Duluth Public School District staff on Monday detailed progress on the 1st Street building and introduced formal documents tied to a proposed bond and property sale.

Brian, a facilities staff member giving the construction update, said the project has new domestic and fire water services and that crews have completed substantial demolition, ductwork and framing work. “You can see the ductwork and there’s piping, and there’s just a ton of demo work,” Brian said, and described footings being excavated to roughly 24 inches or until rock was reached to support new floors. He told the committee the district is coordinating closely with city inspectors and the fire marshal, and that the project remains on a timeline to open in July.

Acting chair of the HR Business Services Committee introduced Resolution 4131 to approve a bond described in the packet as 9,000,080 dollars to fund work on the 1st Street Building and said three state-required documents (a resolution, a declaration of trust and an amendment) need signatures. The packet description was read to the committee; no vote on the bond was recorded during this meeting.

Finance staff also briefed the committee on a previously authorized sale of district land east of the district. Staff said a purchase agreement is now signed and a buyer is in place for Pioneer Lane property; the parcel was referenced in prior budget reduction discussions and was described in meeting discussion as about 5 acres. “We have a buyer,” finance staff said, and presented the signed purchase agreement to the committee for transparency.

Staff said they will provide monthly photo updates to the board and community, and attendees asked for another in-person tour later in November. No final actions or vote results on the bond or the purchase agreement were recorded in this meeting; the bond documents were presented as items that require signatures and future board action.

What’s next: staff will circulate monthly construction photos, continue coordination with city inspectors, and bring the bond and any necessary documents forward for board consideration and signatures at future meetings.