The Fox C-6 School District is being charged $54,382.58 more than it originally anticipated to complete construction projects on the Fox Schools campus in Arnold.
The district was slated to pay ICS Construction Services in St. Louis $16,035,200 to build a new instructional wing, renovate a science lab, install new main entrance signage and upgrade the building’s water service at Fox High; construct a new main entrance, renovate four science labs and upgrade security at Fox Middle; and improve the entrance and security at Fox Elementary. Work on the campus at 751 Jeffco Blvd. is now expected to cost $16,089,582.58 and be completed by fall 2024, according to Board of Education documents.
The Fox district is paying for the projects with funds from Prop P, a $40 million bond issue voters approved in June 2020.
Prop P funds also are being used for major construction projects at Antonia and Meramec Heights elementary schools and on the Seckman Schools campus in Imperial, which has a high school, middle school and elementary school. Fox expects to pay SM Wilson Construction in St. Louis $13,557,000 to build the additions at Antonia and Meramec Heights elementary schools, and it is paying Brockmiller Construction of Farmington $4,076,000 for the work at the Seckman campus.
As of Nov. 15, those three projects were projected to cost $505,033 less than anticipated, according to board documents.
John Stewart, the district’s chief financial officer, said money saved on any Prop P project can be used to cover additional costs on other Prop P bond issue projects. The district also plans to use Prop P funds to improve security at all school buildings; complete paving projects at all buildings; upgrade playgrounds at elementary schools; and upgrade the kitchen equipment and flooring at multiple schools.
“I am much more comfortable now because most stuff is out of the ground,” Superintendent Paul Fregeau said of the remaining costs. “That is where most of your unknowns are. They still haven’t found the main line for the propane (at Meramec Heights Elementary). Once you get above ground, stop renovation, and it is new, there should be fewer issues.”
Fox campus
The district has received 70 requests to cover unexpected expenses for the Fox campus projects, which were designed by the Ittner Cordogan Clark Group in St. Louis.
“Not all of the change order requests have been approved,” CFO John Stewart told Board of Education members on Nov. 1. “I don’t have the number of how many have been presented or denied, but I tell you our owners rep, (Navigate Building Solutions, which Fox hired to oversee construction projects) has done a fantastic job. I will say coming in the middle of a job like they did is not easy, but they have come up to speed and are pushing back in the district’s favor when appropriate.”
On Nov. 1, board members voted unanimously to approve 11 additional expenses that totaled $64,002.38. Those changes drained the $360,000 that was part of the original contract to cover unexpected expenses, adding $54,382.58 in costs.
Stewart told the board that one unforeseen expense was $5,126.18 to repair a 6-inch water main that no one knew existed on the campus.
He said the requests for insulation for existing ductwork at the middle and elementary schools, which cost $7,996.39, were required because a fire-rated wall was removed at the two schools, and the insulation was needed to meet fire-rating requirements.
Stewart also said the fire marshal required a post indicator valve – an above-ground valve that allows control of underground water valves – that cost $3,256.16 to be installed.
“In order to get our occupancy (permit), we have to comply with what certain powers that be want us to do,” Stewart said.
He also said the design team missed some things, and after the projects are completed, Fox will discuss with Ittner who is responsible for paying for additional construction costs.
“There will be an analysis of how much of these change orders are due to design misses that should not have been misses, and there will be a further discussion at that point on how they should be handled,” Stewart said.
Other projects
At the Seckman campus, 2800 Seckman Road, Prop P funds are being used to renovate three science labs and upgrade security and kitchen equipment at the high school; build a library and additional classrooms; renovate four science labs and upgrade security and kitchen equipment at the middle school; and upgrade security and kitchen equipment at the elementary school.
Those projects are expected to be finished by spring 2023, according to board documents.
The district had $150,000 in the original contract to cover unforeseen expenses, and as of Nov. 1, it had only spent $60,402 of that money and anticipates the projects to cost $89,598 less than anticipated.
Meramec Heights will grow by 26,000 square feet as classrooms, offices and a new cafeteria are added to the building at 1340 W. Outer 21 Road in Arnold. Improvements at the school include renovations to the art and music classrooms, more paving added to its exterior and an outdoor drinking fountain installed.
Fox added $228,000 to its contract for work at Meramec Heights to cover unforeseen expenses. As of Nov. 1, only $5,565 of that has been spent, and the district anticipated getting $222,435 back from that project.
The district expects the construction at Meramec Heights to be done by fall 2023.
Antonia Elementary will have 19,000 square feet of classroom and library space added to its building at 3901 Old Hwy. M in Imperial. S.M. Wilson also will replace the HVAC system in the school’s kindergarten wing and add fencing on the property, according to the district’s website.
The district has not used any of the $193,000 it included in the contract for the building addition to cover unexpected costs, and the project is expected to be finished by fall 2023.
The Fox district also already got back $3,453 after Hankins Construction finished renovations to six classrooms in August 2021. The district originally was going to pay $468,000 for the renovation with $20,000 set aside for unforeseen expenses.
Fox did pay $16,547 more than originally anticipated, but because of the additional money in the contract, it paid just $464,547 for the work.
“The Fox campus project is obviously our biggest project, both in terms of scope and cost,” Stewart said. “It is unfortunate that we have run into so many obstacles this early in the project. However, with the site work and most of the renovation work being completed, the majority of the remaining work is new construction, which generally has less unforeseen circumstances and therefore, fewer change orders.”