BELOIT - Moving forward with phase two of the projects approved by voters in the November 2018 referendum, the Beloit Turner School Board on Monday approved a $3,797,000 bid by Corporate Contractors Inc. (CCI) for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM) building upgrades.
The seven-member board voted 6-0 with one abstention to award a contract to Beloit-based CCI.
School board member John Pelock said construction work is expected to begin at the middle and high school in February, with a hopeful completion date sometime in July 2020.
Director of Business Services Brad Boll said the STEAM contract calls for renovation to some existing facilities at the middle and high school, along with construction of a new tech-ed lab, metals shop, wood shop, art classrooms and extra storage spaces. Milwaukee-based Bray Architects is drafting blueprints for the project.
Turner School District Superintendent Dennis McCarthy asked board members to consider which features are most necessary and which projects could wait in an effort to shave the total STEAM construction costs by $150,000 to $200,000.
Also at Monday's meeting, the board unanimously approved a $26,450 bid by Intertek-PSI to conduct geotechnical testing at a proposed site to build a new Townview Elementary School building. The new facility is expected to be complete for the 2021-22 school year.
McCarthy on Monday showed concept images of the proposed new Townview building. Features include study spaces that could fit multiple classes at once and sectioned-off locker rooms where students can get dressed for recess and store school supplies during the day. McCarthy said having separate locker rooms would help avoid crowded hallways and make it easier for cleaning.