Next phase of Apollo renovation comes in $5 mill under budget
Jun. 16—Phase 4 of the Apollo High School renovation project came in $5 million under budget, according to RBS Design Group, the architectural firm leading the project for Daviess County Public Schools.
Mike Ranney, a principal architect with RBS, told DCPS board of education members on Tuesday that the firm is recommending the board accept the contractor bid from Danco Construction for the project, which came in at $22,220,900.
The first phase of the Apollo project began with the building of a new Apollo Eagle Stadium along Southtown Boulevard that allowed for the previous stadium to be demolished to make room for a new student parking lot. That project was about $10.2 million, a cost that also included the second phase, which was the actual building of the new student parking lot.
The former student parking lot is the site of the Apollo addition, currently under construction, which is phase 3.
It consists of two wings and is slated to be about $11.5 million.
Now the district is ready for phase 4, the final phase of this school project, which is the remodeling of the existing three pods at the school including adding new heating and air conditioning, electrical and plumbing. There will also be a restructuring of the actual pods themselves to "better serve the students," said Ranney.
Actual construction work on phase 4 won't begin until December or January, Ranney said, but should the school board choose to approve this bid, the company can begin purchasing materials and plan for the project as soon as possible.
He said for the board not to get their hopes up yet.
"I just want to say that it's a good thing we are $5 million under because I'm probably going to have to come back to you later on because this is a very dirty, nasty, complicated project, and there's no telling what we will uncover as we go through," he said.
DCPS Matt Robbins said remodeling an older building "is a different animal," and while plans can be made, there is no telling what will be found once actual work begins.
Also discussed during the board luncheon was the number of open positions within the district, which Amy Shutt, DCPS assistant superintendent for human services, said is a result of the current shortage of applicants for all teaching positions.
The district currently has 30 certified positions open, 35 support staff positions open, and 13 coaching positions available.
"We have been working non-stop since April" to fill positions, Shutt said.
A lot of these positions were created through the federal funding the district received to help with any repercussions from the pandemic.
Robbins said the district is also planning to hire three additional RNs, and then two additional health technicians.
The board will vote on these items at its regular board meeting 4:30 p.m. Thursday at the district central office, at 1622 Southeastern Parkway.
Bobbie Hayse, bhayse@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7315
Bobbie Hayse, bhayse@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7315
