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San Marino Unified board hears Measure M progress, schedule for Valentine, Carver and high school projects
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Summary
District staff and contractor Chris Nolan told the board Measure M work will start with playgrounds, modulars and permit-dependent larger projects; architects presented two massing options for a two‑story Valentine Elementary building and Carver TK/K site layouts that raise traffic and drop‑off concerns.
San Marino Unified School District officials updated the board on Measure M construction progress and next steps, outlining early‑start projects, design options and a schedule that depends on state plan review and lease‑leaseback selection.
Dr. Steven Choi, the district’s bond/project lead, said the district is advancing early projects such as playground replacements, a substantially completed concession building at the high school, and new fencing while larger projects move through design and the Division of the State Architect’s plan review. “We are very excited to share several updates tonight,” Choi said, adding the citizens bond oversight committee recently visited the Valentine Elementary site and reviewed expenditure reports.
Contractor Chris Nolan walked the board through massing studies for a proposed two‑story building at Valentine Elementary and said the district is considering two footprint options. One option places the building along the south blacktop and requires maintenance‑yard access for deliveries and emergency vehicles; the second moves the building to the east side of campus, which the principal preferrred for supervision and would save “a couple $100,000” by avoiding portable relocations, Nolan said.
At Carver Elementary, preliminary site plans for TK and kindergarten modular classrooms incorporate play areas and a drive aisle, but staff and board members flagged substantial traffic and congestion challenges at the site’s single ingress/egress on Huntington Drive. Choi said additional traffic studies and a meeting with the traffic safety crew are planned.
Nolan also reviewed major high‑school work, including a Medical Arts building with program‑specific rooms (robotics, vocational labs), roofing projects across campuses, demolition of the track and a planned HVAC project to be started over the summer if DSA permits are approved. The team has identified placeholders to submit plans to DSA and expects construction of the larger buildings to begin after the New Year, contingent on approvals.
The district is conducting a lease‑leaseback procurement and has five prequalified firms; interviews are scheduled for April 16. Choi described the process as transparent and said bringing a contractor in early reduces later change orders and improves coordination between architects and builders.
The board did not take an action on design selections at the meeting; staff said options and more detailed elevations will be presented in future updates as design development continues.
