St. Charles District 303 has $23 million in summer construction projects underway

With major changes to St. Charles School District 303 facilities approved last summer to alleviate overcrowding, the district has $23 million worth of construction projects planned or underway this summer in preparation for the 2024-25 school year.

Starting this fall, Fox Ridge Early Childhood Center will transition to an elementary school, early childhood care and Compass Academy will be housed in the Haines Center and Lincoln Elementary School will house the transition program and administrative space.

Considerable construction at multiple sites this summer is required to accommodate these changes, as well as several planned upgrades to other facilities.

Elementary facilities

Lincoln School

Construction already has begun at Lincoln School. A total of $6.5 million in renovations are required to make way for the Transition Program and Professional Learning Center, including more than $5 million in interior construction, $168,000 in asbestos and lead-based paint abatement and another $1.34 million in site work.

The Transition Program will be housed on the building’s west side, which will require installation of new floors and cabinetry, painting, ADA improvements and the relocation of walls, plumbing and electrical lines.

On the east side of Lincoln, the gym and adjacent classroom will be demolished and converted to the new Professional Learning Center, with new flooring, finishes and a dropped down acoustical ceiling to be installed. The playground on the south side of the property will become a parking lot.

The school board approved more than $5 million in construction contracts for Lincoln Elementary in February. A breakdown of the scope of construction work can be reviewed at the district’s website.

Haines Center

District 303 has $8.6 million in renovations underway in preparation for the Early Childhood Program at the Haines Center. Work expected to be completed this summer includes building two new adjacent playgrounds on the west side of the school, updating classrooms and installation of new framing, insulation and windows.

Board members approved more than $7 million in construction contracts for the Haines Center in January, including demolition work, a new foundation, new roofing, flooring, painting, upgrades in plumbing, mechanical and electrical and several other services, as well as more than $370,000 in asbestos and lead-based paint abatement.

A breakdown of the construction and other costs is available here.

Fox Ridge

Because Fox Ridge previously was an elementary school, the facility required only minor upgrades and furniture replacement to prepare for the 2024-25 school year.

Other construction

In addition to the elementary school facilities, the remainder of the $23 million is spread between previously planned projects such as door access control improvements, safety and security upgrades at several district buildings, air conditioning upgrades, roof improvements and upgrades to athletic fields, mobile classrooms and playgrounds.

Roofing repairs totaling $1.3 million are scheduled to be completed at St. Charles East High School this summer. The elevator at East High School also will be improved, but that work is expected to begin in the fall and will cost just more than $200,000.

The gym floor at St. Charles North High School will be completely refinished and repaired where needed for $155,400.

The first phase of air conditioning upgrades began this summer with $3.6 million in upgrades being installed in six school gyms and cafeterias. Phase two will be next summer.

Norton Creek Elementary will be getting all new playgrounds. That cost is more than $250,000.

Mobile classrooms

The mobile classrooms at Davis Elementary School required more than $250,000 in mold abatement, which is now complete.

The mobile classroom units at North and East high schools are scheduled to be demolished this summer.

The mobile unit at North High School was decommissioned last fall because of environmental conditions and the school is operating completely out of the main building. The school board approved a $34,000 contract for the demolition of the unit in June and the work is expected to be completed in July.

The mobile unit at East High School also is planned to be demolished this summer before the start of the 2024-25 school year.

Lot resurfacing

Just under $1.2 million of parking lot replacement and resurfacing will be done at district facilities this summer.

Parking lots at Ferson Creek Elementary are in need of replacement because of age and condition. More than $217,900 in resurfacing work will be done in the front and side parking lots of the school in July.

The parking lot at Richmond Elementary also will be replaced for $31,165. The school bus parking facility at Peck Road will be resurfaced for $939,318.

Additional expenses

In addition to the almost $23 million in new construction projects this summer, District 303 will conduct several repair and maintenance projects using existing operating funds. This will include concrete sidewalk repairs, painting, flooring replacement, new furniture, light fixture replacements, minor parking lot repairs and sealcoating, deep cleaning and more.