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Florence One approves $42.9 million guaranteed maximum price for Savannah Grove Elementary
Summary
The board approved a $42.9 million guaranteed maximum price for the new Savannah Grove Elementary (92,000 sq ft, ~750 students). The county will add $3 million toward a roughly $7.9 million gap; the district expects interest earnings and internal bond allocations to close the remainder. Construction is slated to begin February 2026 with occupancy targeted for June 1, 2027.
Superintendent Dr. Ali presented the recommended guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for the new Savannah Grove Elementary School and explained key cost drivers and the funding plan.
The project is a 92,000‑square‑foot building designed to serve about 750 students and includes five ball fields. Dr. Ali said the recommended total project cost is $42.9 million: building costs around $28.7 million, the athletic complex about $4.3 million, and roughly $10 million attributed to site work related to wet soils and wetlands that require an underground detention system.
"A significant amount of the cost were generated" by site work and wetlands, Dr. Ali said, explaining why the project exceeded the district’s original $35 million bond estimate. The county has agreed to consider adding $3 million at an upcoming meeting, narrowing an approximate $7.9 million gap. Dr. Ali said expected interest earnings on bond proceeds (about $2 million over 18 months) and district bond allocations across readings would be used to cover remaining costs.
Board member Miss Bryce moved to accept the GMP recommendation and Mr. Towns seconded the motion. Board members discussed the timeline — construction beginning February 2026 and a target for temporary certificate of occupancy by June 1, 2027 — and expressed confidence in the construction team given experience with prior projects.
The board approved the GMP by voice vote.
What was approved: the motion authorized acceptance of the guaranteed maximum price and allowed the project to proceed under the recommended funding plan pending county and district allocations. The motion did not specify individual vote tallies in the transcript; approval was recorded by voice vote.
Why it matters: the project is a major capital investment for the district; the board’s fund balance and cooperation with Florence County are central to closing the funding gap and maintaining project timelines.
