Construction & Renovations
Construction crews remain hard at work throughout the District to bring exciting changes to nearly every building during this school year, thanks to the passage of the $53.6M Prop U bond issue in April 2009. All construction and renovation projects will be completed by the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year, including a new building for Barbara C. Jordan Elementary and a new building for Pershing Elementary.
Barbara C. Jordan Elementary
The new Barbara C. Jordan Elementary building has been completed, and furniture and educational supplies will be moved into the building this summer. Students will attend classes in the new building with the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year.
Jackson Park Elementary
The gym and cafeteria addition work continues at Jackson Park Elementary School. The cafeteria portion will not be completed until October, but the existing cafeteria will remain functional until that time. The project also includes reconfiguring some classroom spaces and making ADA renovations to the building.
Flynn Park Elementary
Construction on the cafeteria addition is on schedule, with expected completion in time for the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year. The project also includes reconfiguring some classroom spaces and making ADA renovations to the building.
Pershing Elementary
Asbestos abatement has begun at Pershing, and demolition of the existing building will follow. Pershing students will be temporarily relocated to 1351 North Hanley during the 2011-2012 school year. The new building will open in 2012-2013.
Brittany Woods Middle School
The two-story classroom addition is nearly complete at Brittany Woods, with some additional exterior and site work still to be completed. The new library and media center opened in October 2010 with extra shelving space to expand the current materials, a full computer lab and other breakout rooms for small classes or meetings.
University City High School
While University City High School may look the same from outside, the interior of the building has changed dramatically thanks to recent Prop U construction updates. A portion of the work was completed in the fall of 2009, with additional work completed throughout 2010. Final classroom renovations on the north wing of the first floor will be completed this summer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Construction
Frequently asked Questions relating to construction
Q. Have all of the construction projects been bid out or can contractors still bid on the work?
A. All contracts have been have been awarded for construction projects.
Q. Does the School District of University City have any minority participation goals on the construction/renovation projects?
A. The school district requires that the projects meet the minimum goal of 15% MBE (minority owned business), 5% WBE (women owned business), and 10% minority workforce participation (workers on jobsite). The following are the results:
New School Construction Renovations
MBE- 15.34% MBE- 16.10%
WBE- 8.30% WBE- 13%
Workforce- 32.1% Workforce- 18%
Q. How is the minority participation information tracked?
A. McCarthy/Kwam ( construction manager for Barbara C. Jordan and Pershing) and Ameresco ( performance contractor for the renovation work at Brittany Woods, UCHS, Jackson Park, and Flynn Park) track MBE, WBE, and minority workforce participation of the trade contractors performing work. MBE/WBE is measured by the contract value, while minority workforce participation is measured by on-site work hours from certified payroll from the trade contractors. Both McCarthy/Kwame and Ameresco provide updates to District administration and the Board of Education. This information is also shared with the Finance/Bond Oversight Committee.
Q. Is anyone watching the school district to make sure that all work has been bid out properly and that the bond issue money is being used as promised?
A. There are two entities that are providing oversight of the bond issue funds. The Board of Education must approve all contracts related to the construction projects. In addition to this, the Finance/Bond Issue Oversight Committee monitors the school district’s operating budget as well as the bond issue funds.
Q. I heard that the contractors working on the school district’s projects must pay prevailing wage. What does this mean?
A. Prevailing wage is a minimum that workers in a specific trade must be paid per state law. Since the school district is a public entity, the school district’s contractors must comply with the prevailing wage order.
Q. I am a contractor and I perform smaller jobs and would like to do business with the school district. What do I do?
A. If you are interested in performing work for the school district, please contact Karl Scheidt, Executive Director of Operations, at 314-290-4004 or by email at kscheidt@u-city.k12.mo.us.
Q. I am a construction worker and would like to work on the school district projects. How can I get hired on for these jobs?
A. All work is performed by trade contractors. The school district, McCarthy/Kwame, and Ameresco do not have the ability to hire individual construction workers. Since all of the trade contractors performing construction work for the bond issue utilize union labor, hiring is conducted in compliance with the individual labor union requirements. Please consult with your specific labor union to find out more information about hiring practices.
