By Ryan Spoehr
Editor
Whitewater Unified School Board members had not only a taste of modern technology at the board’s most recent meeting, but they were able to take a peek into a virtual reality world of what district buildings may look like in the future.
Teresa Wadzinski and Andrew Malanowski of Eppstein Uhen Architects and Neal Day of JP Cullen presented schematic designs and a budget update during the board’s Feb. 27 meeting. Following the presentation, they used Google Cardboard to present renderings of referendum plans.
Google Cardboard is a smartphone app that, along with a cardboard headset, can present 3D images and video on a smartphone.
Imagery was also available on a screen in the boardroom for everyone to see while the school board members were looking at it through Google Cardboard.
The update included schematic designs, which was a verbal explanation of what was to come in the virtual reality presentation.
“Schematic design is this first level identifying the scope of work, putting it on to a set of drawings, being able to hand it to managers to make sure they can update their pricing and make sure we are still on target with the $23.5 million that you guys just approved,” Wadzinski said.
Wadzinski told the board that they have met with staff who will be in a renovated space twice in addition to the principals at each building.
Lakeview Elementary
At Lakeview Elementary, the goal is to create a safe entry and renovating the office to accommodate the safe entrance, like the other buildings.
The safe entrance would allow doors to be locked, and for anyone seeking entrance into the building, they would have to be allowed in by someone in the office. This would be done via a remote system.
Just like all other buildings, there will be bathroom upgrades to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. But unlike in other buildings, there have already been upgrades to two bathrooms to be in compliance with the act, so those will not be renovated.
The existing locker room space will be renovated. However, the space will be used for classrooms.
“What it is now is a bunch of shower rooms that are kind of just used as a storage area. What we are able to do is open up that whole area, and provide what we are calling a flex classroom, thinking of it as a little bit of a makerspace, a little bit of a lab and bringing in students in there,” Wadzinski said. “Off of that flex space, there’s support spaces, collaboration spaces, additional phy. ed. office and OT/PT office. That’s also adjacent to the cafeteria where they use space for functions in both the morning and afternoon.”
Also in the renovation plans for Lakeview is the library, which will include new furniture, Wadzinski said. The plan is to have the library done by the start of the 2017-18 school year.
Cubbies and hallways will be renovated as well. For further ADA compliance, a ramp is being built in the back of the facility and the sidewalk in front of the building is being rebuilt.
High school
The secure entrance at the high school, Wadzinski said, was not difficult to plan out.
“The key components were in place. We just needed to add a little,” Wadzinski said.
An existing window will be taken out and a door will be put in its place.
“We are adding windows on the exterior so there is visibility so the receptionists can see people while they are coming up to the building. Right now, they are relying on that camera and they really have no indication of what’s happening outside,” Wadzinski said.
There will be a slight reconfiguration of the principal’s office to accommodate the secure entrance.
Also at the high school, there will be a connection established to the Whitewater Aquatic Center. The old fitness area will be converted into a new training space. A new fitness area will be put in its own area. The cafeteria will be renovated to accommodate more seating.
“The other piece of the high school is the library, which I am getting really excited about the design and how that is going to serve as a student commons, a social space, but also very much an instructional space.”
Lincoln
At Lincoln, four classrooms will be added. The new classrooms will house third-grade classes. A gymnasium with a full-sized basketball court extending east to west will also be added. There will be two smaller courts with curtains that will extend north to south.
The existing gym will be renovated for a library space. The existing library office will be renovated to accommodate additional main office space for the secure entrance feature for the building. The entrance will be moved to the corner of the building.
“It is being moved to the corner so it is a little bit more prominent from Prince Street,” Wadzinski said.
Also, casework and flooring will be done in all classrooms, both new and old.
Another change will be the art room being relocated to a different part of the facility to capture more natural light.
“The current art room will be converted into a band practice room,” Wadzinski said.
Potential to scale back
In the summary report given by the three presenters, it states the project is projected to run about $24.13 million, which is about $600,000 over the referendum value.
“It is important to note that we carry a significant amount of contingency. The contingency is $1.35 million remaining, and that drops at each level,” Day said. “Every time we get in more detail, we drop the amount of contingency.
“As a team, we feel that how much the budget overage is showing versus the contingency and the total project value, we feel very comfortable we are able to get this project in line within the budget.”
The next level of estimate will be done in the next 3-4 weeks.
“We’ll give it another look in 3-4 weeks, but we don’t anticipate big happening at that time,” Day said.
Wadzinski told the board there will be areas of the plans that can be scaled back if the price becomes too high and exceeds the budget.
“There were a few areas of added scope and additional square footage that weren’t necessarily estimated pre-referendum,” Wadzinski said. “There are certainly areas or pockets of square footage that be labeled as ‘alternate’ as another way we are within budget. So, on bid day, ‘Give us a price for this area only,’ and if we come in under budget, we can put it in. If we are over budget, then we can eliminate that.”
Order of renovations
“There’s a little bit of a challenge with five buildings,” Day said. “So, the project superintendent and I sat down and brainstormed an effective way to do this work.
“The fundamental result we came up with is we really want to start at Lincoln and the middle school. We need to get Lincoln started because it is the largest scope of work. There’s new construction and a lot of remodeling. We selected the middle school along with that so we can stay focused. We won’t spend a lot of time going around town.”
Day said it is predicted that $2.5 million of work would be done in the first month of the project, which is scheduled for June. Then, July and August would account for $3 million.
“Then we would actually slow down quite a bit. Across the school year, we are only doing new constructions. So, we continue with Lincoln and then we move over to the high school and start the new construction there,” Day said.
Heading into the 2018 summer break for students, renovations would be started while new additions would be finished at the high school, in addition to trying to finish up at Lincoln, Day said.
From there, work would start on Lakeview and Washington.
“Now, we are at three more spread-out areas. But, we have a team developed now and there would be contractors we would be working with more,” Day said. “The scope of work in the second summer is $2.5 million per month. So, even though we are at three locations, we are putting a little less work into those renovations than we are in the first summer.”
The estimate bid date is in mid-April.
