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Parkrose builds a middle school TIM CURRAN THE MID-COUNTY MEMO
With a little help from representatives from the construction firms that did the work, Superintendent Karen Fischer Gray and Dan Hess, associate principal at Dull Olsen Weekes IBI Group Architects, the district's designer for the bond work, conducted the tour. Chauffeured to sites in a school bus, about two dozen people showed up to see what their tax money is buying. The tour began at the district's admin building, which got a $350,000 makeover that included new windows, a security entrance and office remodeling. A 30-year, $63 million bond measure passed by district voters in May 2011 (in a recount by six out of more than 5,000 votes cast) funds the work. The bulk of the bond-$43 million-goes to building the new middle school. The remaining $20 million paid for remodeling and refurbishing the district's administration building, its four elementary schools and constructing new multi-purpose rooms for 1.2 million apiece at three: Shaver, Russell and Sacramento. Todd Construction is building the 140,000-square-foot middle school. According to Gray, the project is on time and under budget. Overall, voters the Memo talked to were impressed with what they saw and heard. At the end of the circuit, Parkrose resident Roxanna Hubbard said, “I just continuously said 'Wow … wow.'” Not only was she a no vote on the bond, but Hubbard is also a retired Parkrose special education teacher who spent hours in every district school. “It's impressive looking what's been done,” she added. However, Hubbard reserves judgment on the value. “We'll see,” she said. “Only time will tell.” First stop was Shaver Elementary. Tourists were shown the brand-new multi-purpose room completed in August, an example of a remodeled classroom and the new, efficient heating plant. Next stop was the middle school construction site. Built next to the current Parkrose Middle School, the new building is 30,000 square feet larger-140,000 square feet vs. 110,000 square feet.
When finished, the middle school building is expected to earn Gold level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. Compared to conventional buildings, LEED-certified buildings simply built to code are intended to use resources more efficiently. |
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