Archive: News

August 8 -- The Lansing School Board considered the Facilities Committee's recommendation for handling the Phase 2 construction project. The recommendation is to implement a $31 million dollar base proposal, and to conduct two referendums to determine whether the public will approve spending for a new High School Auditorium and a new IP-based security/phone system. Interim Superintendent Tiffany Phillips stressed that the $31 million is a working figure that will certainly change as the Board considers what will be in the project. She said it was conservatively calculated and could be lower when the proposal is finalized.

Last June King and King Architects presented a draft proposal that accounted for $45 million of a $70 million wish list. The list had been compiled in consultation with school employees and district officials, then prioritized. Everyone agreed that $70 million was considerably more than the district could hope to spend on a single project, so the top items on the list had been compiled to form a "Phase 2" with the idea that a "Phase 3" would follow at some time in the future.

This map shows proposed items for Phase 2 including major additions to the High School and Middle School. The high Shool addition could contain an atrium that would be the new main entrance leading to School District offices and a new auditorium, surrounded by much needed science classrooms and other facilities.

Items being considered in Phase 2 include an addition to the High School that could contain a new auditorium to handle the SRO crowds at plays, musicals and concerts as well as classrooms and a new District office. A new road pattern and parking lots are included as well as upgrades to the Elementary School gymnasium, a tech area for the Middle School auditorium and a technology building behind the middle school.

Board members are very concerned about confronting the public with such a high price tag. But as they decide which items go into the base project they must consider a domino effect. Some items must be done at the same time, even if it doesn't seem obviously logical. For example, a major component of the plan is to move all three school offices to the main entrance of each school to control traffic flow into the building and provide heightened security. To do this new music facilities would have to be constructed in the High School, not only because they are needed by the music program, but also because the new office would displace the present facility.

Another consideration has to do with State funding. According to Interim Business Administrator Gary Alger, King and King are known for their ability to maximize state funding by putting just the right components into a project. For example, the state might not fund an auditorium at the same rate they would fund classrooms, so it is advantageous to include classrooms in an auditorium project.

The board was presented with a comprehensive list of items to be included in the base project with groupings of projects that must be constructed together. They will consider which of these groupings they feel should be in Phase 2 and which can be eliminated or shunted to Phase 3.

Meanwhile two big ticket items, the new auditorium and a complete re-do of the schools' security and phone systems would be put up for referendum. An alternate to a new auditorium could be an expansion of the Middle School auditorium. King and King has suggested a balcony could be built in the existing facility to increase its capacity. King and King will have representatives present at the August 22 board meeting to answer questions the board has about the items in the base proposal.

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