Ballston Spa unveils $60M–$63M capital project plan; referendum set for Dec. 9

Ballston Spa Central School District officials on Sept. 3 formally launched a proposed capital project estimated at $60 million to $63 million and outlined a schedule that would put a public referendum on the measure on Dec. 9, 2025.

The proposal, presented by Rich Beckham of CS Arch and introduced by Superintendent Dr. Duka, targets upgrades across the district including air-conditioning for large gathering spaces, auditorium and media center renovations, a new wellness/fitness addition at the high school, an expanded athletic complex with a turf field and an eight-lane track, expanded tennis courts, parking changes, and infrastructure to support future electric school buses.

Beckham said the work is organized in phases intended to begin before and immediately after a successful referendum. "Phase 1a," he said, would replace aging high school cooling towers next summer, and subsequent phases would prioritize buildings with little or no existing air conditioning and the transportation infrastructure needed for electric buses. Beckham summarized the current project cost range as "between $60 and $63 million," saying the largest remaining cost uncertainty is the bus-charging infrastructure.

Why it matters: the project combines building renovations and large outdoor work that would affect athletic programming, transportation operations and taxpayer obligations. District leaders said the schedule and phasing were designed to balance immediate operational risks (failing chillers) with longer-term needs (electrification of the bus fleet and large-space climate control).

Key elements and timeline - High school: add air conditioning in the gym; replace chillers and cooling towers; renovate auditorium and media center; add a new wellness and fitness center (an addition that will not be eligible for state building aid because it is an addition rather than a gym station under the state formula). The fitness center will be sited adjacent to the band and chorus rooms; board members raised soundproofing concerns that Beckham said could be mitigated by the concrete-block construction.

- Athletic complex/site work: construct a turf multipurpose field at the main stadium location, relocate the track and expand it to eight lanes, add lighting and a two-story press box, expand visitor bleachers and change the current tennis court layout from eight to 10 courts. Beckham said the conversion of the existing tennis area to parking would add roughly 130 spaces. The turf field and lights are intended for both games and practices.

- Middle school and elementary buildings: renovate media centers to create enclosed classrooms and flexible study spaces, upgrade nurse suites, renovate kitchens and cafeteria flooring (the middle school kitchen components date to the original 1950s construction), add air conditioning to cafeterias and gyms, and replace worn sidewalks and playground surfacing at multiple elementary sites.

- Sitewide and operations: install perimeter fencing at several sites, add drainage and field improvements at lower fields, repair or replace roofs (including a liquid roof coating on the high school to extend life), build a new building at Eastern Avenue to reduce flooding susceptibility of that field, add pavement and sidewalks at Malta Avenue, and add storage and workspace at the maintenance building.

- Transportation and electric buses: the project would add conduit capacity and other infrastructure to support the district's planned purchases of electric buses through 2030 or 2031. Beckham said the plan is to install conduit now and add chargers later; he noted a possible additional project in five to six years to complete infrastructure depending on the statewide electric bus program.

Schedule and approvals Beckham and administration staff described a timeline that includes completing the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) actions before the October meeting, formal board actions on Oct. 1 to set the vote date and bond resolutions, followed by a public information period and a Dec. 9 referendum. If the public approves the measure, design and construction would be phased across several years: early work on urgent mechanical systems in 2026, major building phases in 2027–2029 (high school and middle school), and later site and ancillary work into 2030–2031.

Questions from board members focused on details that remain to be selected or engineered, including the turf manufacturer and color, sight lines and possible seating impacts in the auditorium, soundproofing between the new fitness center and band room, parking counts and handicapped access to rear fields, and the eligibility of certain elements for state building aid. Beckham said some details (for example, specific turf product and exact layout in the fitness center) had not been chosen yet and would be developed with staff during design.

What the district said about finances and building aid Beckham and district staff said the stated $60'$63 million range is preliminary and being refined; the bus-charging system remains the largest unsettled cost. The presenters also noted that state building-aid rules limit aid for additional "gym stations" (the district would not receive aid for an added gym station unless enrollment thresholds are met) and that building-aid timing affects project phasing and cash flow.

Next steps District staff said they will bring the final budget and SEQR documentation to the board for approval on Sept. 17 and, if those steps proceed, return Oct. 1 to set the official vote amount and bond resolutions for the Dec. 9 referendum. Beckham said design and SED approvals would follow a successful vote and that construction would be scheduled by phase to minimize disruption.

Ending Superintendent Dr. Duka opened the presentation and introduced Beckham, and the board conducted a 40-minute question-and-answer period before moving on to other business. No board vote on the overall project was held at the Sept. 3 meeting; formal board approvals are scheduled for later September and October as part of the pre-referendum actions.