Webster Groves outlines $51.1 million bond progress, $8.7 million in summer work
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Summary
District staff reported the bond program has spent about $36.6 million of $51.1 million in proceeds, detailed a slate of summer projects including ADA access at Avery, Hixson door replacements, library flooring abatement, and estimated $8.7 million in upcoming summer work leaving roughly $5.8 million remaining.
Jacob Myers, district staff lead on capital projects, told the Webster Groves School Board the district’s revised bond budget is “about $51,100,000, of bond proceeds,” and that the district has spent about $36,600,000 to date, leaving approximately $14,500,000 remaining.
Myers walked the board through planned summer projects and priorities. “One of the big projects we’re gonna be having, over the summer is the Avery accessibility upgrades,” he said, describing ramps and access to upper and lower playgrounds, new accessible parking and a planned drop-off lane. He also said the district is considering adding turf at Avery’s lower playground where grass is not available.
Security and building upgrades are slated at Hixson High School, where Myers described an “interior door package” to replace roughly 100 doors and add auto-lock hardware and security film for glass areas. The board was shown renderings and photos of mismatched interim fixes the project will standardize.
Other projects on the summer list include high-school library flooring abatement and replacement (including the computer lab and professional-development area), completion of Hixson locker-room renovations, replacement of Robert’s Gym windows and doors, Ambrose classroom-bathroom renovations, exterior window and door replacements across elementary buildings, HVAC work and a prioritized Hixson gym roof replacement prior to any gym-floor work.
Myers said the district expects to use available bond proceeds and other capital funds and is exploring e-rate support for cabling related to a planned public-address and phone-system overhaul. He estimated the immediate summer work at “about $8,700,000, which would put us at about $5,800,000 remaining on the bond.”
Board members asked for coordination details with a potential library donation and for timing updates. Myers said flooring abatement and replacement would proceed even if further renovation is later funded by donors because the abatement itself requires the full summer to complete.
The board did not take a formal vote on individual projects at the meeting; Myers said more detailed project scopes, alternates and schedules will return to the board for approval as needed.
The district’s capital agenda now moves into the summer construction season with multiple accessibility, security and infrastructure priorities scheduled to begin.