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Yellow Springs board advances Middle/High School and Mills Lawn schematic designs, authorizes next design phase
Summary
The Yellow Springs Exempted Village School Board voted 4–0 to approve schematic design submissions and to authorize the design professional and construction manager at risk to proceed to design development for the Middle/High School and Mills Lawn projects, with a target GMP this fall and construction beginning in Dec–Jan.
The Yellow Springs Exempted Village School Board on a 4–0 vote approved schematic design submissions for its Middle/High School and Mills Lawn projects and authorized the design professional and construction manager at risk (CMR) to move the programs into the design-development phase.
Consultants from Conger presented a program-level budget, estimating Middle/High School hard costs at about $35.0 million with owner contingency in the low millions and Mills Lawn hard costs around $12.18 million. The team described a prioritized list of alternates — including auditorium structural work, gym-floor modifications, retractable seating, insulation improvements, classroom casework, environmental graphics and optional solar PV/canopies — and said they had value-engineered several elements to protect the central design while reducing costs.
"We're recommending some design simplification that still preserves the heart and soul of the design," Presenter Mike said during the presentation, describing trimmed roof expressions, a simplified athletic entry and other savings intended to hold critical program elements while reducing price.
Board members and staff reviewed permitting and review work already completed: coordination with ODOT on proximity to Route 68, Ohio Department of Natural Resources questions about species and soil borings, and a Phase I environmental site assessment. The project team said they have reconciled estimates between design and cost teams and will update alternates and the budget in advance of the next submission.
Next steps on the schedule presented to the board include a design-development submission at the end of July, a revised estimate and alternates review, and a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) target in October–November. The consultants said construction is expected to begin in December or January and wrap up in summer 2026, with phased occupancy of some areas (the new gym was noted as an early area to come online).
The motion to approve the schematic documents and authorize the team to proceed passed on a roll call vote recorded as Magnus yes, Potter yes, Bailey yes and Hling yes.
The board will receive the design-development submission and an updated estimate at a subsequent meeting; the consultants said the GMP and construction documents will follow the fall procurement schedule. The vote authorizes the project team to continue work but does not obligate final contract sums until the GMP is presented.
