July 10, 2015

Tacoma Schools rebidding Wilson High improvements

Image from Tacoma School District [enlarge]

In May, the Tacoma School District rejected four bids for phase two improvements at Wilson High School because each was about $6 million over budget.

Now the district is rebidding the project and expects to open bids July 23. Estimated cost is $27.5 million to $29 million.

The project involves demolition of two buildings, construction of 28,000-square-foot academic and 9,000-square-foot music buildings, renovations and additions to the gym/pool building, renovations to the shops/art building, HVAC improvements, and new and renovated sports fields.

The replacement music building is an alternate and may not get built if bids come in high again.

Construction is scheduled to begin next month and the main academic building and gym will be finished by August 2016. The music building will open in mid-November 2016.

The work will further consolidate buildings at the campus-style school built in 1958 at 1202 N. Orchard St.

Finnegan Construction Co. in 2006 finished the first phase of improvements, mainly a three-story classroom building with library that replaced five buildings and eight portables.

NAC Architecture designed both phases.

Other consultants for phase two are: Sitts & Hill Engineers, civil; Weisman Design Group, landscape architect; Coughlin Porter Lundeen, structural engineer; Hargis Engineers, mechanical; Coffman Engineers, electrical and lighting; D.A. Hogan & Associates, athletic fields; The Robinson Co., cost estimating; SSA Acoustics, acoustical; and PBS Engineering + Environmental, hazardous materials.

For more information, see the notice in the July 1 DJC.