PCSSD board approves $26 million GMP for Robinson High expansion

The Pulaski County Special School District (PCSSD) board on Aug. 12 approved a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) of roughly $26,000,004.60 for the Robinson High School addition and related site work, a vote that passed 5-0.

District facilities staff told the board the GMP covers a three‑story classroom wing, a new band room with an integrated storm shelter, elevators and the restroom facilities for the baseball and softball fields, plus associated site and parking work. The district said an additional approximately $400,000 remains outstanding to be paid to the architect and design team, bringing the total project cost to roughly $26.4 million when that fee is included.

The district’s facilities presenter described construction sequencing and site constraints, saying the team plans to raise and regrade the front site and restore paved parking behind a drainage ditch. The presenter said the finished project should restore about 235 parking spaces, including handicapped stalls, compared with the roughly 190 spaces lost during construction; the district described that as a net wash or slight increase in parking capacity after work is complete.

Contractor representatives from Baldwin & Shell and WR Architects answered technical questions about staging, material laydown and traffic during construction. Baldwin & Shell said the construction timeline in the package targets substantial completion in October 2027 (the contractor noted weather and other unforeseen events could shift dates) and that restrooms at the fields were scheduled to be finished by February of the year given for that portion of the work.

Board discussion was limited. A motion to approve the GMP was made and seconded; the board voted 5-0 to approve the GMP with Baldwin & Shell.

The board and staff said earlier and later work (for example at Mills and other campuses) remains underway; district staff also warned fund 3 (capital projects) remains tight and noted anticipated future receipts that are already counted for planned projects.

The vote authorizes the district to execute the GMP and move forward with the contracted scope; the board did not take additional budget actions at the meeting beyond approving the GMP.

Several construction details and scheduling items remain subject to contractor schedule and permitting. District staff said the project will be monitored and that the attorney previously indicated a federal court tour related to other facilities work would proceed once the Robinson arena portion is complete.

Closing: The board’s approval authorizes work to move forward under the GMP; staff said they will return to the board with routine project updates and any material changes to schedule or cost.