Building Renovations Proposed With Brewster School System
Capital projects that could cost about $40 million may be needed within the Brewster Central School District over the next few years, according to a report presented to the board of education last Tuesday.
Russell Davidson of KG&D Architects, who worked with members of the facility planning task force in Brewster, showed the board multiple areas that need improvements and renovations throughout several school buildings in the district. The task force has been in place since October of 2013, which examined facility needs and suggested changes to meet those needs.
At JFK Elementary School, Davidson relayed 11 different recommendations to the board that included paving, replacing flooring and ceilings, ventilation upgrades, and renovating certain areas of the building to make more room for a growing population of students.
“The building is currently overcrowded,” Davidson said. “It has more children in it than it can handle.”
Davidson said there are two options to remedy the problem. One suggestion is adding six classrooms, and remodeling other parts of the building for different uses like changing the auditorium into a library and art center, among other adjustments. The task force recommended that plan, Davidson said.
The second plan isn’t as extensive, adding only three classrooms and not remodeling as much of the building.
At CV Starr Intermediate School, fewer changes are suggested. Facilities upgrades include roofing replacements and addressing building overheating. Additionally, Davidson said the proposal would put in place four more classrooms.
Finally, just like the elementary school, Brewster High School also needs a lot of infrastructure work, Davidson said, pointing out at least 14 different needs the building could has. Two main points from the plan were the construction of a new concession stand near the main turf field, something that has been discussed at great lengths, and creating a new innovation lab in the library.
“This is really making the Brewster High School library a 21st century space with access to technology,” Davidson said. “It would make it more like the workplace and the libraries your students are going to see at the college level.”
When calculating the cost, JFK could cost around $18 million, CV Starr between $6 million and $9 million, the high school at $8.6 million, and other district work totaling around $4 million. State aid would contribute to $16 million of the total costs and the local share would be estimated at about $24.3 million.
If a plan is approved, work could start as soon as next summer, Davidson said.
Besides explaining proposed changes to three district buildings currently in use, Davidson also pointed out why the empty Garden Street School would never have been worth fixing and reopening. With all the complications the building has, Davidson said it would have cost $17.8 million and even if the district decided to do that, JFK would still cost around $8.6 million “just to fix it and not do any additions,” Davidson said.
“Reopening Garden Street is a much more expensive proposal,” he said.
When asked by a resident how much the Garden Street building could bring in if sold, board president Stephen Jambor said possibly around $1.5 million, but that money made most likely can’t be used for anything besides paying off the debt on the building.
“We want it sold yesterday,” Jambor said.
