 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
New Citrus High wing gains momentum
By BARBARA BEHRENDT, Times Staff Writer INVERNESS -- The School Board this week unanimously agreed to take two key steps toward building new classrooms at Citrus High School, thus keeping alive the possibility the former school gym someday could be renovated into a community activities center. The board did not immediately balk at the estimated $570,000 difference in cost between building new classrooms and renovating the old gym into classrooms. In fact, board members voted to proceed with plans to renovate the old cafeteria once a new one is built. In doing so, the board separated the cafeteria renovation from plans to place agriculture and drafting classrooms inside the nearly 50-year-old former gymnasium. With that done, the board asked superintendent David Hickey to research how the district could waive state school facilities rules. Such a waiver could be needed to build new classrooms since the state now sees the old gymnasium as appropriate and usable classroom space. The board will wait until the waiver question is answered before deciding how to proceed. The former gym houses some agriculture classes and equipment and storage areas. Several months ago, the School Board agreed to renovate the old space into new classrooms while renovating the old cafeteria into new classrooms. But after the board acted, board member Sandra "Sam" Himmel suggested another idea: If it is not too much more expensive, why not build a new wing of classrooms to house agriculture and drafting programs? Then the former gym could be gutted and restored to its original use. That way, both the school and the community would have one more place for a variety of youth and adult activities, she said. The idea languished and plans for the original remodeling projects rolled forward while the board waited for accurate cost estimates. Then last month, after hearing support for the idea from the community and the county, the board agreed to pay for the architect to prepare estimates so the board could finally decide what to do with the old brick structure. Architect Craig Salley brought those numbers to the board Tuesday. He reported that the planned remodeling of the gym into classrooms would cost about $768,252, while new construction would cost an estimated $1.34-million. In addition, he examined what it would take to convert the old gym back into a gym. His estimate was $939,277. That is a cost the School Board hopes it can share with the community. Board member Carol Snyder said she didn't understand why it would cost more to make the gym a gym again than it would to make the gym into classrooms. "That doesn't make sense to me," she said. But Salley said that larger restrooms would be needed if the building were used for group activities. A gymnasium might also require more expensive lighting and finishes, he said. Board members discussed making the new classroom wing smaller than the 12,081-square-foot one for $1.3-million. Himmel also noted that the cost could be lower because building costs in the area are lower than elsewhere.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
|
