The Examiner U-46 News Feed

Dist. U-46 Board plans for 39 summer capital projects

By Seth Hancock
  School District U-46 is planning on 39 capital projects totaling $29 million this summer according to the list of projects presented to the Board of Education at its Monday, Jan. 10 meeting.
  The highest price tag project is $6.7 million for the first phase of Streamwood High School’s pathways academy. Track replacement and drainage repair ($1.1 million), bleacher replacement and gym floor refinishing ($791,000) and elevator replacement at Millennium Field ($150,000) are planned at the school.
  A $2.1 million project for air cooled chiller replacements at nine sites is also planned.
  Sue Kerr, the board’s president, asked if all the projects will be finished. Supply chain issues have caused problems nationwide.
  “That is always the goal,” said Sheila Downs, director of plant operations. “However, we’ve been in conversations with our architects and engineering firms just to make sure that if there are any COVID delays or material delays that may impact our timelines and the fall start, that we have that information. As of now, all of the proposed projects can be completed by the start of the school year.”
  Several other sites have multiple projects including Streamwood’s Tefft Middle School (ceiling abatement, drop ceiling and light installation and insulation, fire alarm; $3.5 million), Elgin’s Kimball Middle School (parking lot resurfacing and sidewalk creation, bathroom renovation, office carpet; $1.8 million), Elgin’s Larkin High School (tennis court reconstruction and light installation, commons/office hallway roof, auxiliary building renovation; $1.2 million), Elgin High School (tennis court and light replacement, concrete stairs replacement; $1 million), Wayne Elementary School (fire alarm, boiler; $755,000), Elgin’s Ron O’Neal Elementary School (ceiling, boiler; $650,000), Elgin’s Larsen Middle School (cafeteria lighting and drop ceiling, parking lot resurfacing/drive creation; $445,649) and Elgin’s Channing Elementary School (bathroom renovation, multipurpose room lighting/ceiling painting; $325,000).
  Other higher-price projects are central office renovations ($1.5 million), bubbler removal and drinking fountain installations at 14 sites ($1.4 million), window replacement at Elgin’s Ellis Middle School ($1.2 million) and parking lot and sidewalk replacement at Elgin’s Otter Creek Elementary School ($1 million).
  Board member Dawn Martin asked about school closures effecting summer programs. Downs said Tefft would be closed while “sections” of other buildings would be affected.