The Lowndes County School District board of trustees accepted the $7.18 million bid Wednesday from West Brothers Construction to build a new gymnasium at Caledonia High School.
The board met in a recessed meeting to specifically discuss the bids submitted to JBHM Architecture, who LCSD has contracted to plan and design the new building.
The firm received three bids, and the bid from West Brothers Construction was the only one that fell under the $8 million the district planned for the cost of the gym. The next lowest bid surpassed $8 million by roughly $700,000.
LCSD borrowed on its 3-mill note, which uses ad valorem tax revenue for capital improvement projects, for the $8 million for the gymnasium. Borrowing the funds against 3 mills of its ad valorem tax levy does not increase taxes.
Board president Jane Kilgore asked Architect Joey Henderson if the brick would match the school to make the outside cohesive with the existing campus. Henderson said the outside brick of the new gym will match the existing brick on the band and arts hall, which is a new addition to the school after a 2008 tornado damaged it.
Not only did West Brothers have the lowest bid, but the company had the shortest amount of time for completion. Henderson said the estimated timeline should take about a year and a half.
“(West Brothers) has estimated completion in 504 days, which is 16 to 17 months,” Henderson said. “We’d be looking at completion in spring 2024.”
In March, LCSD Superintendent Sam Allison told The Dispatch CHS needs a new gymnasium for increased capacity and function. He said the current gym is an older facility with seating on only one side, but the new gym will feature seating on both a “home” and “away” side.
The current gym will still be in use, but the newer facility allows multiple sports to have practice space in the afternoon. The new facility will have an aluminum canopy going from the high school band hall to the gym to allow students to have a covered area to walk on during inclement weather.
Allison on Wednesday told The Dispatch once the contract is signed the construction process will begin, and he is looking forward to the new addition to the Caledonia campus.
“We’re pleased and feel good about the project,” Allison said. “I think everybody is pleased with where (the bid) came in at.”
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