School Board Opens Dirt Work Bids

PRAIRIE GROVE — In a special meeting March 11, the Prairie Grove School Board accepted a low bid of $731,557 from Arco Excavation for dirt work on four construction projects.

Arco will provide site work for a new high school basketball gym, a new elementary school addition, a storm shelter and a new concession stand and restroom facility at the football field.

In all, this first phase will cost about $1 million. The other costs include $125,000 for an additional undercut allowance, $91,285 for general conditions and $45,874 for a 4.5-percent fee for preconstruction services.

Allen Williams, superintendent, said dirt work would start around April 10 and be finished in May.

He said the school district would probably open bids for the construction of the new facilities in mid-April.

The district plans to tear down the oldest sections of the primary school and add 40,728 square feet to the Intermediate School for primary students. The new primary wing will have 28 classrooms. All students in grades kindergarten-fourth grade will share common areas, such as the cafeteria and library.

Construction at the intermediate school also will include a 5,965 square-foot storm shelter/multi-purpose area for school and community use. This facility will be used for physical education classes and meet standards developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The new high school varsity gym will have 1,400 seats with a total capacity of 1,800. The 42,160 square-foot gym will have chairback seats and bleachers, training rooms and coaches’ offices. Williams said the primary school, storm shelter and basketball gym should be ready for the 2015-16 school year.