The Greeley-Evans School District 6 administration building reached over 80 degrees inside on Monday due to an outdated boiler system.
That’s just one of many issues to address in a nearly 70-year-old building that houses more than 100 employees.
As District 6 leaders and the board of education continued to mull over the future of its aging administration building at Monday’s work session, officials presented a facility conditions audit and proposed next operational steps to consider.
District 6 purchased the administration building at 1025 9th Ave., Greeley, in 2001, according to Kent Henson, assistant superintendent of operations. It was constructed in 1956, and an addition was built in 1977.
As part of the facility master plan, District 6 conducted a 2024 site assessment of the administration office with Architect Hord Coplan Macht (HCM). Lisa Gardner, associate principal for HCM, revealed high priority outdoor deficiencies include poor drainage around the site that causes widespread flooding into the building, an inadequate roof drainage system, single-pane windows, damage to the exterior stucco system and more.
Inside, the boilers have reached the end of their life and require replacement, Gardner reported. The facility needs a new fire alarm system and full fire sprinkler coverage. Additionally, the office has outdated water pumps, piping and other systems.
Since 2022, the district has put in more than $1 million and 4,400 hours of work into the administrative building, Henson said. Due to the pressing needs, the building’s score on the Facilities Condition Index, a metric used to assess conditions, suggests replacement over renovation, he added.
Comparing costs: Renovate vs. build new
HCM’s 2024 site assessment completed a quantitative study to examine the costs of replacing the building or repairing the general conditions, an estimate that doesn’t include removal or redesign of the space.
District 6 could focus attention and spending on renovations and repairs in the current office. The assessment found renovations would cost about $23 million but would only cover fixing issues, not making improvements to the building, Henson said. The amount would also likely rise as unexpected costs arise during renovations, he added.
Renovation carries more risk than new construction, according to Henson. Important factors include the age of the office’s infrastructure, the inability to add more usable square footage, inefficient facility functionality and more.
Fixing or replacing isn’t always cost-effective, he added. Low Facilities Condition Index scores suggest repair is more cost-effective, while high scores indicate replacement. Henson said the administrative building scored a 0.64 on the Facilities Condition Index — buildings must score a 0.5 or higher to be demolished.
If the district decides to pursue renovations instead of building a new facility, District 6 would also miss out on the opportunity to enter a potential partnership with the city of Greeley and Weld County for a downtown development project.
HCM’s 2024 assessment identified an estimated $36 million replacement value for new construction costs, which does not include expenses like land costs, abatement and demolition, relocation and rent for personnel, drainage fixes to prevent flooding and development, design and engineering costs.
Richmark Development proposed plans to create a combined campus between the school district, the city of Greeley and Weld County to meet the three entities’ needs for new facilities — a rebuild option under consideration in District 6. In March, the Board of Education approved a letter in support of Greeley’s downtown development project.
Richmark estimates that the downtown development project price would mirror the HCM findings. Richmark’s new construction costs would start at around $33.5 million, but the total price estimate would reach about $48.1 million when adding the soft costs, parking garage share, abatement, demolition and more, according to Henson. The current building would then be demolished for downtown parking, and the new district building location would move across the street on 9th Avenue.
Compared to renovation, Henson said building new through the proposed project offers a better long-term investment, keeps the administrative building downtown, creates a safer environment for employees and combines the administrative and brings the District 6 Family Center, command center, administrative offices and the board room under one roof.
Henson also highlighted the cost-effective benefits of a new building, including decreasing energy costs, and not requiring a land purchase or leasing another property for temporary space.
Richmark will develop the school district’s building in Phase 1 of the combined campus project if the district decides to participate in the project, Henson addrd. District employees would continue working in the current space during construction.
Proposed funding
Meggan Sponsler, the district’s chief financial officer, proposed using a certificate of participation to pay for an administrative building rebuild, according to Superintendent Deirdre Pilch.
Certificates of participation, a common way for school districts to build facilities without going to voters for a bond issue, use an existing building as collateral, Pilch said. The district would have to budget annually to pay off the annual certificate of participation payment, which includes interest. However, payments are tax-exempt, making it more attractive to those who would buy the accrued debt and potentially lowering interest.
District 6 previously used a certificate of participation to build the District Athletic Complex, according to Pilch.
The city of Greeley has expressed an interest in participating in the Richmark development plans, while the county continues to evaluate its options. District 6 has not taken any official action with the administrative building, but Pilch anticipates the board will have to reach a decision in the coming school year.
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