“Van Buren Middle School is our oldest building that we occupy — 77 years old,” Kettering Schools Superintendent Mindy McCarty-Stewart said.
The district determined it would be more cost-effective to merge the schools as McCarty-Stewart said it will save the district nearly $1 million in yearly operational costs.
“We determined that it needs about almost a $3 million new roof and significant upgrades to the building,” McCarty-Stewart said about what it would cost to keep Van Buren Middle School open during the construction of a new middle school.
Credit: Jen Balduf
Credit: Jen Balduf
The school board on Tuesday authorized an agreement with Ruetschle Architects Inc. for the abatement and demolition of Van Buren Middle School. The total cost of the services is $149,700, according to the agreement with Ruetschle Architects, and the site restoration plan will include creating natural grass practice fields.
Ruetschle Architects will also come up with a recommendation of when Van Buren Middle School should be demolished.
Reconfiguring Kettering Middle School
The Kettering Board of Education also authorized an agreement between Kettering Schools and Prodigy Building Solutions LLC for the reconfiguration of Kettering Middle School, costing $292,000, according to the agreement.
The Kettering Middle School classroom reconfiguration project consists of subdividing certain classrooms to create additional instructional space.
Work includes the construction of new interior partition walls, along with the installation of new interior doors and limited masonry door openings, according to the agreement with Prodigy Building Solutions LLC.
The project will utilize existing HVAC systems to serve the reconfigured classrooms. Ceiling systems will be selectively reworked to accommodate new wall construction, including asbestos ceiling remediation and replacement with new lay-in ceiling grid and tile in designated rooms, according to the agreement.
The scope of the project also includes the demolition and removal of select locker bays to create additional usable space, along with associated concrete repair and floor patching.
Plans to reduce number of school buildings
The Kettering City Schools Future-Ready Facilities plan is a 10-year plan divided into two segments to reduce the district’s footprint from 12 school buildings to seven to “right-size” the district for its enrollment needs.
The district previously announced it is eligible to get about 43% of the cost to build new school buildings from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, a state agency that provides funds to districts to build new buildings.
The first segment of the project, which includes renovations to the high school and a new middle school building, is expected to cost $222 million.
At Fairmont High School, the state will co-fund a new academic wing; the other portions of the building, which are newer, will remain, McCarty-Stewart said previously.
For the entire project, the state is expected to contribute about $159 million, and the local share is about $321 million, Kettering Schools Treasurer Justin Blevins said during an Oct. 15 meeting.
Generally, OFCC funds come with a percentage the community is expected to chip in through a bond levy. The Board of Education voted in November to place a 5.93-mill bond issue on the May 5 ballot.
The estimated cost of the bond, according to Kettering Schools, is roughly $210 per $100,000 in property valuation per year, with some relief offered for qualifying seniors or those with disabilities.
Eileen McClory and Jen Balduf contributed to this story.
About the Author
