Only two years after a five-year capital plan identified $107.1 million in infrastructure needs, the Kingston (N.Y.) district is looking at a price tag $162.1 million to carry out improvements at nine campuses.
The Daily Freeman reports that supply chain problems that started with the Covid-19 pandemic have led to a 51.35% increase in estimated construction costs.
The higher estimate came after planners re-evaluated projects using the most recent market conditions.
The plan set forth in 2021 called for all district schools to have air conditioning installed and significant security improvements. Superintendent Paul Padalino says the priorities remain the same.
"The number one thing … was do something about the ventilation and get air conditioning," the superintendent says. "All the research tells us once a classroom gets over 80 degrees learning goes to zero. We have buildings where the classrooms get over 80 degrees, and they do it in April and they do it in October."
Among the larger projects in the capital plan:
- J. Watson Bailey Middle School, $44.5 million: an additional 80 parking spaces, new water services, replacing concrete curbs, replacing windows and roofing, main office renovations, repairing a gym divider roof beam, refurbishing the kitchen loading dock, and a full renovation of the auditorium.
- M. Clifford Miller Middle School, $20.8 million: wood floor reinforcing, refurbishing an elevator, adding ladders to rescue windows, science lab improvements, and repairing a water leak at the auditorium stage.
- George Washington Elementary School, $19.8 million: "green" upgrades to the outdoor and community activity areas, repaving the parking lot, improving site lighting, facade brick repointing, adding an elevator, installing rescue windows for six instructional spaces, and renovating the auditorium.
- Graves Elementary School, $16.6 million: create a new parent pick area, establishing a new bus area, replacing soccer field drains, adding a canopy to a portable building, replacing windows, toilet room renovations, and replacing wood doors and frames.
