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Board approves Kennedy Gardens TK site improvements; $800,000 state grant spurs $1.2M project
Summary
Trustees awarded a $1.2 million contract for site improvements at Kennedy Gardens Elementary that were required after DSA review of a transitional kindergarten building; work includes a new sewer line, rerouted fire lane, pathways and infrastructure to bring the aging campus into compliance.
The Calexico Unified School District board voted 5-0 to award a contract to A&N Quality Builders Inc. for site improvements at Kennedy Gardens Elementary tied to a transitional kindergarten facility grant.
Superintendent Himemenz said the district received a state grant of "a little over $800,000" for a double-wide transitional kindergarten classroom but that Division of the State Architect (DSA) review prompted broader land- and site-work to ensure overall school compliance. He described work that will be required beyond the classroom itself, including rerouting the fire lane, constructing new pathways from the parking lot to the school, a new sewer line tied to the street to relieve an aging internal sewer system, and data/audio-video and fire-alarm system upgrades.
"It might seem like we're approving this $1.2 million for one room. No, we're not. It's the entire school that is going to benefit from this project," Superintendent Himemenz said, explaining the scope is driven by DSA requirements and aging infrastructure at the campus.
The board discussed the project's benefits for long-unrenovated facilities; Mr. Himemenz and his architecture partner described recurring sewer overflows and decades-old infrastructure at Kennedy Gardens. The motion to award and approve the agreement with A&N Quality Builders was made by Mr. Ariano, seconded by Mr. Ainia, and passed 5-0.
Why it matters: The project will address code and accessibility issues identified by DSA and is intended to reduce recurring maintenance problems (including sewer backups) while providing required TK facilities. The district said the improvements should allow future plumbing projects to tie into the new sewer line rather than burden aging systems.
Next steps: Contract execution and project scheduling; district staff said they will coordinate DSA-required inspections and site work with the awarded contractor.
