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Board weighs demolition of Hilltop Building as renovation estimates top $22 million
Summary
Trustees reviewed demolition bids and renovation cost estimates for the Hilltop Building and discussed community outreach before any vote; staff reported a demolition bid of $363,000 and a packaged demolition estimate not to exceed $813,000, while full renovation projections ranged from $22 million to $25 million.
Staff presented competing cost scenarios for the Hilltop Building, telling the board that a demolition bid in the packet listed a contractor price of "$363,000" while a packaged estimate including allowances put the project ceiling at "$813,000." The same presentation said renovating the building to usable condition would be far costlier — staff cited a $22 million to $25 million range for full renovation.
The facilities presentation framed the demolition option as a way to avoid prolonged maintenance costs and to align construction work with other campus paving and site projects. Staff recommended vetting bids and said carrying out demolition in mid‑to‑late May or early June would allow overlap with other summer contractors, which could produce savings on mobilization and site work.
Several trustees pressed staff on public outreach and information. One trustee urged proactive, simple messaging and suggested a short highlight video and an FAQ to explain why housing reuse may not be feasible and to show the cost comparisons rather than rely on a single long forum recording. The trustee said, "I'd love to see an information video or something that would be easily shareable" and asked for clear facts and numbers to reduce community confusion.
Staff acknowledged the need for direct outreach and noted that a recorded community forum is posted on the district YouTube page; they recommended a brief, factual summary for social media and email to accompany any forthcoming materials.
Next steps: staff said they would seek board action as soon as the April 23 meeting if the board is ready to move forward and that additional detail and an opportunity to walk the Hilltop Building would be made available to trustees before any formal approval.
Quoted sources are identified by role as recorded in the meeting: "Staff member" refers to the district staff speaker who presented the facilities update; "Committee member" refers to a board member who requested outreach materials.
