Paradise Valley USD approves GMP 1 for Indian Bend Elementary rebuild; 4–0–1 vote

The Paradise Valley Unified School District Governing Board voted to approve Guaranteed Maximum Price No. 1 for contract 25-017, awarding construction-manager-at-risk services for the Indian Bend Elementary School redevelopment to Chase Building Team. The motion passed 4–0–1, with one board member recording an abstention.

Board President Greenberg introduced the agenda item and district staff presented updated designs, a construction schedule and details about early demolition and abatement that GMP 1 would fund. District staff said the GMP enables asbestos abatement, selective demolition and early site work that must occur before major earthwork and construction can begin.

The project team described a two-story classroom building with an administrative core and a two-level media center, a separate multipurpose room sized to serve school athletics and performances, an amphitheater for outdoor events and retention of existing solar panels for shade and energy reuse. Chase Building Team Project Director Patrick Shepherd said the current work — salvage, abatement and selective demolition — "is what is scheduled to happen here before the end of the year" to allow construction to roll into the next phase and to meet the district's target occupancy window around the winter break schedule.

Board members and community attendees asked about safety, ventilation, pick-up/drop-off traffic and enrollment. On safety, the architect said the design follows best practices including defensible space, hardened glazing in lobby areas and vestibule doors at classroom entries. On indoor air quality the project team said the new building will meet modern code-driven ventilation and fresh-air exchange requirements; windows are fixed by design for safety, and mechanical ventilation rates are specified to provide adequate fresh-air exchanges.

Several board members pressed the district on enrollment trends and fiscal prudence. A board member identified in the record as Mrs. Christiansen cited declining district enrollment and asked, "If we don't get the students to come back, what is the plan for this beautiful building that we are under that's underway at the moment?" District staff responded that Indian Bend is centrally located on a main arterial and that, while the district expects to continue districtwide demographic discussions and potential school closures in the coming years, they do not currently anticipate Indian Bend as a closure candidate.

Traffic and parking were raised by parents and trustees. The project team said a traffic engineer has validated the proposed pick-up/drop-off sequence, that the design adds parking and provides secondary lanes to reduce queuing and allow parents to exit without being held by longer lines. Staff said they will continue design coordination with the city for required permitting.

On schedule and move-in logistics, Chase Building Team explained the December/winter-break target allows staff and technology moves to occur during a break; the firm said salvage and early work completed now reduce risk of schedule overruns later. The district said it offered staff a choice of fall or winter break for an occupied move and that compensation and contractor support would help with the transition.

The governing board approved GMP No. 1 by a recorded motion presented at the meeting. The vote tally was recorded as 4 yes, 0 no, 1 abstention.

The board approved the GMP after the presentation and questions; the project will proceed to the next contract phase pending permits and the completion of the tasks described in GMP 1.