Deep trenches carve up the 40-acre field that is fast becoming
Christopher High School. The construction of the state-of-the art
facility is proceeding as planned and will open in September 2009,
district officials and the architect have said.
Deep trenches carve up the 40-acre field that is fast becoming Christopher High School. The construction of the state-of-the art facility is proceeding as planned and will open in September 2009, district officials and the architect have said.
By the time the board awarded the contract to Cives Steel back in November, steel prices had risen by more than 50 percent. Also, a steady $15 million gap existed between sources of funding and project cost. The problem continues with recent news of a shortfall of $3 million that the district expected in state funding, Architect Paul Bunton of BCA Architects said. The budget also calls for $25 million worth of funding from the sale of two district properties – the old Las Animas School site and the donation of land made by Don Christopher. However, these two properties are not selling in tough economic times and the district is looking at other sources of funding to keep the construction of CHS on schedule.
“We are dealing with a fairly significant cash flow issue in the next months,” said Interim Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Hardy Childers at a March 12 board meeting.
“If that is in fact our situation, it really puts urgency on the issue of the bond,” Trustee Jaime Rosso said. He referred to the price tag of CHS as a “moving target.”
The sale of $33 million in certificates of participation was approved at that board meeting and will largely be used to fund the now $181 million school. CHS. Also, taxpayers can expect to be contacted over the next month by a firm the district hired to conduct a voter opinion survey, gauging the community’s reaction to the possibility of a bond and parcel tax on the November ballot.
Meanwhile, construction is progressing smoothly, Bunton said. He works closely with the district to negotiate value engineering ideas and sources of funding and spent that morning meeting with Childers.
“It’s fun to watch,” Childers said, gazing over the plot of land at the corner of Santa Teresa Boulevard and Day Road. “It’s an amazing site.”
Rolling green hills border the country site in northwest Gilroy and attractive homes line streets named after Native American tribes – Hopi Lane, Ohlone Way and Pueblo Court. CHS will be “one of the gems of the Bay Area if not the state,” Bunton said of the lovely location and modern design.
Now that the rough grading has been completed, Gilbane Building Company, the general contractor, is laying reinforcing steel before pouring the concrete foundations. Structural steel shows up in August and that’s when passersby will really start to notice changes, Senior Project Manager Dustin Notarianni said.
“First comes the skeleton then the skin,” he said. “It’s going to be a beautiful school.”
The “skin” he referred to is high-durability concrete wall panels that are “going to last forever,” Bunton said.
Although that’s obviously an overstatement, his comment highlights his confidence in the structure.
At a recent board meeting, trustees approved the contractor’s guaranteed maximum price at nearly $124 million for phase I of the project which will now include a cluster of video/television production classrooms, theater workshop, a ceramics classroom, and music and band rooms funded by a performing arts grant from the state. With the various extra classrooms included in phase I, phase II will cost the district almost $57 million. Assuming the city of Gilroy will share costs for joint use of the performing arts center, that number will drop to $43 million.
In order to make up for the recent shortfall of $3 million, Bunton will be discussing options with the board and district administration to close that gap. The large canopy covering the school’s entrance and an additional canopy shading the quad may have to be pushed back to phase II, he said. Despite financial hurdles, Bunton is pleased with the school’s progress.
“This is great,” he said, watching various machines churn up dirt and men lay piping in the trenches. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to see this all come together. It’s going to be a solid school.”
