Published: May 11, 2007 10:56 am      

GHS music department expansion proposed

Proposal would add 21,000 square feet to high school

Goshen, Ind — Members of Goshen schools’ feasibility study task force hesitated to prioritize additional projects because of unanswered questions and a $10.7 million price tag for a music department expansion at Goshen High School.

Representatives from the music department were not present at the meeting Thursday to answer questions because of a jazz band concert.

Representatives from Odle McGuire Shook had met with music department representatives last week and put together a list of desired changes, which amounted to an additional 21,000 square feet for a cost of nearly $10.7 million.

The handout given to the task force listed the cost as $8.5 million, but Dennis Cahill, vice president of planning for OMS, said that only included construction costs. The total project cost is the construction cost plus 25 percent, he said, which brings the price tag to $10.7 million.

Task force members wanted to know if it was “all or nothing” with the music department’s request, which includes practice, storage, office and library space but no one there could answer the question.

The existing band space, would become the choir area and the addition would nearly triple the music department’s footprint at 32,000 square feet.

Early on in the task force’s meetings, members were presented with a rough estimate of $1.3 million, which would have added 5,000 square feet to the department’s current 12,000 square feet.

Cahill said he would show the music staff the list and ask for their priorities before the task force’s next meeting.

Other needs that had dollar amounts fixed to them included moving the high school’s administration office and child care to the west side of the building, for an estimated total project cost of $5.7 million.

The change would address security for students and visitors entering the building by funneling them through the main office. The current child care area would be converted to a family and consumer science lab and the office to classroom space.

The list included similar projects at West Goshen and Chandler elementaries, a $3.7 million renovation to the cafeteria at Goshen Middle School, and technology upgrades at Goshen High School.

New Building Options

The task force eliminated two options from consideration in working toward a recommendation to the school board.

In two meetings of consensus building, there had been no favorable comments for the options that would have created an early childhood center for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, made the elementary schools grades one to six and changed the middle school to grades seven and eight; nor for a new middle school for grades five through eight.

Options one and three remain on the table.

Option one would change all the elementary schools to kindergarten to sixth grade buildings. The plan would call for one additional elementary, with an estimated cost of $16.7 million.

Members of the committee have been concerned that option one would address crowding at the middle school, but would not keep enrollment in check at the elementary schools. Early on there has been a question of whether one or two schools would be needed, said Dennis Cahill, vice president of planning for Odle McGuire Shook.

Option three would convert the elementary schools to kindergarten to fourth grade buildings and call for a new fifth and sixth grade building. The estimated cost for the new school is $28 million.

The task force will continue to work toward a consensus at meetings the next two Thursdays in the hope of having a recommendation to the school board by its last meeting in May.