HCS construction projected to exceed budget by $6 million

The series of construction projects underway across the Homewood City Schools system will wrap up in February 2020, and the project managers are anticipating the budget will exceed the funding provided by the city.

On March 18, Senior Project Manager Matt Denaburg and Project Manager Jeremiah Owen of Hoar Program Management joined Homewood Schools Superintendent Bill Cleveland to give a construction update to the Homewood City Council’s finance committee.

The projects, which HPM is overseeing, include expansions and renovations across the schools, as well as a new track, new security updates and an HVAC automation system. Denaburg told the finance committee that as of March, five of the 10 total projects have been completed.

The city is funding these construction projects with half of the proceeds from a $110 million bond, with the other half going toward new ballfields at West Homewood Park, the Patriot Park aquatic center and a new public safety headquarters. Denaburg said the school system has paid out about $14.2 million to contractors so far, out of a total $49 million committed through awarded bids.

However, Denaburg and Owen projected that the construction projects will exceed the $55 million given by the city, with their current estimate totaling just under $61 million. According to projections from HPM, the projects will surpass $55 million around December 2019 or January 2020.

HCS spokesperson Merrick Wilson said the budget increased because the school system decided to move up planned future projects, such as work on the HVAC system, flooring and paint. Wilson also said the school system chose to increase the square footage being added in a two-story addition at Homewood High School “to accommodate growing student participation in athletics and fine arts.”

Final budget numbers will not be possible to determine until construction is closer to completion, as weather, materials and other factors could change the cost of each project. Wilson said any expenses beyond the $55 million provided by the city will be paid out of the school system’s budget reserves.

So far, construction crews have finished all Homewood Middle School renovations and the new athletics and band wing, the first phase of work at the elementary schools, demolition at Homewood High School, the new track surface at Waldrop Stadium and the HVAC automation system.

According to the program summary HPM presented March 18, steel procurement and interior renovations at the high school should be completed by the end of summer, with the interior work costing $4.8 million.

The two-story addition, housing athletics and arts spaces on the north side of the high school, is the most expensive single piece of the construction packages at just under $34 million. It is expected to be complete by February.

The second round of work at the elementary schools, including additions to make room for new classrooms and cafeteria expansions at Edgewood Elementary and Shades Cahaba Elementary, should cost about $7.6 million and also wrap up in February.

HPM and Cleveland said work on the cafeterias will begin in April and wrap up before the 2019-2020 school year. Cleveland said a plan has been proposed for alternate ways to feed students while the cafeteria work is underway, but they are waiting on approval from the county Health Department before sharing that information.

More details about the additions across the school system can be found here.