Junior high looks to trim building costs of addition

Bids for cafetorium come well above projections

A $4.3 million bid package for the Kalispell Junior High school cafetorium addition came in between $270,000 and $350,000 over projections March 2.

Don Counsell with Architects Northwest, project engineer, had estimated the work would cost $3.95 million. Bob Meinhardt with Swank Enterprises, construction manager at-risk on the project, had estimated $4.03 million.

With about two-thirds of the project's $10.9 million budget committed, this is the first significant hitch as the junior high is being converted into a middle school to be opened in fall 2007.

Last week's bid package included a wide range of work as the cafeteria-auditorium-commons area is extended from the front of the building. Virtually everything from the roofing to the flooring - demolition, mechanical systems, masonry, steel, glass, cabinets, food service equipment, fire protection, handicap-access elevator, remodeling existing areas and much more - was covered.

Fifty-two bids were submitted.

The Middle School Steering Committee met Thursday to begin trimming costs.

"We realized we're out of our comfort area with the cost," Superintendent Darlene Schottle said. "We've got to do some value engineering, take a look at the plans," to see where they can be pared back, she said.

With Meinhardt out of town this week, the committee could not pinpoint specific items that could be scaled back, modified or deleted, nor could members attach costs to suggested cuts.

So they drew up a working list of items and will ask Meinhardt to get back to them in a week or so.

Schottle outlined the main points on that working list:

-amount and type of student lockers

-finishes

-alternatives for ceilings and lighting fixtures

-building's overall footprint size

-adjustments to library remodel now under way

-placement of mechanical systems

-administrative offices

-overall room sizes

Schottle said the committee hopes to make a decision by March 22 or 24.

The original cost estimate for the cafetorium was about $3.4 million, giving rise to information that circulated this week that the addition was $700,000 over budget. That original estimate, however, was modified as construction progressed and different items were folded into this phase for cost effectiveness.