Preliminary plans to renovate West Elementary School in Hutchinson would split students into two groups. Second- and third-grade students would be in the new northeast building section, while first-graders, kindergartners and preschoolers would be in the existing south section. A schematic reviewed by the School Board Monday evening showed the two sections connected by West Elementary's current east wing.
Planned renovations are part of a project approved by voters with a $28.8 million bonding proposal this past November. The proposal was pitched as a means to update facilities for early childhood and elementary education. The budget for West Elementary is $17.8 million, with the remainder of the project focused on updates to Park Elementary.
Layouts reviewed Monday reflected the work of the school's architectural firm, LHB, the school's project managers, ICS consulting, and the school's oversight committee during the past several months. However, the layouts have not been finalized.
OUTSIDE
Jonathan Pettigrew, senior architect for LHB, presented the project's current design stage with a series of schematics and renderings. He said many of the same people who worked on Hutchinson High School were working on West Elementary as well.
Proposed is the construction of two parking lots on the building's current north side. They would be accessible from School Road. One would be dedicated to the second- and third-grade addition, while the other would be dedicated to the special education section on the north side of the existing building. The second lot would also lead to the proposed new Early Childhood Family Education area, which would move from a satellite building and into the north central side of the existing West Elementary building.
This layout shows the current three-wing West Elementary building, and the proposed two-floor addition on the northeast side. It also shows the layout of visitor and staff parking on the northwest, and bus parking on the east. The two segments that have been struck through show optional additions, including a green space and playground on the west and a new kindergarten and first-grade parking lot on the south.
Plans also show a parking lot on the building's east side, which would be for buses to drop off and pick up students. The east lot would be accessible through the Hutchinson Middle School parking lot on South Grade Road.
The project also includes two optional components that may be cut for cost savings. West of the current building where there is currently a parking lot may be the addition of a playground and green space. The south parking lot may also be renovated and serve as a parking lot for kindergarten and first grade.
INSIDE
First-grade classrooms would be clustered together on the current building's northeast wing. Just beyond the classrooms, the hallway would lead into the new addition. The main entrance to the new addition would lead into an open space and one of the building's two cafeterias. The space would be designed with a tall ceiling and high windows to let in sunlight in a similar aesthetic to the high school's commons. The existing building in the south would also have a cafeteria for kindergarten and first grade. However, the one kitchen there would serve both cafeterias. The existing building space would also gain a media center.
The proposed two-floor addition would have an "executive suite," which would function as a space for offices, work rooms, nursing, meeting rooms and reception. The new larger media center would serve as the point where there is the most crossover between the two sections of West Elementary. The new gym for second- and third-grade students would also offer another place for events to be held. The old gym would remain in the existing building section. Second-grade classrooms would be clustered toward the north end of the new section, along with a shared group learning area. The second floor would include a classroom cluster for third-graders, an elevator and two stairways. All classrooms would have windows designed to let in natural sunlight, with most angled north or south.
This map shows a preliminary draft of the interior layout of the first floor of the proposed West Elementary addition. The main entrance can be seen on the west side (left) in the middle.
Board Chair Keith Kamrath asked for an update as to the project's budget. Brett Baldry with ICS said the building was currently slightly over budget, but that isn't unusual at this stage. Upcoming stages will include efforts to pair back expenses and find savings now that all the wants and needs have been reviewed. About 4.5 percent will need to be cut back, or a bit more if the two optional components outside are included.
"This is very typical for the process," Baldry said.
Baldry said a bid package for West Elementary would be ready in July or August, and construction is expected to start in September or October. Details for Park Elementary are coming up.
