Ironton starts search for project architect
Published 12:00 am Sunday, February 13, 2000
Ironton school officials are seeking applications from architects interested in designing the district’s new elementary and renovating the high and middle schools.
Sunday, February 13, 2000
Ironton school officials are seeking applications from architects interested in designing the district’s new elementary and renovating the high and middle schools.
"We would hope that by the April board meeting we will be in a position to make a recommendation," superintendent Steve Kingery said.
The requests for qualifications is the latest step in the city’s long-awaited, state-approved construction project.
Late last year, the Ohio School Facilities Commission announced money available for the project, with the understanding that the community would have to pass a local bond levy to receive the majority of the construction costs from the state.
Commission officials also gave the district a proposed "master plan" for school construction, the first step in the lengthy funding process.
Although subject to revision, the plan outlined the refurbishment of the high school and middle school and called for a new building to replace Whitwell, Kingsbury and West Ironton elementaries.
District officials said a bond levy for new schools could come as early as November, if the state allocates enough funds for the school projects ahead of Ironton’s.
Last month, Ironton Board of Education approved a contract for bond and construction counsel services with the law firm of Peck, Shaffer and Williams of Columbus.
"There are certain legal requirements we have to meet in both those situations," Kingery said.
Bond counsel services will help the district make sure advertising, bond documents and the bond levy ballot use the proper language, he said.
Construction counsel services will work between district officials, the facilities commission and the contractor, he added.
Such counsel is common practice when school districts build, especially because state specifications on school projects are different than the average construction project, Kingery said.
"The school facilities commission has a very extensive facilities manual that the architect and contractor have to go by," he said.
The commission also employs a coordinator who oversees the construction, he said.
"The counsel is just making sure we have all our ducks in line to prevent us having to seek some kind of court action later," Kingery said.
For now, officials will concentrate on finding the right architect and setting up three advisory committees for the project – one committee for business representatives, another for community members and parents, and a third for administrators, teaching and support staff – which should also be in place by April, Kingery said.
Then, the district will look forward to the spring, when the facilities commission is expected to say when Ironton can put its construction bond on the ballot, he said.