Renovation plans start moving!

The board had a work session Tuesday with the team from Schmidt Associates architects, who we've hired to get us through this first planning phase and a probable referendum vote.

The short version is that Lebanon High School is 51 years old. While it's been maintained well, it needs renovation to insure we can get 20-30 more years of useful life from the building. That is the goal of this project! We're going to focus on functional, cost-effective design, energy efficiency that will help pay back the cost of the project, and the needs of staff and students who are in the building daily.

If you'd like more detail, read on!

The Schmidt team spent several days meeting with LHS staff to see what the needs are for those who work in the building every day. A few areas came up repeatedly:

• Traffic circulation in the building is right and maze-like
• Corridors are too tight ("I" hall is particularly notorious)
• Entry and main office is not secure, and the location isn't clear enough
• Building and site need better signage
• The PA system should be "zoned" so the whole building isn't interrupted for every announcement
• Handicapped access needs improvement
  
• Many rooms are too small for the number of students in them
• More storage is needed throughout the school
• The Media Center location is awkward and should be more central
• Space is tight in the cafeteria, band and choir rooms, and special needs classrooms
• The Auditorium lacks space backstage, and the curtains, lights, sound, and pit need updating.

Perhaps the most critical issues are in the mechanical/electrical/plumbing/technology areas:

• Temperature control is inconsistent or not available
  
• Electrical system is unreliable and outdated (some outlets do not work at all)
• Lighting in rooms is inadequate
• Plumbing is actually failing in places, and more restrooms and drinking fountains are needed
• Technology needs to be integrated through the whole school

The board and administrators at the meeting added the following:

• The roof needs to be replaced
• Exterior brick is in disrepair and needs extensive tuckpointing or replacement
• Asphalt, sidewalks, and curbs are broken down
• The courtyard is wasted space and should be reconfigured.

Assistant Superintendent and CFO Charles Tait pointed out that renovating in the next couple years has two large advantages: bids will be low because contractors need the work, and interest rates are very low.

What's next? Over the next 60-90 days the Schmidt team will focus in on these needs and design solutions for them. Meanwhile, Umbaugh and Associates is crunching numbers with help from administrators so that as soon as possible we can clearly explain the cost and tax impact of this project to LCSC constituents.

A 1028 hearing will likely be scheduled for Spring 2010, at which the maximum bond amount for the project will be set. There will be many public meetings and media coverage of this project over the next several months to listen to community priorities and concerns, and educate the public about the condition of their school buildings. It's likely that a referendum will be on the ballot in November 2010, in which the community will vote in favor of or against the renovation project. The referendum process is new to Lebanon, so we'll all be learning about it together.

A final note: I will post updates here regularly. But right now much of this information is preliminary. I will do my best to make clear what's "possible," "likely," "potential," and what's been firmly decided. Please feel free to comment, provide input, or ask for clarification--I hope this blog will be a valuable source of community feedback.