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Board discusses financing options, timeline and community feedback for Dixon site redevelopment
Summary
District staff briefed trustees on potential costs to build a replacement elementary on the Dixon site, funding options including Municipal Building Authority bonds and reserves, asbestos and demolition steps, and the need for community engagement before selling surplus land or making final decisions.
Provo — The Provo School District board discussed the Dixon site on Oct. 14, reviewing preliminary size and cost estimates, funding options and community outreach needs.
Business administrator Devin Daley told trustees that a new elementary school sized in the neighborhood of 80,000 square feet could cost approximately $40 million (rough estimate of about $435 per square foot, reflecting recent construction prices). Daley said the district has capacity in its municipal building authority bonding, a building reserve fund and fund balance, but emphasized prudence about how much reserve to deploy so the district can remain responsive to emergencies.
Daley described preparatory steps before any demolition or construction: an asbestos evaluation and abatement plan, site preparation and a year to 18 months of design/CMGC procurement to obtain reliable cost estimates. He said an RFP and CMGC procurement and design could yield a firm cost estimate in roughly 6–7 months, with visible ground work perhaps a year after a board decision depending on procurement and funding choices.
Trustees asked about selling other district properties to offset costs, and cautioned against selling land that might be needed later. Board members requested broader community engagement — beyond current taxpayers — and suggested leveraging neighborhood district meetings and the Community Connections Committee to gather input. Daley said some interim use and partial renovations of existing buildings could be staged in phases and that earlier estimates for Tempe/Tempview projects will inform overall district capacity to undertake other projects at the same time.
No board vote was taken. Trustees requested follow‑up information, including refined cost estimates, draft timelines, and community engagement plans before a formal financing decision or property sale.
