Wenatchee moves forward on $14.1 million modernization of Valley Technical Skills Center using progressive design-build

WENATCHEE, Wash. — Wenatchee School District officials and project managers updated the school board April 22 on plans to modernize the Wenatchee Valley Technical Skills Center using a progressive design-build contract and an early summer contract award timeline.

The district is pursuing a modernization for Buildings A and B that includes new classrooms for fire science and culinary, completion of mezzanine and elevator work, improved ADA access and upgrades to HVAC and fire safety systems. The district and its owner's representative presented a preliminary budget of about $14.1 million for hard and soft costs and a procurement schedule that begins with statements of qualifications due May 5.

Progressive design-build, the district said, selects teams based on qualifications first, then develops design and cost collaboratively so the contractor and design team can address phasing, constructability and long-lead procurement early. Kayla Van Leashout, project manager with the owner's representative team, said the model “allows for a collaborative selection process” and helps accelerate schedule and manage risk.

Matt Piano, also a project manager on the team, described the proposed scope. For Building A the district plans a state-of-the-art classroom development for programs such as fire science and culinary, improvements to the lobby and conference center and an apparatus bay for fire science. For Building B the plan addresses a repurposed warehouse layout by finishing the mezzanine, adding an elevator and primary stairs and increasing parking to support future health-care and lab programs.

Piano said the district intends to shortlist no fewer than two and no more than four proposers from the request-for-qualifications stage, then invite interviews and a request-for-proposal phase. The team said it expects to deliver a contract for board approval by the June 24 board meeting and begin phased design and early construction packages in late 2025, with major completion and punch-list work estimated in late 2026 into early 2027.

On budget, Van Leashout described the $14.1 million total as composed of about $10.6 million in progressive design-build hard costs (design-build contractor, general conditions, contingency and fee) and roughly $3.5 million in soft costs (furniture and equipment, consultants, owner contingency, sales tax and other professional services). She emphasized the numbers are early estimates and will be refined as teams are selected and design progresses.

Board members asked about due diligence on existing conditions and locating utilities before final designs, and the presenters said that bringing the contractor into the design phase early is intended to reduce the risk of late surprise changes. Other questions covered integration of educational-technology expertise into the design teams and tariff/long-lead material risks; the project team said those topics will be part of qualifications evaluations and early procurement planning.

The district said the project budget is funded by a state grant approved in February and that the project aligns with the district's 10-year capital plan. The owners' representative said the project review committee in Olympia approved the district’s request to use an alternative contract method and that the firm observed strong contractor interest during a recent preproposal walk.

The district will return to the board with contract documents and a recommended design-builder for approval. Meanwhile staff will refine scope, sequencing and contingencies with the selected team.

Sources: presentation by the district and the owner's representative team at the April 22 Wenatchee School District board meeting.