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Yakima School Board approves architects, project-management contracts for Hoover and Garfield rebuilds
Summary
The Yakima School Board on June 15 approved a $7.39 million architectural contract with Design West Architects and a $1.72 million owner’s representative agreement with Turner and Townsend Heery LLC for Hoover and Garfield Elementary rebuilds funded by the district bond; the board also reviewed the procurement schedule and target openings in 2028–29.
The Yakima School Board voted June 15 to hire Design West Architects and an owner’s representative team to begin design and procurement for the bond-funded rebuilds of Hoover and Garfield Elementary Schools.
In a motion read aloud at the meeting, a director said, “I move that the board of directors approve the final agreement with Design West Architects for Hoover and Garfield Elementary School projects in the amount of $7,393,454.” The motion carried by voice vote.
The board also approved an owner’s-representative/project-management services contract. A director moved to approve “the agreement with Turner and Townsend Hery LLC for owners representative project management services for the Hoover and Garfield Elementary School projects in the amount of $1,720,000,” and the board approved that motion as well.
District staff and the project team outlined the procurement cadence the board will follow, describing use of GCCM (general contractor construction management) procurement. Project staff said they plan RFQ publications, a pre-proposal conference, SOQ deadlines, shortlisting and interviews this summer and early fall, with notification of finalists and a public opening of proposals before bringing the recommended teams back to the board for formal approval in mid-September.
Mr. Cooper, who presented the procurement timetable, said the district intends to use prototype designs to reduce costs on the second school: by using a single prototype for both Hoover and Garfield, the district expects roughly a 35% design-fee reduction for the second school and estimated that will save taxpayers about $800,000 in architecture fees for Garfield. Cooper described early-site work beginning as soon as permitting allows and said the district aims for a Hoover opening in fall 2028 and Garfield in fall 2029, contingent on permitting and construction schedules.
Superintendent Dr. Green and staff also told the board they will publish quarterly email updates and use the district website to post bond-news materials and project photos for the community.
Next steps: staff will publish procurement documents and return to the board with finalist recommendations and formal contract awards at the scheduled mid-September meeting; the board’s approvals on June 15 authorized the staff to proceed with the public procurement steps.
