Lockport School District 205 OKs construction contract for Central’s ceilings

Lockport — After more than six months, Lockport High School Central Campus is getting a new ceiling after an overnight classroom collapse in November led to large chunks of the building’s ceilings being removed.

The Lockport Township High School District 205 Board approved a contract with Berglund Construction Co. for the work at its regular meeting Monday.

Berglund produced the lowest of three bids submitted for the project by more than $300,000 with a final cost of $3,453,776. There also is an additional $250,000 allowance on the project to account for unforeseen additional structural repairs that may be found during the work.

The old ceilings already have been demolished, and construction on the 115-year-old building is ready to begin. With the approval of the bid, the board expects the school will be able to reopen to freshman students for the first day of school Aug. 19.

In addition to moving to return Central Campus to use in the 2024-25 school year after more than a semester with students busing to Lincoln-Way North in Frankfort, the board also voted on a path forward for financing repairs that still are needed at the freshman center.

The board’s vote comes after extensive discussion at a special board meeting and open house May 13.

Although no specific plans were set in motion Monday, the board voted for staff to further research and prepare to takes steps to acquire life-safety bonds for use in building repairs, using a plan proposed by board member Lance Thies.

These life-safety bonds, which do not need voter approval to be issued and only can be used to fund specific necessary repairs, would be issued in the amount of about $26.2 million based on estimates by DLA Architects.

We need to get the students back into Central, irregardless. That’s the short-term plan. In the long term, we can look at other options.”

—  Lou Ann Johnson, Lockport Township High School District 205 Board member

The funds, which would need to be approved by the state, would go toward replacing critical systems in the Central building. Those systems include the roof, heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, windows, and plumbing and electrical.

The board also indicated that it aims to spend an additional $10 to $12 million from its cash reserves to address other issues in the building, including renovations to make the space more compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act and implementing other non-life-safety renovations, such as improvements to the spaces used by Lockport Academy and the Community and Career Connections program.

Finally, with the vote, the board instructed the staff to continue exploring alternate revenue sources for the district, which also could be used to make improvements at Central. These revenue sources include but are not limited to the option of leasing the district’s Homer Township property for a community solar farm, a proposition that was discussed in depth at the previous meeting.

In voting to “stabilize” Central, the board took a few moments during the meeting to address comments made by the public throughout the process of both the failed March referendum, which sought $85 million for a total building renovation, and the open house.

“When the ceiling issues happened, we had a lot of concerns about the safety of the building and its state,” board Vice President Veronica Shaw said. “We need to address some of these issues because we are going to have students come back there in August. We can’t build a new facility in a summer, so I think the best option is what Lance [Thies] has proposed.”

The board again said that the district cannot afford to build a new building without voter approval on a referendum, something that has been rejected multiple times throughout the past 20 years, and that even with the funds, the building process would take multiple years.

Student board members Victoria Dalponte and Chelsea Osei also took a moment to express concerns about the push by certain residents during the previous meeting’s public comment section to put a new addition on East Campus and discontinue the use of Central.

“Something I can personally speak to is the already-crowded hallways at Lockport East and the utilization of outdoor spaces at East Campus in the area that is being discussed for an expansion to take place,” Dalponte said.

She went on to point out that the proposed expansion space already is used by the student golf teams, by the students in the horticulture classes and club, and by Adventure Ed classes.

“That area is utilized right now, so it would result in the cutting of courses and limiting our space,” Dalponte said.

Osei added that to accommodate all the students from Central and additional population growth, the expansion would need to include a cafeteria, auditorium and gym, something that would add significant expenses to the project since it still may not be enough space.

“We need to get the students back into Central, irregardless,” board member Lou Ann Johnson said about the board’s immediate plans. “That’s the short-term plan. In the long term, we can look at other options.”