After six months, members of a steering committee investigating the future of Iola schools have likely expanded their personal lexicons.
New construction vs. renovation. Eminent domain. Extending utilities. Mold and asbestos abatement. HVAC. General obligation bonds. Mill levies. Pods and playgrounds.
Whatever your critique, its not a lack of due diligence.
After another meeting Tuesday, members were able to narrow the field from five scenarios to three, settling on all-new construction as opposed to part renovation/ part new construction for a single elementary school.
That is a change from todays three attendance centers: McKinley, Jefferson and Lincoln.
From here, committee members want members of the public to weigh in with their thoughts on these possible locations:
1. 25 acres of city-owned land abutting Oregon Road with Cottonwood Street needing to be extended to the north;
2. 20 acres on Cottonwood Street just north of Allen Community College, and
3. 20 acres at the intersection of Kentucky and Monroe Streets.
THE FACT a renovation of either Lincoln or Jefferson elementary schools could not be a complete overhaul, helped to dissuade members that the money spent would be of good value.
Architects with Schaefer, Johnson, Cox, Frey estimated almost $12 million would be needed to renovate Lincoln to accommodate preschool through fifth grade. Still to be determined would be land acquisition plus new construction costs.
Its not like were taking that entire building and gutting it, said Darin Augustine, a project engineer with SJCF Architects of Wichita. Its not going to be brand new. Not every inch of that 25,000 square feet is going to be touched.
Instead, money would go primarily toward replacing the roof and floors and addressing the mold in the basement with a new HVAC system.
Some of the classes will remain as is, so they might get some new carpet or paint, he said.
One downfall of the existing building is that a number of the classrooms are fairly small at 750 square feet, as opposed to an ideal size of 900-950 square feet, Augustine said.
