Design of the new tennis courts at Columbia High School as part of the upcoming Capital Project.
The East Greenbush Central School District submitted Phase 1A of the Capital Project for approval to the New York State Education Department last week. Phase 1A includes replacement of Columbia High School’s roof, exterior basketball courts and tennis courts.
The NYSED approval response time is approximately 26 weeks, with an anticipated approval date of February 28, 2025. After NYSED approval, the bid process will commence.
Construction of Phase 1A is tentatively scheduled to begin in May 2025 and conclude in October 2026.
“Soon after the community approved the project, we started planning the necessary phases of the project to ensure we deliver the scope of work we promised the community,” said Superintendent Jeff Simons. “We also timed the project submissions to ensure the costs remain within the budget which we shared with our community including the zero additional impact on the taxpayers.”
“I am pleased that we have met our initial milestone date of submitting the plans for the high school roof, outdoor basketball courts and the tennis courts to the state for approval,” Mr. Simons continued. “We were able to add a ninth court based on a request from our tennis families. We are hoping that the community will begin to see the work come to fruition next spring.”
The Capital Project, which was approved by voters on May 21, 2024, is anticipated to be completed in six different phases over the next five years due to the scope of the project, working around the school schedule, NYSED timelines, and maximizing state building aid reimbursement to defray the overall cost for local taxpayers.
The Capital Project includes items such as replacement of HVAC systems for improved indoor air quality and adding air conditioning throughout all five elementary schools, classroom additions at elementary schools, library renovations in all schools, new playgrounds, athletic field improvements, upgrades to sidewalks and parking lots, and infrastructure improvements at all schools such as roofs, plumbing, electrical, lighting and general site work.
Design of the new outdoor basketball courts at Columbia High School as part of the upcoming Capital Project.
The work selected for Phase 1A was based on the current condition of the Columbia roof, the cost effectiveness of replacing the basketball courts and tennis courts at the same time at one location, the positive community impact of replacing those athletic facilities, and the designs were less complex and could be completed and submitted to the state on a shorter timeline enabling construction to start in the spring. Other items in the Capital Project, such as library renovations and new playgrounds, will require more stakeholder input into the designs.
The proposed project schedule also complies with the state’s maximum cost allowance regulations as Columbia High School is eligible for sufficient state aid reimbursement at this time. Other schools have had work completed within the previous project more recently, which affects the timing of construction within the new project to ensure improvements in those schools maximize state building aid. Therefore, work at the other schools will be occurring later in the project timeline. For example, for projects at Genet Elementary School, in order to receive its full aid reimbursement from the state, NYSED project approvals cannot occur until after February 2026 and June 2028, which are dates related to prior projects that were approved. The maximum cost allowance for each school is made available every five years after a project receives approval.
“Following the community’s approval of the 2024 Capital Improvement Project, I am excited that we have successfully submitted Phase 1A for approval to the NYS Education Department,” said Director of Business and Finance Jennifer Mulligan. “Our phased approach assists with managing the net cost of the project, maintaining our promise of zero additional taxpayer impact. By timing the projects to maximize state building aid reimbursement, we can effectively manage the project budget and deliver on our commitments to the community.”
Phase 1A Timeline
- May 28, 2024 – LaBella Associates begins design
- July 29, 2024 – Design plans submitted to NYSED
- February 2025 – Anticipated NYSED approval
- May 2025 – Tentative start of construction on Phase 1A (Columbia Roof and Exterior Basketball and Tennis Courts)
- October 2026 – Anticipated Construction completion
Tentative/Proposed Capital Project Schedule (last updated June 26, 2024)
To learn more about the Capital Project, visit www.egcsd.org/capitalproject.
FAQ: Capital Project
Q: When will construction start?
A: Construction for the first phase of the project is scheduled to begin in Spring 2025.
Q: What is included in the first phase of the Capital Project?
A: The Columbia High School roof and its outdoor basketball courts and tennis courts.
Q: How was the work for Phase 1A selected?
A: The work for Phase 1A was selected based on the current condition of the Columbia roof, the cost effectiveness of replacing the basketball courts and tennis courts at the same time at one location, the positive community impact of replacing those athletic facilities, and the designs were less complex and could be submitted for NYSED approval quicker, enabling construction to start in the spring. Other items in the Capital Project, such as library renovations and new playgrounds, will require more stakeholder input into the designs.
The proposed project schedule also complies with the state’s maximum cost allowance regulations as Columbia High School is eligible for sufficient state aid reimbursement at this time. Other schools have had work done more recently, limiting their eligibility for state aid. Therefore, work at the other schools will be occurring later in the project timeline.
Q: Why can’t the Capital Project work begin with installing air conditioning in the elementary schools?
A: The schedule of work is based on a number of factors, most notably, the impact on school operations and the NYS Education Department’s regulations regarding eligibility for state reimbursement. School districts have limitations on how much work can be completed at a given school building and how much building aid will be available which affects how much the work may cost. The maximum amount available for each school building is reset every 5 years.
This is called maximum cost allowance. At this time, all of our elementary school buildings are not fully eligible for the maximum available state reimbursement for capital project work because work from previous capital projects was done in the past five years. As time goes on in the capital project, the elementary schools will become eligible once again, and that is when the air conditioning work will begin, as well as, playgrounds, library renovations and other parts of the project.
Additionally, the school district needs to stagger work in the project to ensure competitive pricing on bids and to have proper coverage of the construction manager.
The school district has developed a proposed schedule of work, in coordination with our construction partners LaBella Associates and Turner Construction, to complete all of the work and maintain a tax-neutral project.
Q: How many phases are there in the Capital Project?
A: There are six phases in the Capital Project – 1A, 1B, 2, 3, 4, 5. View tentative/proposed schedule.
Q: How long will it take to complete the entire Capital Project?
A: It is anticipated that the Capital Project will be completed by the end of 2029.
Q: Will the school district provide regular updates to staff, parents and the community regarding the Capital Project?
A: Yes. Superintendent Jeff Simons will provide regular updates at public Board of Education meetings throughout the duration of the Capital Project. Additionally, information will be shared on the school website and other communication channels.