After reaching an agreement last month with the developer of the Skyline Ranch community to purchase a parcel of land for a new school site, the Sulphur Springs Union School District is now looking to lock down a construction firm.
The district’s governing board is set at Wednesday’s meeting to approve TELACU Construction Management as the firm tasked with overseeing all aspects of the new school’s construction.
“TELACU Construction Management will provide all construction management services associated with the project, from preconstruction services through project closeout and (Division of the State Architect) certification,” reads the agenda item.
According to a news release from the district, the new school would be the 10th for the district and will help alleviate overcrowding and provide additional educational opportunities for local students.
The new school was previously approved to be designed by architectural firm Flewelling & Moody.
The entire construction of the school is not to exceed $1.91 million, according to the draft construction plan provided with the agenda item. That plan has the site being built out by August 2028.
Tri Pointe Homes, the developer of the Skyline Ranch community, and the district had been in negotiations for nearly two years before the agreement was struck last month. A school site in the area was first discussed at a May 2020 governing board meeting.
According to Superintendent Catherine Kawaguchi, the new school should be able to house approximately 650 students once built.
Community members have been waiting for an update on a proposed Skyline Ranch school site since it was first discussed more than four years ago.
Thomas Smith, who said he moved to the Skyline Ranch area earlier this year, told The Signal that one of the motives for moving his family to the community was how Tri Pointe advertised that an elementary school site was part of the plan.
According to the agreement between Tri Pointe and the district, the process for the elementary school site preparation and construction was to begin after the blueprints for the land were drawn out, including the elementary school site and certificates of occupancy for at least 301 residential units. After these conditions are met, the developer was to transfer the site in a “construction-ready condition” within 24 months or sooner if agreed by the parties.
Wednesday’s meeting is set to begin at 7 p.m. at the district’s administrative office located at 27000 Weyerhaeuser Way.
