Board approves McDonnell Elementary renovation contract and Blossomwood AV-room architect

The Huntsville City Schools Board of Education approved construction actions for two school projects after staff reported competitive bids and outlined phased schedules to reduce classroom disruption.

Facilities staff told the board that McDonnell Elementary is slated for a full interior renovation and construction of a new gym within a program budget of $11,000,000; four firms submitted bids and the lowest base bidder was Feit Building Company at just over $9.5 million, which staff said falls within the program budget and recommends moving forward. Staff described the work as invasive and phasing "pod by pod," with early access to the media center and gym demolition scheduled before the last day of school and critical systems — including fire alarms and certain restrooms — required to be operational by Aug. 1.

The board also approved an owner–architect agreement for a renovation of Blossomwood Elementary’s AV/auditorium area into a flexible multipurpose space. Facilities staff said the program budget for Blossomwood is about $1,000,000; Chapman Sisson, the architect of the original school building, was recommended with a fee of about $44,000 and allowances near $38,000 to cover unknown conditions above ceilings and behind walls. Staff described the design as producing divisible spaces with drop-down partitions and sound-dampening materials so the room can function as classrooms during the day and a community space in the evening.

Board members pressed staff on student logistics and construction impacts. One member asked whether students would take meals to classrooms during construction, citing practices used at other schools; staff said the district will deploy additional custodial support and central-office personnel to help with meal service and deep cleaning. Staff estimated the gym component at McDonnell could take about a year while much of the interior work will be phased and completed earlier.

The superintendent moved the construction recommendations and the board approved them with a vocal vote; the motion carried after a second. The consent motion recording and the construction approvals were announced by the chair as passed.

Staff said final schedules remain contingent on state approvals (for Blossomwood) and on detailed phasing plans; they pledged to return with a more detailed construction schedule to the board. The board signaled support for fast-tracking Blossomwood and for maintaining McDonnell’s critical Aug. 1 operational milestones.