BY ANDY GARDNER
North Country This Week

MASSENA -- A proposed $50 million capital project throughout the Massena Central School District would renovate all of their buildings and change parking and drop-off locations at the junior high and elementary schools.

At Thursday’s Board of Education meeting, architect Ed Bernhauer from the IBI Group told the board about their “conceptual” plans that included ideas of what may go to the voters in December. He said they expect to have a finalized scope and budget in the fall.

"We're really targeting approximately a $50 million project … we’re looking to get a minimal tax impact,” Bernhauer told the board.

Included in the preliminary lists for each building are asbestos removal, security doors for classrooms and a unified messaging system and PA system that would broadcast inside the buildings and outside. The junior high and elementary schools would also have reconfigured kitchen areas.

At the high school, they are looking at $15.5 million worth of work. That includes parking, walkways and athletic field improvements, renovations in the gym, pool and auditorium, a new team room adjacent to the girls locker room and a nurse’s office reconfigured for privacy.

At the junior high, the district contractors are proposing $8.4 million worth of work. That includes reconfiguring the bus loop. Buses would pick up and drop off students in the same place they do now, and parents would pick up and drop off students in a new area on the north side of the building. They are also looking at a full roof replacement, masonry repair and replacing ceilings.

At Nightengale Elementary, Bernhauer said they have come up with $8.6 million worth of projects. That also includes reconfiguring pickup and dropoff areas. Buses would still use the loop out front. A new area for parents would be built on the east side of the building. The architect also suggested paving and sidewalk work, roof replacement, masonry restoration, loading dock reconstruction and new bathroom fixtures.

At Madison Elementary, Bernhauer suggested several upgrades similar to Nightengale -- sidewalks and paving, masonry and roof work, and new bathroom fixtures. They are considering keeping the bus loop in front of the building with an area for parents to pick up and drop off students on the east side. They would also upgrade air conditioning in the main office.

There are $7.9 million worth of projects proposed at Jefferson. Their bus loop would remain in the front of the building, with a parent pickup/dropoff loop added on the state Route 37 side of the building. They would also add parking spaces, rebuilding the loading dock, repair the foundation and add a backflow preventor, Bernhauer said.

The central administration building is being considered for $616,000 worth of work, including paving, concrete floor repair, HVAC work and air conditioning upgrades in the server room.

The transportation garage could get $847,000 worth of renovations, including reconfigured parking, siding upgrade, roof drainage improvements and more space to store buses. Bernhauer said they are also considering upgrading the concrete paving and central island.

The architect said all of the ideas are “conceptual” at this point and subject to change before a finalized list goes to the voters at the end of the year.