The Mount Vernon School Board reviewed costs for the Mustang Activities complex at a special board meeting Monday, Aug. 29.
The current construction estimate for the project is approximately $5.6 million. Other soft costs, including architectural, engineering, and construction fees, as well as contingency costs and items purchased outside of the project will bring the estimated grand total of the project to approximately $6.5 million.
There are also four bid alternates for the project that will be considered depending on how the bids come in. Those bid alternates total approximately $400,000.
The project will likely be slightly above a previous estimate of $6.25 million from May of 2022, said superintendent Greg Batenhorst. Increases in the price of materials, including concrete, have caused the project estimate to rise. This has been an unprecedented period of time for cost increases for construction materials according to experts in the field. It is hoped the prices are beginning to stabilize for these materials.
The district has the capacity to borrow up to $3.6 million for the project if needed, but does not plan to borrow more than $3.25 million, Batenhorst said.
To keep costs down, since the August 8 school board meeting the district has already cut $68,000 from the project by deciding to use less refined brick in the project and by deleting several options, including the crow’s nest above the press box, and canopies on the concession building.
The district has also moved the ticket booth and merchandise building to bid alternate items. Other bid alternate items include additional parking, spray-on coloration for the track, and black coated fencing for the perimeter fence.
Mount Vernon’s proposed new Mustang Activities Complex was set to go out to bid this week on Wednesday, Sept. 7.
A public hearing on the plans will be held at the next Mount Vernon School Board meeting, Monday, Sept. 12, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the lobby of the Performing Arts Center.
A pre-bid meeting with potential contractors will be held Monday, Sept. 26.
All bids will be due to the school district by 11 a.m., Friday, Oct. 7. The school board will analyze the situation at that time to determine if they can support the low bid as presented.
The school board will have 30 days to act on the bid.
Construction on the project is expected in either November 2022, or March 2023, with completion slated for the spring or summer of 2024.