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Consultant outlines $30M–$200M facilities scenarios, flags health‑and‑safety priorities at Proviso Township HSD 209
Summary
A consultant from Aptera presented an interim no‑cost facilities assessment to the Proviso Township HSD 209 board, identifying health, safety and HVAC needs at Proviso East and West and three financing scenarios: about $30M with no tax increase, $60M via debt extension, and up to $200M if projects qualify as health/life/safety (which would likely require a tax-rate increase).
The Proviso Township High School District 209 board heard an interim facilities assessment from Aptera on April 14, in which the consultant outlined building‑specific deficiencies and a range of funding scenarios.
An Aptera presenter told the board the firm used a four‑pronged approach—community engagement; improving life‑cycle, safety and compliance; eliminating district risk; and adding flexibility—and identified priority‑level one work such as ventilation and air quality, restrooms, moisture control in basements, electrical infrastructure and secure visitor vestibules at Proviso East and Proviso West.
“The district could fund up to $200 million worth of work, but that would also require a tax‑rate increase,” the presenter said, then described two lower‑cost options: roughly $60 million available through the district’s existing debt‑service extension and about $30 million in work that could be done without raising the tax rate. The presenter said the firm will submit required paperwork to the Illinois State Board of Education when projects are filed for health/life/safety consideration but stressed that final qualification depends on ISBE determinations.
Aptera provided building examples and photos and walked the board through priority tiers. Priority one centered on immediate health and safety—ventilation, HVAC and moisture control—especially at East and West. Priority two included HVAC improvements at the Math and Science Academy, cafeteria noise control and traffic‑calming measures; priority three covered resiliency and illumination; priority four listed life‑cycle renovations such as lab and CTE updates and space repurposing.
Board members pressed for additional analysis on high‑cost, older facilities. In response to a question about Memorial Hall at Proviso East, the presenter said the team could run a cost‑benefit analysis comparing renovation with teardown and that the building’s HVAC issues had been included in the highest priority group for further study.
The presentation did not propose immediate contract awards; the consulting team framed the briefing as preliminary work that will inform a master plan and future budget decisions. The board did not take a funding vote at the meeting; next steps are further analysis and periodic check‑ins with the consultant as the district considers scope, timing and the district’s appetite for tax‑rate changes.
