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Highland High School bids come in $24 million over estimate; district to consider redesigns
Summary
Construction bids for Highland High returned more than $24 million above the board’s estimate, prompting staff to propose design adjustments and value-engineering; West High phase 1 remains under budget, and crews will start above-ground work next week at West High.
Isaac Estill, construction program staff, told the board that bids for Highland High were returned significantly higher than the estimate. The hard-construction bid came back at just over $280 million against a $255 million hard-construction budget, roughly $24 million above estimate.
Why it matters: Large bid overruns require either increased appropriation, value-engineering reductions, or other design changes that could affect project scope, schedule and the bond program's contingency planning.
What staff said: Estill said the district met that morning to discuss options and will return to the board with proposed design adjustments intended to close the gap. He described West High as a contrasting case where phase 1 bids came in about $4 million under projection and said panels and above-ground work will begin at West High the following week.
Board follow-up: Board members asked about parking and ADA connections for a Sugar House Park softball field tied to district work; Estill said existing parking will be connected with ADA sidewalks, and the team is negotiating temporary construction parking with local churches and park authorities.
Next steps: Staff will report back with design/rebid options for Highland and updates on project sequencing and cost implications for the bond program.
