By Amira Van Leeuwen
[email protected]
HAYS COUNTY — The Hays CISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved the design for the Hays CISD Academic Support Center (ASC) and guaranteed maximum price (GMP) 1 from Bartlett Cocke General Contractors on Dec. 12.
The GMP 1 includes long lead items like HVAC equipment, electrical equipment, structural steel, a roofing package, select demolition and site work.
The center, which will cost $11,552,361, is slated to become the new home for the board, superintendent, curriculum and instruction, special education, human resources, benefits, finance, payroll, safety and security, communications, technology and operations. According to agenda documents, the proximity of these workspaces will “enhance productivity” and “increase customer satisfaction.”
The A&E Design Group began programming for this building in 2020 and the original schematic design was presented to the voters in a 2021 Bond proposition, but was unsuccessful. The firm continued the design process and produced a revised layout, which voters approved in May. Since then, A&E Design Group has partnered with O’Connell Robertson Architects to deliver the project.
Trustee Raul Vela Jr. thought the ASC design would give him “plenty of room to work and be comfortable.” Trustee Courtney Runkle agreed.
“I think it looks great,” trustee Byron Severance said.
Hays CISD staff anticipates bringing forward a guaranteed maximum price for the balance of the work in early 2023.
“We’re real excited about the Academic Support Center, and we’ve had a lot of input from the different departments and everybody,” said Max Cleaver, Hays CISD’s chief operations officer.
The district expects to break ground in January 2023 and complete phase one of construction in early 2024.
The next school board meeting will be held in the Kunkel Room at the Historic Buda Upper Campus, at 300 San Marcos St., on Jan. 17 at 5:30 p.m.
