PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend School Board approved a maximum cost of $28.1 million for the new Salish Coast Elementary School, which is on schedule to replace Grant Street Elementary for the 2018-19 school year.
With a unanimous vote, the school board limited the maximum amount to be spent on construction of the new school to $28,113,881.
“This amendment locks us in to a maximum construction cost,” said Superintendent John Polm. “Until the actual numbers are bid, the price is not going to be exact.”
The total includes everything from framing and roofing to the carpet and doors inside the building.
So far, some of that work has been contracted. The district accepted a bid from Absher Construction Co. from Puyallup for $2.7 million for the structural and site concrete and waterproofing and damp-proofing of the concrete.
They also will install elevators for $139,000.
Dahl Glass in Poulsbo will provide front windows and skylights costing $426,541. The district also approved $329,777 for fire suppression systems from Fireshield Inc.
Miller Sheetmetal will be in charge of the HVAC and plumbing to the tune of $4.9 million.
PSW Electric will provide wiring for the electrical, communication, fire alarm and security systems for $3.4 million, and Interwest was award a $2.9 million contract for the earthwork and utilities for the new school.
That leaves the district $13,229,563 to spend on a variety of such things as gutters, kitchen equipment, window coverings, fencing and door frames.
The maximum price is the last thing that was needed to be approved by the school board. The rest of the contracting decisions will be made by Polm.
The district is working with the city to get permits to start clearing the area for the new school and placing the utilities that will need to be set before the foundation is poured.
No date of the start of construction has been set.
The district will host a ceremonial groundbreaking at 8:15 a.m. June 16 at the site of the new school — behind the current Grant Street school at 1637 Grant St.
Polm said construction is expected to begin sometime this summer. It is expected to be open for the 2018-19 school year.
The new Salish Coast school will be about twice the size of the 60-year-old Grant Street Elementary and will hold students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Once all the students are moved into the new school, the Grant Street school will be demolished and the area will be the playground for the new Salish Coast Elementary.
The entire project, the construction of the new school, demolition of the old and landscaping of the new campus is expected to total $40,085,000. The project will mostly be funded by a $40.9 million bond that voters approved in 2016.
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 55052, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.
