Building 2 of the former Hewlett-Packard campus, now owned by SEH America, most likely will become the temporary home to Crestline Elementary School for the 2013-2014 school year.
“We’re in the process of negotiating a lease agreement with SEH,” John Deeder, superintendent of Evergreen Public Schools, told the school board Tuesday night. “Pending your approval tonight is a draft of what we’ve agreed to. It isn’t official. I’m always going to wait until the ink dries until we say we’ve got it done. I’m always nervous until that bottom line is signed.”
The school board did approve the lease proposal at the meeting. Next, district officials will finalize all language in the lease between the district and SEH.
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A Feb. 3 fire destroyed Crestline Elementary, displacing almost 500 students
plus teachers and staff. For the remainder of this school year, Crestline is divided by grade level and housed at five different elementary schools in the district.
The district interviewed four construction firms, invited them to walk through the facility and come up with tenant improvements to create a temporary school facility at the vacant HP campus, Deeder said. On April 4, the district interviewed all four firms and selected TEAM Construction.
In Clark County, the Vancouver firm’s completed projects include Hayes Freedom High School in Camas, St. Joseph Catholic Church and a Hanna Hall remodel at Clark College.
The district’s goal is to begin construction by May 15, and to finish in 60 days so that teachers could begin moving in by Aug. 1.
“What we have now is a big barn,” Deeder said. “We need to make classrooms and offices.”
The district considered creating a temporary portable city on one of its vacant properties for next school year, but it wasn’t ideal.
With some modifications, 65,000 square feet of the vacant Hewlett-Packard site will work well, said Susan Steinbrenner, the district’s director of facilities. It required the least amount of renovations from other sites the district considered.
The HVAC and lighting will not have to be changed. Neither will the sprinkler systems, plumbing or the fire alarm system, including exits and strobes. The facility already has a cafeteria and a space for the school’s music room.
Clark County projects completed:
• Hayes Freedom High School, Camas, 2010.
• St. Joseph Catholic Church, 2009.n Hanna Hall remodeled, Clark College, 2002.On the Web: <a href="http://www.teamconstruction.com/">http://www.teamconstruction.com/</a>
One of the parking lots will become an asphalt play area. The loading dock will become an indoor play area for rainy days.
“We’ll relocate Crestline’s salvaged playground equipment to the field,” Steinbrenner said, noting that the equipment was not damaged by the fire.
All work is covered by the insurance company, Canfield, represented by Vancouver’s BiggsInsurance. The district meets with an insurance representative monthly to go over Crestline expenses.
“All the work is covered by insurance,” Deeder said. “We won’t have to take money out of the general fund or ask voters for money.”
The district expects to have a signed lease with SEH in the next week or two, Steinbrenner said.
In the meantime, the district is moving forward with building a new Crestline Elementary at the old site, 13003 S.E. Seventh St. The district has requested contractor bids, and district officials met with the city and walked through permitting requirements. The goal is to have the permit by July, and have a year to build the new Crestline Elementary, which should open in time for the 2014-2015 school year.
The district is considering the most cost-effective way of doing things both for next school year and for the new Crestline.
“We’re looking at bookshelves with wheels to use for next year at the temporary site, and we can move them to the new Crestline,” Steinbrenner said.
