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Board hears bond project updates as Falcon Academy estimate tops earlier projection
Summary
District staff presented schematic designs and early cost estimates for Falcon Academy, Brea Junior High and a high-school accessibility project; staff said Falcon’s schematic construction estimate is about $7.8 million (rising to roughly $11–11.7 million with standard markups and contingencies) and invited the board to choose cost 'pickoffs.'
District staff reviewed schematic designs and early cost estimates for three Measure H projects at a study session, and asked the board whether to pare back nonessential features to keep Falcon Academy within its original budget projection.
Rick (Staff member) described the Falcon Academy concept as a compact site solution that would add a multipurpose room and upgraded kitchen. He said the architect provided a schematic-phase hard-cost figure of about $7,800,000 and that "when you put on those markups… and put on the contingencies, you'll see it gets to $11.06" and elsewhere staff listed a schematic-phase total of about $11.7 million. Rick said design contingencies and escalation were included in the schematic estimate and that those percentages can be refined in later phases.
The board pressed staff to return a clear, line-item set of cost reductions. The board and staff discussed three candidate savings: omitting or delaying an outdoor shade structure, removing the outdoor stage, or limiting added parking. As one board member summarized, the preference was to "pick off" visual elements that drive cost rather than reduce functional needs such as a larger kitchen. Rick agreed to ask the architect for cost breakdowns for the "three easy pickoffs" and to return with options showing the budget impact of each change.
Staff also described the community feedback process: they will post storyboards at school sites, collect staff and parent responses (including a Google form used at the junior high) and share summarized responses with the board. Rick noted that some soft costs—CEQA, design contingencies and owner-controlled insurance options—remain estimates at this stage and could be adjusted as design development proceeds.
The study session was advisory and did not include final approvals. Next steps for Falcon include producing the requested cost breakdowns, circulating storyboards on site, and returning refined schematic materials at a future board meeting.
