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Somers board: phase 1 of capital project will include playgrounds, track and safety upgrades; phase 1 ~$10–12M
Summary
District business official Chris Platania told the board phase 1 of the voter-approved capital project has SED approval and will include playground replacements, track resurfacing, parking-lot paving and fire-alarm/HVAC upgrades; phase 1 is estimated at $10–$12 million toward a project just under $64 million.
Chris Platania gave a status update on the capital project approved by voters last year, describing the district’s immediate summer work and the larger multi-phase plan. Platania said the full project is "just under $64,000,000" and that phase 1 is "somewhere in the neighborhood of $10,000,000 to $12,000,000." He said the district has received New York State Education Department (SED) approval for phase 1 and has awarded multiple contracts to begin summer work.
Platania outlined visible summer projects: new playgrounds at Primrose and the intermediate school, resurfacing of the high-school track, turf-lighting upgrades and paving of high-school parking lots. He also noted inside-work that may require longer lead times (HVAC and boilers) and therefore could occur during off-hours or later breaks.
Platania flagged a local culvert replacement project that will affect site access near the middle school and SIS. To limit bus time and avoid active construction zones, he said the district is moving the Extended School Year (ESY) program to Primrose for this summer. "So, yes, the extended school year program is being moved to Primrose," Platania told the board.
The presentation included stakeholder-engagement details: the district used student artwork from third graders to inform playground themes and formed committees of staff, students, families and the board to solicit input. Platania said phase 2 planning is already underway and the district hopes to submit phase 2 to SED later in the summer for fall review and bidding.
Board members asked for a post-summer recap and suggested a visual tour of before-and-after sites. Platania said the district will continue to post timeline updates and hoped to return in the fall with photos and vendor updates.
The board did not take immediate policy action on the presentation; the item functioned as an informational update and schedule of upcoming construction work.
