Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Facility Renovation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Architects lay out modernization and rebuild trade‑offs for Los Alamitos High School performing‑arts center
Summary
West Group Designs told the Los Alamitos Unified School District board that prior PAC schematic documents are roughly 30% complete and lack key engineering coordination; it recommended a three‑month study to compare renovating the existing 21,500 sq ft auditorium (budgeted ~$14M) with building a new facility on a nearby 32,000 sq ft site that could qualify for seismic mitigation and CTE grants.
West Group Designs presented an initial review of the Los Alamitos High School Performing Arts Center project and urged the Los Alamitos Unified School District board on Dec. 16 to authorize a short feasibility study before committing to a single path.
The architecture team told trustees the existing schematic package appears about 30% complete but lacks coordinated civil, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, acoustical and fire/life‑safety engineering at a schematic level, and the current cost estimate relies largely on allowances rather than validated quantities. "There was no documentation for any of the civil engineering, the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, acoustical, audio visual, or even, fire life safety engineering at a schematic level," West Group's principal architect said in the presentation. He recommended a higher early‑phase contingency (15–20%) than the 5% currently in the estimate.
West Group described two broad options: modernize the existing roughly 21,500‑square‑foot PAC (the district has previously budgeted about $10–14 million for modernization) or study the feasibility of new construction on a roughly 32,000‑square‑foot site north of the current PAC. A replacement building could deliver similar program space and the district would be able to keep the current PAC in operation during construction. The architect said that, depending on design choices and grant eligibility, a new‑construction path could raise total project costs into the $18–24 million range but could unlock outside funding such as seismic mitigation grants (the firm cited eligibility estimates of about $5.3 million) and a CTE theater technology grant (about $3 million).
Board members pressed on cost drivers, seats and schedule. West Group said the district could likely achieve at least the same seat quantity targeted by the prior schematic — roughly 600 seats — but said detailed layout and program decisions would determine whether that fits within the proposed square footage and budget. The firm also warned that Division of State Architect (DSA) review capacity is constrained and could delay approvals; the modernization timeline now looks likely to put DSA sign‑off in late 2026 and construction into 2027–28 under current assumptions.
Superintendent Pulver and trustees supported a limited next step: West Group proposed roughly three months of study work to validate new‑construction costs, test seismic mitigation eligibility and quantify demolition and site‑work costs, then report back with an apples‑to‑apples cost comparison. "We have some time because DSA backlog shifts our schedule," Pulver said. "It makes sense to explore whether a different approach could deliver a better outcome for students and the campus." The board directed staff to proceed with the short feasibility effort.
Next steps: West Group will return with a quantified cost comparison and recommendations. The board did not vote on a construction contract or commit capital funds beyond directing the feasibility work.
Sources and attributions: The article quotes presentations and exchanges from West Group and school district trustees during the Dec. 16 board meeting. Principal architect remarks and cost ranges were provided by West Group (presentation to the board).
