Board approves $12.225 million contract to modernize Benicia High performing arts building

Benicia Unified School District trustees approved awarding the construction contract for the Benicia High School Performing Arts Building (PAB) modernization to CWS Construction for $12,225,000. Staff said the project received an approximate $3 million state Career and Technical Education (CTE) grant; the balance will be funded from Measure C bond resources.

The project scope presented by staff includes an approximately 3,800‑square‑foot addition, stage expansion, new seating and acoustical upgrades, renovated supporting classrooms and restrooms, front‑entry modernization, roofing replacement across the A building, updated utilities and fire sprinklers, and landscape work at the high‑school entry.

Why it matters: the board described the PAB as a long‑planned priority that supports performing arts and CTE programs; the state grant includes timelines that staff said make earlier construction prudent. The PAB work also includes roof replacement that the district characterized as a high‑priority, districtwide need.

Funding and schedule: Miss Egan, who presented the project, told the board the low responsive bid from CWS was $12,225,000 and that the CTE grant will offset roughly $3 million. Staff recommended awarding the contract; trustees approved the recommendation. The project’s mobilization was described as starting in summer 2026 with substantial completion targeted by December 2027. Staff also identified alternate interim spaces for drama, band and dance programming while the PAB is closed for construction.

Board and community questions: trustees asked about sequencing with other Measure C projects (notably Mary Farmer Elementary work) and about how to limit disruption to programs. Roxan (district facility/architectural staff) described permitting and state‑level review steps, typical causes of schedule shifts and strategies that staff use to keep other projects moving while awaiting state approvals. Trustees and staff emphasized the benefit of prior schematic planning done under Measure S, which they said accelerated readiness for construction bidding.

Related approvals: at the same meeting the board also approved a smaller contract for Benicia Middle School gym locker replacements (award to JWalt Construction for $485,000) intended to be completed over the summer to avoid disrupting the school year.

What remains: staff will finalize contract documents and begin mobilization; staff indicated they will continue to brief the board on sequencing with other school‑site projects and state review timelines. "We had to do the fields first because the first space of Mary Farmer will sit on the baseball field," a staff member noted when answering trustee questions about sequencing to preserve grant funding and Title IX compliance.

Provenance: project presentation, bid amounts and staff recommendation occurred in the action items section of the board meeting and the award motion and vote appear in the board’s official actions.