staff said horizontal and vertical mullions were added to match existing building frames and that the mullions had not been included in the original drawings. When asked whether the bus-depot driveway alignment could instead use the regular campus entrance, Tim said a sight-distance study required holding the new driveway away from a bend on Old Oakdale Road to provide drivers adequate sight lines.
The board was told next steps include responding to final plan-review comments for the bus depot, completing construction documents for the elementary school, and coordinating permit-dependent bidding. Presenters repeatedly noted the NPDES/NPDS permit as a schedule risk for the elementary project and the need to finalize the developer's agreement and county recording for the elementary parcel deeds.
The board subsequently had a consent agenda and separate construction change-order vote later in the meeting to ratify administrative approvals related to the intermediate school addition.
