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Board hears DLA assessment for Central Middle School; asks for $55 million focused option
Summary
DLA Architects told the Evergreen Park ESD 124 board that near-term mechanical and life-safety work at Central Middle School could total roughly $4.9 million plus $500,000 O&M contingency; trustees asked the firm to return with a focused, lower-cost design and requested a $55 million targeted option rather than a previously discussed $74.9 million districtwide package.
DLA Architects presented a facility assessment of Central Middle School on Jan. 21, outlining a set of near-term mechanical, plumbing and life-safety needs and preliminary cost estimates. The firm identified unit-vent replacements last performed in 1996 and original boilers dating from the 1970s as items approaching the end of their service life. Ed Wright of DLA told trustees the near-term package the firm reviewed is about $4.9 million with an additional roughly $500,000 for operations and maintenance contingency — for a total near-term estimate of about $5.5 million. Wright also cited an elevator refurbishment/replacement estimate near $400,000 and recommended staged work to avoid emergency replacements.
The board discussed how to pare earlier, larger proposals after hearing community feedback that a previously circulated $74.9 million package was too large. A trustee asked the architect to prepare iterations that focus the ask on Central Middle School and explore trade-offs; the board member requested a separate, more aggressive $55 million option that would concentrate on the middle school rather than districtwide improvements. School administration and Jim Hennessy emphasized prioritizing elevator work and life-safety items for student safety and encouraged classifying certain work so it can use available health/life-safety or O&M funds where appropriate.
Superintendent-level staff said the facilities committee — to include Rachel Merricken and Michael Thomas — will review DLA’s revised cost-outs and return recommendations to the full board. DLA noted that life-safety items are typically staged across a 10-year planning horizon and that some improvements could be eligible for grant or targeted funding (for example, LED lighting grants were mentioned as partial offsets). Wright stressed that designs will present multiple options showing how cutting square footage or amenities reduces cost and how phased additions could address future needs.
Next steps: DLA will provide refined cost scenarios and multiple design iterations for the facilities committee, including versions aimed at the board’s $55 million target and options showing prioritized near-term life-safety and mechanical repairs. The board did not take a bond vote; the discussion was preparatory and focused on scope and cost modeling.
