Committee backs further investigation of Ithaca High School locker rooms after sewage backup; rough order-of-magnitude $2.5M

District staff proposed a targeted renovation of locker rooms and shower spaces at Ithaca High School after crews observed drainage problems and signs of sewage backup in spring storms.

Travis Randall, the district's construction project manager, said photos and site visits show deteriorated tile, cracked finishes and drainage issues in boys' and girls' shower rooms. Staff reported seeing toilet paper and sewage-like discharge on shower stall floors after heavy rain and said an apparent historic reconfiguration of plumbing — a towel closet converted to a bathroom that may have been tied into the wrong sanitary line — could be a contributing factor. A camera inspection to date has been inconclusive; staff said specialty scope work (contractor exploratory digging/camera inspection) is needed to identify the root cause.

Randall provided a rough order-of-magnitude construction estimate of about $2.5 million "all in," which he said includes redoing shower and bathroom plumbing where necessary, replacing partitions to provide individual shower privacy, and addressing related gym/bleacher upgrades. He said staff used a blended construction-rate assumption of roughly $450 per square foot to estimate total cost, and that the locker/pool complex comprises roughly 10,000 square feet overall while the immediate renovation focus would be a smaller zone (staff cited approximately 2,500 square feet of renovation for budgeting discussion).

Carrie Burke, director of athletics and wellness, told the committee that showers are currently used only minimally because of their condition and privacy issues. Burke said pool access plans that would open community use at certain times (for example Sunday mornings) require functional, ADA-compliant shower facilities; she emphasized that users expect privacy and safety in those spaces.

Committee members asked whether the district should limit work to meeting health-code requirements for pool users or pursue a more comprehensive, higher‑quality renovation that would encourage student and staff use. Staff and the committee agreed to pursue further investigative work: hire or schedule specialty engineers/contractors to scope the drainage and sanitary tie-in issues, refine the design, and return with a recommendation once the November bid results clarify how much unallocated capital is available.

No final decision to start construction was made; the committee asked staff to return with a refined scope, cost estimate and timetable after exploratory work is complete.