Supervisors authorize RFP for demolition of old VOTEC building and direct CTE planning

The King George County Board of Supervisors directed staff to issue an RFP to demolish the former VOTEC building and to coordinate with the school division’s superintendent and CTE staff to define curriculum requirements and schedule site visits to similar facilities. Supervisors said demolition should clear the way for a more flexible, two-story replacement building that would expand career and technical education (CTE) capacity at the high school and free classroom space at the main campus.

Board members stressed a phased approach: (1) secure bids and schedule demolition, (2) the school division completes curricular planning and site visits to benchmark facilities, and (3) the county later solicits architectural and engineering proposals to design a flexible, reconfigurable building that anticipates changes in CTE programming. Supervisors noted prior site visits by CTE staff and recommended careful scoping before issuing design contracts to avoid costly change orders (examples given: vehicle lifts, ventilation, electrical loads and concrete thickness considerations for auto or welding bays).

County staff said demolition RFPs can run concurrently with initial outreach to the school division and that staff will return with recommended timelines and cost estimates. No appropriation for demolition was adopted at this meeting; the board authorized the procurement step to begin and directed continued collaboration with the school board on space and program requirements.