Building a new school would be more expensive than renovating Mount Hebron High School, a school official said.
“Original estimates we received for building a new school were around $80 million,” said Ken Roey, the school system?s executive director of facilities planning and management.
Roey recently updated the Howard Board of Education on the proposed renovation plans ? totaling about $54 million ? created by the planning advisory group, consisting of himself, school officials and residents.
The preliminary design plan will be presented to the school board for approval around April, and a more detailed plan will be revealed in July, he said.
Among the proposed improvements or changes in the plan are:
» Expanded and modernized fine arts, athletic and administrative suites;
» Modernized heating, ventilation, air conditioning, electrical wiring and sprinkler systems;
» Additional hallways.
Once the renovations are complete, the school will increase from 193,000 to 221,000 square feet to give current students more room, he said. The school board has recommended budgeting $27 million for the project in the fiscal 2009 capital budget.
Construction at the Ellicott City school could start by the spring if the school board approves the plan as it is, officials said.
Renovations have been debated in the community for several years, and the topic peaked in September, when hundreds of parents attended a hearing on Superintendent Sydney Cousin?s proposed fiscal 2009 capital budget and demanded that changes be made soon.
Some parents still have concerns. Parent Linda Dombrowski said adequate funding was not being requested to cover the estimated costs of the project, because it is now more than originally estimated by school officials.
