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Buckeye addition to begin in July; asbestos abatement and modular timelines set, Mel Ridge repurposing discussed as a long‑term option
Summary
Staff told the Buildings & Grounds committee that site prep for the Buckeye addition should begin the first week of July, asbestos abatement for the Buckeye gym/stage/kitchen is scheduled to start July 13 with 5–7 days of removal and post‑abatement air testing, Buckeye modular trailer work is expected to be completed within days, and Mel Ridge could be repurposed in later years for intensive special‑needs programming.
At the Riverside Local Buildings & Grounds meeting, staff provided timelines and next steps for multiple facility projects. They said site clearing and prep for the Buckeye addition should begin the first week of July and that construction work will continue during the school year.
Asbestos abatement for the Buckeye gym, stage and kitchen is scheduled to begin July 13; staff estimated 5–7 days to remove friable materials followed by air sampling and testing before the rooms are cleared for use. The district described the abatement process as tenting and using exhaust and fresh‑air pull points during the work and said it will await EPA‑aligned air‑clearance results before reopening spaces.
Staff also updated the board that the Buckeye modular trailer work, contracted to Paul Hack in lieu of repurposing Mel Ridge modulars, had a brief startup delay but was expected to be completed by the end of the week or the beginning of the next. Discussion noted that the Mel Ridge modulars carry electrical feeds that also serve parking‑lot circuits; removing or repurposing those units is therefore more complicated and costlier than just taking them away.
Board members and staff discussed the possibility—well down the road—of repurposing Mel Ridge into a specialized high‑intensity special‑needs site to reduce out‑of‑district placements. Staff stressed this would require multi‑year planning, contracts and cost‑analysis and would not be an immediate change.
No formal votes were taken; staff said they will return with renderings, final cost estimates for front‑facing design elements and timing details for the Buckeye addition.
