This summer, projects totaling more than $8.63 million will be done in Flossmoor District 161 schools and offices.

The school board approved the various items, including HVAC work, space reconfigurations for offices, improvements to lighting and new carpeting at a special meeting on Jan. 29. The work is being funded through the district’s fund balance and bond proceeds.

The district has been anticipating these projects for the past five years, according to Associate Superintendent Fran LaBella. Some projects on this current list weren’t part of the initial proposal; others require special steps, such as removing asbestos in certain areas at Parker Junior High.

Compared to preconstruction bids, LaBella said the $8.63 million number is near expectations. But when compared to cost expectations of five years ago, the bids are high. 

LaBella provided this list of projects:

• Parker Junior High – HVAC upgrades, vestibule/office refresh, nurses’ office reconfiguration, bathroom refresh, classroom refresh, media center refresh and new carpeting, ceilings and LED lights and painting.
• Western Avenue – office and media center HVAC work.
• Flossmoor Hills – media center HVAC work and building air tightness to eliminate humidity issues.
• Normandy Villa Business Office/Special Ed Office – HVAC work, ceilings and LED lighting.

LaBella has worked with Pepper Construction, a firm managing the projects. Pepper went through all bids received to verify cost and specifications.

The board awarded contracts to: 

• US Dismantlement for selected demolition work, $499,000 plus $7,000 in alternate costs.
• Pepper Construction for carpentry/general trades, $809,000.
• International Dec, acoustical ceilings, $374,900.
• Douglas Flooring Covering, flooring/ceramic tile, $247,900 plus $52,000 in alternate costs.
• Midwest Decorating, painting, $253,000 plus $7,800 in alternate costs.
• Triton Plumbing, plumbing work, $310,000.
• Oakbrook Mechanical, mechanical work, $1,780,000 plus $58,000 in alternate costs.
• Eco Lighting Services, electrical, $1,184,000 plus $11,500 in alternate costs.
• Pepper Construction, general trades for Flossmoor Hills building air tightness project, $520,500.

“Alternates are things we would like to do, but we weren’t sure where the bids were going to come in,” LaBella told the board members. When the general work bids were near estimates “we were able to do all the alternate bid (work) we wanted to do.”

For example, in the Parker bathrooms, the floor will be updated and the alternate bid allowed the district to get a cost on a different flooring material than what is there now. Also, an exit from the Parker Media Center needs a path out. Initially the plan was just to create a path with an unspecified material, but in an alternate bid a proposed concrete sidewalk was approved.

In February, the school board will consider bids for new furniture for Parker Junior High, chromebooks for kindergarten, third and sixth grades and Parker Junior High teachers, flat panels for Parker Junior High and painting of Parker lockers.