East Elementary renovation progresses; district and Site Logic outline design changes and 2027 completion target

The Cheboygan Area Schools board on April 22 heard a detailed update from Site Logic on bond-funded construction projects, with East Elementary identified as the largest component of the district’s work.

Brett Springgake, identified as the project manager with Site Logic, said the team has started interior demolition and site work and showed photos and a banner illustrating the new addition. He said air-handling units are expected within weeks and that contractors aim to minimize disruption to school operations.

Becky, a member of the design team, described a change to the East Elementary mezzanine prompted by state review and constructability concerns: the original poured-concrete platform (presented in the earlier design as about 355 square feet) will be replaced with a 226-square-foot metal-grating platform. The design also replaces a ships-ladder access with a full switchback stair to meet NFPA-related access expectations and improve maintenance safety, the team said. “We’ve turned that ship’s ladder into a full stair. It’s actually going to be a lot safer for the maintenance team,” Becky said.

Project phasing remains staggered: the south wing (including six classrooms) will be completed for fall move-in, the addition is expected to be dried in by October, and the north wing work will follow with a goal of finishing the remaining tasks in summer 2027, Springgake said. Board members and administration noted the early start on six classrooms is intended to reduce summertime punch-list pressure and allow furniture moves during later phases.

The Site Logic team also previewed other work in the bond package. The district said a bid opening for middle- and high-school packages will occur the following day; those bids cover energy-efficiency improvements, updated temperature controls, façade metal paneling, window and mechanical work and cafeteria window alternates.

Facilities director Steve (identified at the meeting as the district’s facilities director) added that contractors are coordinating site security and drop-off/pick-up marking to limit disruption. He also reported ancillary repairs tied to bond work, including track-scoreboard wiring and a sinkhole repair, and said bus inspections have been completed.

Board members said they expect committees to review final bid totals as they arrive and to monitor any required state-driven changes. The board was told the district had secured state approval for several items and that some state inspection comments produced a discrete add-on for mechanical-room work that administration described in the finance report as an approximately $38,000 item. The district plans to present final bid numbers and timelines to the finance and grounds committee when available.

The board did not take an action tied to the construction update beyond asking for continued schedule and cost information at future meetings.