Plum School Board approves architect agreement for summer middle school projects

The Plum School Board has hired an architectural firm for renovation work proposed to be done this summer at the district’s middle school.

The district will pay The Hayes Design Group-Architects $170,600 for construction documents and construction administration for select projects at the school.

The scope of work consists of 10 items with an expected cost of about $4.3 million.

The district has about $1.9 million in grant money to put toward the cost. Proceeds from a $10 million bond, the first of three planned borrowings totaling $30 million, would be used to pay the remaining $2.4 million.

Five of the projects involve replacing equipment that has reached the end of their lifespans — the chilled water pump; boiler burners; hot water heating pumps; building exhaust fans; and house traps, which are plumbing fixtures designed to block sewer gases from entering buildings.

The other items are courtyard and basement waterproofing; replacing exterior doors and windows; replacing the HVAC digital control system; modifying the art wing HVAC; and a new, ground-mounted dust collector to replace a roof-mounted unit.

Following the board’s approval, HDG said it anticipated the design team could start work immediately. The design and construction document phase is expected to end in late March, and the majority of construction would be done during the summer.

HDG is working on the design development phase for an addition and alterations to O’Block Elementary, scheduled to be finished in April.