Wilson School District hears timeline, cost and permit update for Lincoln Park Elementary and Southern Middle School projects

Crabtree Rohrbach and Associates presented a detailed progress report and cost update on the Lincoln Park Elementary School and Southern Middle School projects to the Wilson School Board on April 14, 2025.

The presentation outlined current permitting status, a recent change in water service that could save the district several hundred thousand dollars, updated pre-tariff bid estimates for both projects, and recommended bidding and contracting strategies — including alternate bid items and a potential contracted “clerk of the works” role for construction oversight.

The design firm’s lead presenter, Sean Dowdy of Crabtree Rohrbach and Associates, told the board Southern Middle School has obtained the requested zoning variances and conditional township approval pending an NPDES/MPDS permit review. For Lincoln Park, Dowdy said the project has similarly secured zoning variances and is in resubmission with the planning commission, with anticipated action at Spring Township’s May 1 meeting and the board of supervisors on May 12.

Dowdy described a late design change to serve Lincoln Park from a water main on Jefferson Boulevard rather than from West Wyeth Missing Court. He said the change avoids the need for a fire pump, tank and pump house and that the district had previously budgeted roughly $750,000 for that work. "I would imagine this will get cut in, maybe a third at the most," Dowdy said, adding the change requires a willingness-to-serve letter from Shillington Municipal Water Authority and may prompt a comment from the permit reviewer.

On permitting timelines Dowdy said both projects are in a second round of technical review with the conservation district and DEP. "The second review, particularly in the case of Lincoln Park, has been taking a really long time," he said, describing a gap between a quick first review and a slower subsequent review. He warned the district is in a “wait-and-see” posture for permit clearance but said the team has addressed technical comments and is trying not to pressure reviewers in ways that could slow the process further.

Costs and tariffs

Dowdy presented bid-day and total project cost estimates (all pre-tariffs) and models that include contingency and soft-cost allowances: - Lincoln Park: bid-day estimate roughly $30.0 million to $33.1 million; total project cost estimate pre-tariff $35.6 million to $39.3 million. The firm modeled a 2% tariff premium that would raise the total to about $36.1 million to $39.9 million (approximately $500,000–$600,000 added). - Southern Middle School: bid-day estimate roughly $43.0 million to $47.6 million; total project cost estimate pre-tariff $50.6 million to $55.9 million. The firm modeled a 3% tariff premium that would raise totals to about $51.9 million to $57.3 million (about $1.3 million–$1.4 million added).

Dowdy reminded the board that under the Act 34/PlanCon process the district previously established a maximum building construction cost for Lincoln Park of $28,105,264 in January. He explained that bids must come in within 8% of that maximum (an effective threshold of about $30.35 million) or the district would need to hold a second Act 34 hearing before entering contracts.

Bidding and risk-management recommendations

Despite outstanding permit reviews, the architect recommended the board authorize bidding both projects in May so the district can preserve schedule options and contractor availability. The team proposed a staggered release: Southern Middle School to bid first (May 6 release, five-week bid period with anticipated bid opening around June 10), then Lincoln Park later in May (May 27 release in the current plan) so the projects do not compete for the same bidders simultaneously.

Dowdy emphasized tools for limiting cost/risk exposure on bid day, including: - Unit prices and allowances embedded in specifications so the district can deduct unused allowances or exercise them as needed. - A set of alternate (add/deduct) bid items to reduce scope quickly if bids exceed estimates. Proposed alternates include an "unclassified construction" alternate (contractor assumes risk for unsuitable soils), wireless classroom lockdown hardware (add), a 20-year EPDM roof as a deduct alternate versus a 30-year roof, removal of nonessential graphics, deletion of some decorative ceiling elements at Lincoln Park (add later if budget allows), mill/overlay of mechanical-yard asphalt at Southern Middle School, replacement vs. repair alternatives for gym ramps, and corridor tile alternatives. Dowdy estimated the wireless lockdown hardware alternate at Lincoln Park at roughly $45,000 (about $625 per lock set plus electrical work) and all add-alternates at Southern Middle School at about $225,000 (bulk of cost for more doors to outfit).

Construction oversight

Because Southern Middle School is a phased addition/renovation project, Dowdy recommended a Clerk of the Works (a contracted, construction-manager‑light role) to provide on-site oversight, track time and tickets, and act as an intermediary among the district, administration and contractors. Board members asked whether such a person would be an employee; administration clarified the Clerk of the Works would be a contracted service to the district for the duration of construction, not a district employee.

Board questions and administration response

Board members asked about protections the district might include in bid documents for shifting material prices and tariff uncertainty. Dowdy said escalators or price-escalation clauses often shift risk back to the owner and can lead contractors to bake additional cost into bids; instead, he said, the district is including many unit prices and specific allowances so that unused allowances can be credited back and additional needed work would be priced via unit rates.

Scheduling and next steps

Dowdy said the team plans to seek board authorization to issue bids after the board’s next meeting (the presenter requested authorization on May 5) and noted the bid documents allow a contractor notice-to-proceed to be delayed for up to 120 days for permit-related reasons. He described an aspirational schedule with a target notice-to-proceed date of July 21 if permits and bid review align, and he noted that Southern Middle School’s phasing is particularly schedule-sensitive if the district wants the addition completed by summer 2026 to provide swing space for renovations.

Why this matters

If bids come in near the firm’s estimates and tariffs remain modest, the projects can proceed without a second Act 34 hearing. If bids exceed the PlanCon threshold, a second public hearing would be required and schedule and scopes could shift. The district faces a balancing act: delay bidding and risk higher year-over-year escalation, or bid now with some permit-related uncertainty but more control of contractor availability and schedule.

The board did not take a formal vote to authorize bidding during the April 14 meeting; administration and the design team left the board with a recommendation to authorize bidding at the May 5 meeting and with a list of alternates, contractual tools and oversight options to limit cost and schedule risk.