Center Grove schools will spend tens of millions of dollars on renovation projects for Sugar Grove and Pleasant Grove elementary schools over the next three years.
The combined estimated $21.1 million in renovations — $15.9 million at Sugar Grove and $5.2 million at Pleasant Grove — will add four new classrooms to each building in anticipation of future growth and modernize classrooms at both buildings over the course of the next three years.
The costs are projected numbers that could change once bid packages come in.
The school board passed resolutions to move forward with both projects 4-1. The dissenting voice on both projects was board member Jack Russell.
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“I’m concerned about the mountain of debt we have to get paid off,” Russell said.
On New Years Day, Center Grove schools had more than $173 million in debt, according to data from the state of Indiana. The school district will be able to take on the two new renovation projects without asking for a property tax hike from the school district’s residents because it will use general obligation bonds and pay off the debt as it finishes paying off other projects. The maximum term of the bonds the district has to pay off is 20 years. The first payment on the Pleasant Grove project will be made in 2021, with the first payment for Sugar Grove will be made the following year or in early 2023, according to school officials.
A housing boom in White River Township is driving the desire by the school district to add more learning spaces for students due to projected growth in the student body, which has about 9,000 students and school officials project will pass 10,000 students in 2024. One planned subdivision, at Olive Branch Road and Mullinix Road, will add 197 new homes. More than 1,000 homes are currently being built in the southern part of White River Township, where there is more undeveloped land available, according to school officials.
Growth has been a factor Center Grove schools has had to adjust to in numerous ways, from using portable classrooms to keep class sizes in check, to building Walnut Grove Elementary School, which opened last year in hopes of easing the burdens on schools in the district that were nearing capacity limits.
The difference between the costs of renovation at both schools is largely due to how much is changing at each building. Pleasant Grove Elementary School had a partial renovation and addition to its building in 2013, and the new renovations, although they include four new classrooms, will not be as extensive as the renovations at Sugar Grove.
At Sugar Grove, construction workers will not only add four classrooms, but add a gymnasium and re-use the old one as a large group instructional room. The construction will also expand the cafeteria into a large group instructional space, according to school officials.
After architectural renderings are completed, both projects will go to bid next spring. Work on Pleasant Grove Elementary School is estimated to be completed in fall of 2022, while the Sugar Grove Elementary School project is set to wrap up in September of 2023.
The simpler of the two projects, Pleasant Grove Elementary School, will include renovations to classrooms, with new cabinetry, furniture, paint, carpet, ceilings and lighting. The renovations are overdue for the 33-year-old school, Assistant Superintendent Bill Long said.
“We did some additional work and restoration in 2013 and 2014 but it’s time to renovate the rest of the building,” Long said. “Our goal is to renovate buildings before the 25-year mark.”
Renovating classrooms at both elementary schools is key to keeping them aligned with the standards of other schools in the district, he said.
“We’re going to do as much as we can,” Long said. “We can renovate every classroom so the learning spaces meet standards throughout the (school) corporation.”
At Sugar Grove Elementary School, renovations will be more extensive. Along with the classroom renovations, the addition of four classrooms for a developmental preschool program and the addition of a gymnasium, changes to the school include safety upgrades. Staff and students can expect to see additional security barriers to restrict building circulation and additions to video surveillance, door monitoring and one-way security screening, according to school officials.
Security improvements at Pleasant Grove Elementary School will be more modest, and will include fire panels, an upgraded radio system and additional security cameras. Additional money for the project will also go towards roof replacement, concrete repair and improvements to the HVAC system, according to school officials.
Conducting renovations for both schools while keeping the tax rate steady was key, said Rob Daniels said, president of the school board.
“I understand we’re overdue for renovations,” Daniels said. “It makes sense to not raise taxes. I’m impressed by the plan, doing this with other debt rolling off. This is the time to do it, and we’re doing it without increasing taxes.”
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How projected costs break down for each project
Pleasant Grove Elementary School
Estimated construction costs
New additions to building: $1,930,391
Renovations: $2,107,504
Construction contingency: $187,000
Architect fees and reimbursables: $299,400
Construction management: $311,000
Loose furnishings, owner’s contingency: $100,705
Legal, financing costs, consultants: $100,000
Testing, other costs: $62,000
Builders risk insurance: $7,000
Total: $5,170,000
Sugar Grove Elementary School
Estimated construction costs
New additions to building: $5,439,226
Renovations: $6,881,654
Architect fees and reimbursables: $1,004,000
Construction management: $471,120
Loose furnishings, owner’s contingency: $500,000
Legal, financing costs, consultants: $1,570,000
Builders risk insurance: $34,000
Total: $15,900,000
Source: Center Grove Community School Corporation
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Projected timeline for two elementary school renovation projects
Pleasant Grove Elementary School
Board Approval: Thursday
Vote on bid packages: Spring 2021
Completion: Fall 2022
Sugar Grove Elementary School
Board Approval: Thursday
Vote on bid packages: Spring 2021
Completion: Sept. 2023
Source: Center Grove Community School Corporation
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