District: Eagle Valley school construction to start in June

Eagle Valley Middle School’s expansion project is now in design development with construction expected to begin in June, district officials reported to the Carson City School Board on Tuesday.

Mark Korinek, CCSD operation services director, and Mark Johnson, capital and special projects manager, updated the trustees on the progress of the Eagle Valley project first announced last year.

New construction on the campus will span approximately 20,000 square feet. Van Woert Bigotti Architects was chosen as the design consultant with CORE Construction as the construction manager at risk.

Schematic design is expected to be complete next month with a report and set of plans to come in early January. Construction is planned to begin in June with major completion projected in August.

The project will provide space for new enrollment, including 10 classrooms, two science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) labs, student and teacher restrooms and storage and various improvements. Buildings will receive heating and air conditioning and new parking will be added.

While the build will include the extra classroom space, Principal Lee Conley also requested two smaller intervention rooms for special education or speech pathology use.

Last year, construction was budgeted for $8.2 million but is now estimated at $12.9 million, including a 5 percent contingency of about $538,000, and that price is expected to come down as plans finalize, according to district chief financial officer Andrew Feuling.

Trustee Richard Varner asked if the total amount covered security issues such as cameras, and Korinek said it would encompass surveillance.

Traffic around the school has yet to be fully addressed through a study to improve sidewalks. A traffic circle also is expected to be installed near the campus. Korinek said it was hoped the next time he returns to the board, more information would be available.

The site would increase Eagle Valley’s student capacity to 1,000 students and bring equity in space to this campus and Carson Middle School in terms of programs and facilities, Korinek said.