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The Lansing Board of Education approved a $3,033,054 capital project Monday that will focus on repair of aging school buildings.  The Building Core Reconstruction (BCR) Project is the next step in a five year plan that addresses a total of $11 million in capital improvements through thee 2015-2016 school year.

Superintendent Stephen Grimm says that the plan is to define projects in even years, and for construction to take place in odd years.  The Learning, Health & Safety Project, which featured major renovations to the high school and work on the elementary and middle schools, is currently being completed.  Depending on how the Board decides to finance the project Grimm says it will have no or minimal impact on local taxes.

Two weeks ago Tetra Tech Architects & Engineers' Roger Vanderpoel reviewed the progress made in the last project, then outlined details of the new project that will be conducted in two phases.  The first will make improvements in Lansing's three principal school buildings, while phase two will make major improvements to the so-called 'Tech Building,' a quonset-style building behind the middle school.

For phase one the plan is to replace the ramp at the main elementary school entrance, relocate the main entrance to the district office, seal building cracks, add rails to a corridor ramp, replace door knobs with accessible lever-style handles, and make some general repairs to carpet and deteriorating building elements.

In the middle school repairs will be made to a historic wooden entry canopy, windows will be replaced, floor tile and stair treads.  Lockers from 1929 and 1952 will be replaced on the second floor.  Rusting steel columns, damaged glass brick will be repaired, and the gym floor will be refinished and restriped.

In the high school repairs will be made to the sidewalk and a retaining wall at the main entrance, track and jump pits will be resurfaced, the upper exterior building panels, column caps and other exterior elements will be repaired, safety panels will be added to the pool gallery railings, locker room showers will be retiled, damaged doors repaired, and the pool deck will be repaired.

For many years the discussion about the Tech Building has revolved around whether the deteriorating building should be demolished or renovated.  Phase two of the BCR Project will make repairs to masonry, and replace the roof, doors and windows.  A bathroom will be made accessible, and a door added to a firewall to bring it up to code and actually function in case of fire.  The building will house the Project Lead The Way 'Dirty Lab,' an art classroom/studio, a workroom and storage for theater scenery, costumes, and equipment, and technology equipment storage.

Grimm presented three strategies for funding the project.  If no capital reserve funds are used the annual local tax impact of the project would come to $69,938.  By using $700,000 from the Capital Reserve the impact for taxpayers would be an additional $13,535, which would have a minimal impact on the tax rate.  If $900,000 is taken from capital reserves no additional taxes will be needed to fund the project.

A referendum on the project is scheduled for October 16.  If passed district officials anticipate that bidding would take place in 2013, that phase one would be completed in the fall of 2013, and phase two in the spring of 2014.

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