By: Deborah Johnson Wood
In 2004, with 11 schools on its list to modernize or demolish and rebuild, the Grand Rapids Public Schools won community approval of a $150 million bond proposal. With all 11 of those projects underway or completed, the school finds it has $11.5 million dollars left—that's enough to rebuild the 12th school on the list—50-year-old Hall Elementary located at 703 Shamrock SW.
"In 2003 and 2004, as we were planning the projects, we built in an amount of money for escalation of costs," says David D. Smith, executive director of facilities management and planning. "Through good fiscal management and that planning, we didn't have to spend that $11.5 million [of contingency money]."
The school board approved the plans for the three-story school at their August 20 meeting. The proposed facility will have 18 classrooms, plus art and music rooms and a gymnasium. Plans include a computer lab, in-classroom technology and Internet access, wireless Internet, and a media center.
Negotiations for property adjacent to the school are in the final stages. A parking area and a pick up/drop off loop for children being driven to school are planned.
Construction begins next spring with the new school going up alongside the existing one. After completion, crews will demolish the current elementary building. That space will become a new playground.
Some of the school's 450 students eagerly anticipate the new building.
"The kids have been showing up over the summer asking why the new school isn't ready," Smith says.
Source: David D. Smith, Grand Rapids Public Schools
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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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