Post by title1parent on Apr 21, 2009 5:05:52 GMT -5
www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=287939&src=76
Naperville school officials expect to save big
By Justin Kmitch | Daily Herald 4/21/2009
Hardly a shovel has touched Naperville Central High School, but school officials believe all four of the 2008 referendum facilities projects have a chance to be nearly $5 million under budget when all are completed in 2012.
In February 2008 voters approved a $43 million tax hike to help fund an estimated $114.9 million in ongoing facilities projects around Naperville Unit District 203.
Those projects include an $87.7 million budget for renovations to Central, $11 million budgeted for construction of the Early Childhood Center, $7.3 million for an addition to and renovation of Mill Street Elementary School, and $6.2 million for renovations to Naperville North, including a new gymnastics facility and football field and pool renovations.
District officials hope to trim that $114.9 million budget down to $110.2 million in actual expenditures.
"(We are) always shooting for getting done earlier and costing less. On the costing less side, we have always worked closely on the cost and it's a very dynamic process," said senior project manager Tim Bickert of IHC Construction Companies. "We were in good position at the 50-percent design to drawings, and right now we're essentially at 100-percent design to development and still on track with the budget."
Assistant Superintendent for Finance Dave Zager was also optimistic, but cautioned work at Central may cut into the deficit.
"When one looks at the total estimate to completion, it's about $4.7 million below budget if no contingency is used. Obviously with Naperville Central High School we have a sizable contingency still," Zager warned. "A large portion of that project is remodeling so one does need that kind of contingency. If all contingency is used on all projects we'd be about $800,000 over our referendum budget."
As projects move forward, however, Zager said bids are averaging about 10 percent less than budget. Central renovations will begin in about a month, as soon as students are out of the building.
Naperville school officials expect to save big
By Justin Kmitch | Daily Herald 4/21/2009
Hardly a shovel has touched Naperville Central High School, but school officials believe all four of the 2008 referendum facilities projects have a chance to be nearly $5 million under budget when all are completed in 2012.
In February 2008 voters approved a $43 million tax hike to help fund an estimated $114.9 million in ongoing facilities projects around Naperville Unit District 203.
Those projects include an $87.7 million budget for renovations to Central, $11 million budgeted for construction of the Early Childhood Center, $7.3 million for an addition to and renovation of Mill Street Elementary School, and $6.2 million for renovations to Naperville North, including a new gymnastics facility and football field and pool renovations.
District officials hope to trim that $114.9 million budget down to $110.2 million in actual expenditures.
"(We are) always shooting for getting done earlier and costing less. On the costing less side, we have always worked closely on the cost and it's a very dynamic process," said senior project manager Tim Bickert of IHC Construction Companies. "We were in good position at the 50-percent design to drawings, and right now we're essentially at 100-percent design to development and still on track with the budget."
Assistant Superintendent for Finance Dave Zager was also optimistic, but cautioned work at Central may cut into the deficit.
"When one looks at the total estimate to completion, it's about $4.7 million below budget if no contingency is used. Obviously with Naperville Central High School we have a sizable contingency still," Zager warned. "A large portion of that project is remodeling so one does need that kind of contingency. If all contingency is used on all projects we'd be about $800,000 over our referendum budget."
As projects move forward, however, Zager said bids are averaging about 10 percent less than budget. Central renovations will begin in about a month, as soon as students are out of the building.