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Facilities committee gets detailed update on Eithon Elementary budget, schedule and $2.8M in alternates
Summary
Committee heard a construction update for the new Eithon Elementary School: refined estimates show the building cost down about $700,000, soft costs of $10.9M and roughly $2.8M of recommended alternates to manage budget and bid-day scope; staff recommended carrying some items as bid alternates and returning in May and August for final decisions.
At the April 15 Radnor Township SD facilities committee meeting, district staff and consultants gave a detailed update on the new Eithon Elementary School project, outlining schedule milestones, revised cost estimates and a list of bid alternates totaling roughly $2.8 million in potential savings.
A SiteLogic representative told the committee the demolition package is currently out to bid (bid date extended to April 28) and that the district plans to return to the board with demolition‑contract results on May 27. The larger construction package is expected to be released to bid in late June into July, with contract awards returning to the board in August; construction is targeted to start in October and the building to be completed in June 2027.
On costs, the presenter said the building estimate is about $700,000 lower than the February estimate, site development costs were reduced by updated information and soft costs are estimated at about $10,900,000. The team identified about $2,800,000 in additional recommended cost‑reduction measures (interior, exterior, mechanical/electrical/plumbing and site work) that could be carried as bid alternates if needed to match the budget. "That $2,800,000 is in yellow on the, towards the bottom of the green column," the presenter said during the slideshow.
Design issues and specific alternates drew extended discussion. The committee reviewed a proposed interior alternate to replace wood ceiling panels in three two‑story atrium nodes with standard acoustical ceiling tiles. Administration and the design team recommended keeping the wood finish (not recommending that alternate), citing the material's visual value and limited mechanical access needs above the ceiling; the alternate was estimated to reduce the base bid by about $48,000 if accepted as a deduct alternate.
Members debated the gym/multipurpose room corner glazing: the base bid drawing shows full glass at the corner, and the administration recommended carrying a full‑stone corner as an alternate. The design team proposed a middle option — a lower spandrel or frosted panel with transparent glass above — to preserve the design intent while addressing safety and durability concerns. Committee members expressed a clear preference for keeping glass with a frosted/spandrel lower portion rather than a full masonry corner, citing aesthetics and the original design intent.
Other alternates discussed included removing horizontal sunshades (estimated savings about $40,000, though not recommended because of energy and glare control benefits), reducing glazed tile height in corridors from 8 feet to 5 feet (estimated savings about $42,000, not recommended on life‑cycle grounds), and deferring turf/sod installation as a six‑figure alternate to reduce near‑term costs at the expense of delaying field use by a season.
The committee also discussed trees: Morris reported nine trees along the backside of the Eithon site have been placed on a temporary hold and will remain until the 2027 phase when that area is disturbed; related landscaping costs were deferred accordingly.
No formal board votes were taken at the committee meeting. Staff and consultants recommended documenting alternates and returning to the facilities committee in May for education and vetting so the board can make informed alternate decisions in August after bids are received. The district will present bid packages in June and return with award recommendations in August.
