Geneseo board hears $23.9 million Safe Campus project timeline; bids to be issued in January

A district project presenter (Director, speaker 6) told the Geneseo Central School District Board on Dec. 1 that the Safe Campus: Enhancing Security and Enriching Student Life project — approved by voters in October 2024 as a $23,900,000 proposal — is now entering procurement and detailed design phases.

"In October 2024, it was voted for by the public, to be a $23,900,000 proposed project," the presenter said, and described four main construction components: a secure front-entrance redesign, major structural work in the main gymnasium with updated seating, a renovation of UPK/art/music spaces to add two UPK classrooms, and auditorium accessibility and storage improvements.

The presenter said the district will seek State Education Department approval and issue bidding documents in January 2026, with two walkthroughs planned in mid-December and early January to give the district broader contractor competition. "We're going out to bid in this next January, January 2026," he said, and the team hopes to break ground in April 2026 with primary construction running through December 2027 and final closeout activities into March 2028.

Board members pressed staff on logistics and phasing: temporary alternate visitor entrances during front-entrance work (middle school and tech-wing options were discussed), ADA access where steps currently exist, staging and trailer placement, scheduling for PE and interscholastic sports while the gym is unavailable, and materials/timing for asbestos abatement. The presenter said asbestos removal will focus on soffits around the roof and is timed to minimize in-session disruptions, and that large deliveries and heavy equipment will be scheduled to avoid peak student arrival and dismissal times.

On budget protections, a project consultant (staff member, speaker 7) said the cost estimate includes escalation and a target contingency of roughly 4–5% to hold room for alternates and price variance. "So that gives us a little bit of a buffer right away," the consultant said, explaining that alternates will be bid and selected to fit budget outcomes. Final material selections and vendor decisions will be made later in the design phase.

The board saw renderings showing proposed ticketing and branding elements, options for a digital or video-capable scoreboard, and interior finishes tied to the district’s blue color scheme. Staff said additional details, including the finalized construction schedule and any adjustments, will be shared as bid documents and contractor plans are finalized.

Next steps: staff plans to issue procurement documents in mid-December, hold walkthroughs in December and early January, publicly open bids at the end of January 2026 and return to the board with the recommended contract award and a refined schedule.