A look ahead: Expansions, renovations kick off across school sites
Once classes end in May, all five of Homewood’s schools will see the arrival of construction crews that will be at work until August 2019.
Homewood City Schools received approval in November from the City Council to fund a series of facility expansions and renovations across the school system, using $55 million in bond funds.
Design and engineering for the plans is expected to wrap up in April, with construction starting in earnest over the summer.
The plans include:
Edgewood Elementary
► A four-classroom, single-story addition
► Expansion of cafeteria and kitchen into existing theater room
► Security entry vestibule
► New restrooms
► New roof
► Electrical upgrades
Hall-Kent Elementary
► A six-classroom, two-story addition
► Secure entry vestibule
► New roof
► New carpet
Shades Cahaba Elementary
► Addition to expand the cafeteria
► Three new classrooms to replace existing theater
► Secure entry vestibule
Homewood Middle School
► Addition for multipurpose athletics
► Relocation of choral and band rooms for more space
► Replace three teacher workrooms with six offices and small classrooms for special education and English Language Learning (ELL)
► Replace special education and ELL classrooms with six general classrooms
► Secure entry vestibule
Homewood High School
► Two-story addition on north side of building, featuring new main entrance, athletics pavilion and fine arts pavilion
► Relocate and expand Bailey Theatre in arts pavilion
► Larger dance and choral practice rooms
► New jazz band and percussion practice rooms
► Larger band practice room on second story, with freight elevator to move instruments when traveling to perform
► Locker rooms, coach offices, training and wrestling rooms in athletics pavilion
► Reconfiguration of practice fields, including new walking path
► Reconfiguration of library to creative technology and group-based learning areas
► Wider hallways at certain high traffic areas
► Expansion of kitchen and cafeteria into existing Bailey Theatre
► Secure entry vestibule
► Changed traffic pattern for pickup and drop-off, with parents entering and exiting on the north side of the building from Lakeshore Drive and student drivers entering and exiting through the parking lot south of the school.
Other projects
► HVAC control system upgrade for entire school system
► Upgrades and potential widening of track at Waldrop Stadium
These expansion projects replaced initial discussion of a brand new high school building, which was considered in 2016, mainly due to expense.
Hoar Program Management has outlined a budget that completes all of the above projects within the $55 million given by the city, with some money left to serve as a contingency fund for unexpected expenses.
The Homewood High School expansion, HPM Director of Preconstruction Services Greg Ellis said, should serve the city’s needs for several decades.
Superintendent Bill Cleveland said that while the overall plan addresses the next 10 years of student population, the school system will also have to address needs in the 13-20 years as Shades Cahaba and Edgewood’s buildings both surpass 100 years in age.
There will need to be future projects to rehabilitate or, more likely, replace those buildings. Cleveland also said the school system is hanging onto the property it owns next to Homewood Middle School on Valley Avenue, as it could serve as a temporary classroom site when the time comes for one of these more extensive projects.
Ellis said he expects the track upgrades to be complete in September 2018 and the middle school changes should be complete in January 2019. The HVAC control system should come online by May 2019, Ellis said, and he projected the elementary and high school expansions to wrap up before kids return to classes in the 2019-20 school year.
This means classes and construction will be going on side by side in the 2018-19 school year, but Ellis said they will try to make the process as “painless” as possible for students, parents and teachers.