Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of stories examining the issues board of education members face in regards to a proposed Andalusia Middle School project.

Andalusia City School board members face a more than $2 million decision as they prepare to chose between renovating the current middle school building or splitting students between new buildings on the elementary and high school campuses.

In July 2011, the board approved a five-year capital plan that will close the current Andalusia Middle School campus and place seventh and eighth graders at the high school and sixth graders on the elementary school campus. Plans are to build a separate wing for the upper-level middle schoolers at the high school, and build a separate wing at the elementary school, as well as move the central office to the current middle school.

The plan was met by opposition from community members, who did not want the former Woodson High School location closed.

During a Monday workshop, board members were given cost estimates for each of the proposed facilities; however, no cost estimate was given for converting the current AMS building to use as a central office.

Drawings presented by architect Joe Donofro for renovations of the AMS building outlined 16 demolitions notes, giving the project a $2,055,052 cost estimate. Donofro said three of the biggest costs included meeting “life safety codes,” electrical codes and heating and cooling units.

“You’re facing a host of issues,” Donofro said. “This is an older building. You’re looking at $2 million to renovate and bring it up to code, but $4 to $5 million to build new. Then you’re faced with the question of ‘where.’

“This is a year-long project, and you’re basically building a new building,” he said. “And then, you’re faced with what do you do with the students. When you’re doing this type of demolition, at this level, you don’t need to have children around. It’s unsafe.

“Then, if you look at doing it a section at a time, you’re going to run into issues there,” he said. “It will cost more because contractors don’t have access to the whole building and they’d have to rearrange their schedule to make that work. I don’t think that’s an option.

“Students will have to be relocated,” he said.

Cost estimate figures for the renovation outlined the following:

• $33,400 to rectify ADA compliance issues;

• $37,100 to replace 53 windows;

• $425,000 for a new electrical and alarm system;

• $1.137 million for HVAC throughout the building, including the gym;

• $330,752 for interior work, such as sheetrock, door framing and painting and installing fire-rated doors, walls and glass;

• $81,000 for removal of asbestos floor tiles;

• $6,000 for plumbing upgrades; and,

• $5,000 for repair to site drainage issues.

Board member Joe Nix questioned the difference in age between the middle school and high school buildings.

“(AHS) is older than the middle school, so aren’t we going to have those same issues when we start building there?” Nix asked.

“Since we’re not redoing that building, we should be OK,” Donofro said. “But if we do – at some point – redo AHS, we’ll be in the same boat. Then, if we renovate a certain portion of the total campus, then we’re looking at code issues there, as well.”

Donofro said he didn’t believe the addition on the high school campus would cause code compliance issues on the AHS building.

The cost estimate for renovations also does not include the cost of using portable classroom buildings, during the renovations.

Board members reiterated that they are still in the “fact gathering” portion of the process and that no decision has been made on which avenue to take.

Superintendent Ted Watson has now been tasked to coordinate an input meeting with principals and vice principals, and later, teachers, to discuss their thoughts on the direction of the project, as well as what is needed inside the classrooms.

Those meetings are expected to take place before the board’s March workshop session.