PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles School Board this week will hear the official recommendation for a proposed replacement of the 61-year-old Port Angeles High School.
A replacement of only the classroom spaces on the 39.7-acre sloped campus at 304 E. Park Ave. was estimated at $99 million, while a full replacement or refurbishment of the existing gymnasium could bring the cost as high as $118 million.
The board’s meeting is set for 7 p.m. Thursday at Jefferson Elementary School, 218 E. 12th St.
According to district documents, the Capital Facilities Planning Bond Committee plans to recommend a lower amount — about $99 million — and leave the 51,379-square-foot gymnasium complex as it is.
The School Board is expected to vote on the final bond amount Nov. 13, which would be sent to voters in February.
The estimated cost is similar to equivalent schools that have been built in Western Washington in the past few years, according to Chris Lilley, of McGranahan Architects of Tacoma.
McGranahan held three community forums, a teachers’ forum and two student forums to determine what features were desired in a school building.
A preliminary design concept revealed on Oct. 14 incorporated those features, including a single-structure concept, the use of natural light, access to outdoor spaces and the preservation of the existing auditorium.
The design has not been selected or approved by the School Board.
The report from the committee recommended the smallest bond possible with the longest-term benefits.
“Remodeling of the existing school was considered by the committee and would be preferable if the facility offered a realistic starting point,” the report said.
“However, because it is structurally and mechanically aged, it would require massive updates to meet current seismic, ADA, fire safety, and numerous other safety codes.”
The cost of remodeling the existing school could cost 90 percent the cost of rebuilding, the report said, and would leave a group of older buildings with a shorter lifespan than a new building, it said.
Six of the 10 buildings on the campus were built in 1953, two in 1958 and two in 1978.
A standard lifespan for a school building constructed during that period is 30-40 years.
Older schools may be eligible for partial state reimbursement for new construction costs.
Another recommendation is to build the school for current enrollment, rather than plan for a possible future increase in enrollment.
In 2012-13 and 2013-14, district enrollment stabilized at about 3,760 students after a decade of steep declines.
The 2013-14 state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s enrollment projection report predicted a district-wide increase of about 100 students by 2019.
The McGranahan design includes an add-on wing to be constructed if needed at a later date.
The replacement plan would increase the overall square footage from 222,000 to 237,000, due to indoor hallways in place of current outdoor walkways.
A new gymnasium the same size as the existing one would cost $18 million, Lilley said.
If the board chooses to repair only what is legally necessary to bring the building up to seismic and fire codes and meet accessibility requirements, it would cost 75 percent of the cost of a new building, he said.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
