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District details safety plans, schedule and budget options for Mill Valley Middle School modernization
Summary
Flint (general contractor) outlined safety and dust/air monitoring protocols for construction on an active campus; designers presented a two‑story schematic, a $130 million hard‑cost board direction, and reduced‑scope options that could lower square footage and save roughly $3 million in interim housing costs.
Mill Valley School District’s modernization program for Mill Valley Middle School includes layered safety controls for working on an active campus, and a schematic design that the district says the board narrowed to options around a two‑story plan with a $130 million hard‑cost direction.
Mark Manucci, representing Flint—the district’s general contractor—said safety is the firm’s top priority and described proven measures for active campuses: buffer fencing, screened sections on fencing to limit visual distraction, scheduled heavy operations outside sensitive school periods, weekly crew safety orientations, and continuous air monitoring tied to audible alarms that require work stoppage when thresholds are exceeded.
“Safety is our number one priority on all projects that we work on,” Manucci said, adding that Flint has partnered with OSHA and received safety awards on prior projects.
Designers presented a two‑story schematic that preserves open outdoor learning space, retains the existing gym and places grade‑level pods on the southern edge of the site. The district reported a board direction of $130 million for hard construction costs; schematic estimates currently sit near $134 million and an expanded steering‑committee campus concept was estimated at about $163 million.
District and design staff stressed the environmental review timeline governs any permit or construction schedule. Presenters said the Draft EIR is expected in Q1 2025, with a target for finalization and Board ratification by July 2025; no permit work that would disturb the landfill cap or require agency approvals would proceed until the environmental approvals and Board actions occur.
To control costs, the design team also ran reduced‑scope scenarios. One option would reduce about 8,000–10,000 square feet—removing roughly six classrooms and some circulation—and produce a plan sized more closely to current enrollment (about 718 students). The team estimated reduced interim housing needs could save in the order of $3 million, while noting operational impacts if capacity is constrained.
Questions from the community covered acoustical performance, certifications (CHPS/LEED‑like measures), odor from a nearby water‑treatment plant and whether HVAC and operable‑window controls would mitigate smell. Designers said classroom acoustics will meet code‑required standards and that mechanical systems can be controlled to limit outdoor odors when necessary.
Next steps include completing the PEA and integrating those findings into the Draft EIR, reconciling third‑party cost estimates with the general contractor’s preconstruction estimate, and returning to the Board with finalized project selection and mitigation commitments for ratification.
