SCHOOL NEWS

(This article, reprinted with permission, appeared in the Bexley News  on May 2, 2001)     

Designs nearing a lift from the drawing board.

By RYAN HORNS
Bexley News Reporter

The architectural plans for Bexley's Cassingham Complex construction have been through more changes than the spring weather. However, discussions over the past several months have culminated into not only a balanced budget but a firm design plan.

In the beginning, topics under scrutiny were the confined space to be created by the new arts wing, the shape of the wing, cutting costs and conserving green space.

These points of concern all have been dealt with in the new proposed architecture plan that was presented to the public at the board of education meeting held April 16.

The board discussed turning the area behind the arts wing into a courtyard, intended to be locked at night when the schools are closed. It will serve as a kindergarten playground during the day.

With as many names as designs, the zig-zag, sawtooth, jagged, stair-step plans were scrapped in favor of the less expensive and more streamlined rectangular shape with parallel sides.

At the tail end of discussions, the topic fell down to details on square footage.

Cuts in the square footage of the wing saved the school a significant amount of money and still provided large leaps in space for the new edition.

“For the arts wing we wanted to it more off the grass,” said Barry Zwick, director of operations.

By cutting the zig-zag shape of the walls, it trimmed unnecessary space and streamlined the wing.

“We really just made things better with the architects, which brought costs down,” he said. Within the wing, the new band room was cut but it will still be twice the size of the present band room.

Dale Gilreath, of Miles-McClellan Construction and Development, said, “It’s a good size and pretty comfortable.”

School board member, Linda Kass, agreed, “The size will be more than adequate.” Zwick said the art and music sections are on the first floor, while the business, technology, family and consumer education areas will be on the second floor.

“This keeps all the departments involved in Global Business and Technology together and keeps the arts together,” he said.

In late March the plans were over the mark. At the last board meeting held April 16, it was announced the budget was balanced.

“This is the biggest cost of all the projects,” Treasurer Chris Essman said of the wing.

Listed in the construction plans, aside from the wing, is the new elementary classroom addition, new entry-cafeteria addition and various infrastructure renovations such as plumbing, air and heating, as well as electrical changes.

For the cafetorium, the board and architects chose to add on to the existing building, extending outward towards Cassingham Road.

This side of the school also will be given a face lift, with changes expected to occur for entrance ways.

What Zwick wanted to highlight is nothing was cut or dropped from the planning by lessening the square footage of areas of the plans.

The key changes in taking the plans back into budget was all part of the process of dis­cussion between the architects and the board.

Zwick said the architects engineered the front of the middle school down to look nice. This saved costs as well, he said.

Last November’s levy presented the Bexley Schools with the $27 million needed for the renovations. Zwick said the plans will be set into motion starting in January 2002 when they break ground and will be completed sometime by the summer of 2003.

“The problem will be the swing spaces. When we have to take students out of one area and move them into the other as buildings are finished,” Zwick said.

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