HIGH SCHOOL ESTIMATE $26.2 MILLION

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education Monday night received the second of three cost estimates for construction of a high school.

Board members asked detailed questions of Tony Sebek of Regional Architects Coalition regarding the type of construction, building materials, durability and square-foot costs of Sebek's proposal to build a high school that would house grades nine through 12.

The board will continue researching construction costs for the region and plans to visit new high schools in the near future.

The coalition, which includes three architectural firms from Sikeston, Jackson and Cape Girardeau, is the second of at least three groups to present a cost estimate to the school board. The firm was hired by the district to design the vocational career center under construction near Interstate 55 adjacent to land purchased for the proposed high school.

In 1997, voters approved a $14 million bond issue to pay for the new vocational school, Blanchard Elementary School and renovations to four elementary schools and Central Junior High School. At the time voters were told a new high school and other renovations would have to be funded by a second $14 million bond issue to be voted on in April 2000.

The district pledged there would be no tax increase for the second phase of the program.

Sebek presented the school board a total construction cost of $26.2 million, or $114 per square foot, to build a 230,000-square-foot building next year.

Sebek projected an added 4.5 percent inflation rate for each additional year the project is delayed. If the building is delayed until 2005, he said, the construction costs would increase to about $32.7 million.

"We looked at the cost data for the new vocational school and the construction costs in our region," Sebek said. "We also looked at the existing facility to develop the square foot size and program needs."

The estimate submitted by Regional Architects Coalition is higher than the $25.1 million estimate about $108 to $112 per square foot submitted by Sverdrup CRSS of St. Louis last week. However, the newest estimate includes about 14,000 more square feet as well as a tournament gym, auditorium and performance athletic fields, minus necessary lighting.

Sverdrup's proposal included practice fields and a physical education gymnasium but no auditorium or performance fields.

""We would probably envision about the same type of construction in your present building," said Sebek. "This also includes parking for about 800 cars."

A sticking point with board members seemed to be the durability of the building. Board member Sharon Mueller wanted to know what type of building materials would be used, while board member Mark Carver questioned whether the building would meet seismic-resistant building codes and other factors.

Board member David Goncher requested information regarding indoor practice space for music and athletic organizations, which staff, students and district patrons earlier indicated was a priority.

"It's included in the classroom space," Sebek said of the practice areas. "We didn't have time to break the classroom space down."

Sebek said his design includes a brick facade and steel supports, which would use less expensive building materials than those Sverdrup proposed. The building would be two-story in all areas except the cafeteria and auditorium, and it would require about five elevators.

"We feel comfortable saying the building would last 50 years or longer," said John Dudley of Regional Architects Coalition. "Technology usually falls behind before the building's structure does."

Superintendent Dan Steska acknowledged the companies prepared estimates that could not be compared by cost because they included different materials. However, Steska said the details would give the school board information to research separately so members could make informed decisions regarding the type of high school they elect to build.

Sebek said the high school would be similar in durability and materials to Central High School.

"You could look at it as being very comparable to this building," he said. "It's 50 or so years old and it's got a lot of longevity left in it."

After the presentation, board members publicly thanked Sebek and his associates for the estimate, which was prepared in less than two weeks and free of charge.