Howell High's renovation might go to new architects
Original plans expensive, leave too much of old facility in place, board says
The Francis Howell Board of Education is considering proposals from two firms: Kromm, Rikimaru and Johansen Inc. and Hoener Associates Inc. It could choose one to replace Thomas Roof Inc., the firm the board chose last May to develop a master plan to renovate the aging high school.
Board members and district residents have expressed disappointment in the plans put forward by TRI, saying they were too expensive and left too much of the old facility in place. Portions of the school are more than 50 years old.Kevin Supple, district chief financial officer, said Monday the school board had not decided whether TRI would continue on the project.
In May, the board rejected KRJ and Hoener when they originally submitted proposals. Representatives from both companies returned before the board last Thursday night to outline new proposals.
Superintendent Renee Schuster on Friday said the proposals ranged from approximately $49 million to $59 million. She said district officials would like to complete the new school by fall of 2010 or fall of 2011 at the latest.
The board plans to discuss the proposals during its March 13 meeting.
Supple said both companies were given similar directions, resulting in similar proposals.
Hoener's plan would retain the existing auditorium and performance gymnasium, as well as Building C on the campus' east side. The first phase would construct a new main high school building. An optional second phase would add a new performance gymnasium and turn the current one into a practice gym. A third phase would build a new auditorium.
Building C would house the maintenance crew and become the new home for the district's Francis Howell Union High School program for at-risk students. The program is currently housed in the lower level of Howell High's Building D.
Supple said the first phase would total 220,000 square feet. If the district chose to move forward with the second and third phase, the project would add 284,000 total square feet. With the existing gym and auditorium, the resulting school would be 323,600 square feet with capacity for 1,800-2,200 students. The first phase could be completed by August 2011.
The Hoener plan's first phase would cost $44.6 million to $44.9 million. All three phases would total $56.5 million to $58 million.
Supple said the Hoener plan did not include as much athletic-field development as the KRJ plan.
KRJ designed Francis Howell Central High School about 10 years ago. The firm's Howell High proposal includes a new H-shaped building patterned after the Howell Central design. It would erect the new building to the west of the present facility, leaving the existing buildings in operation until completing the new one.
During the 1990s, KRJ designed a gymnasium, auditorium, music room and other facilities for Howell High. Its renovation plan would preserve this recent construction and demolish older buildings in the center and rear of the campus.
Like the Hoener plan, the KRJ plan would also preserve Building C and turn it into Francis Howell Union's new home.
David Kromm, KRJ president, said Friday his firm's proposal would add nearly 246,000 square feet and reuse up to 50,000 existing square feet. The completed building would hold more than 2,000 students and could be completed by December 2010. Kromm said it would cost about $50 million.
"It takes most of the old buildings away and puts all the students in brand-new or relatively new buildings that are state-of-the-art," Kromm said. "It's cheaper than building brand-new buildings, but we think it is every bit as good."
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