By SUSAN RUMBLE

Special to The Press

The Parkland School Board has taken action to move ahead with plans for an operations center at Stadium Drive.

Construction cost of the 39,500-square-foot building is projected to be $13.3 million. Total cost, including fees for professional services, is anticipated to be $18 million.

Director of Student Services David Keppel said the operations center was first proposed “a couple years ago” but was “pushed back because of other needs of the district.”

Keppel noted the district had other projects to do first: the Veterans Memorial Elementary School, renovations and a new addition at Schnecksville Elementary, and improvements and new construction at Kratzer Elementary.

Veterans Memorial Elementary School is occupied, the new wing at Schnecksville Elementary is completed and interior work is ongoing in other portions of the building, and the Kratzer project is underway.

Keppel said district attention can now shift to the operations center.

He explained one of the main reasons for the new building will be to vacate the Troxell building that now houses departments which will be moved to the multiuse facility.

These include food services which will have a walk-in refrigerator and freezer, school services, maintenance, district storage, and a receiving area.

Keppel added the technology department now situated in four different buildings will move to the operations center.

“We’ll bring the whole technology team together in one area,” Keppel said.

The operations center will have offices and work areas. Sewage will connect with the Orefield Middle School plant.

Keppel reported the operations center will be a pre-engineered, steel structure which will include some masonry and siding, and walls for offices.

“There’s a lot involved in this project,” Keppel said.

Although the district is aiming to vacate Troxell, Keppel noted the future of the building is not yet decided.

“There is nothing definitive. It is to be determined,” he said.

Two items relating to the operations center were approved by the board at the May 17 meeting.

These included an agreement for MKSD to provide architectural and engineering services for the operations center.

The second agreement was for Alvin H. Butz to provide construction management services for pre-design, preconstruction, construction, and reimbursable expenses at a cost not to exceed $1,238,471.

The construction management fee of 2 percent of total final contract value is estimated to be $265,870.

Board member Jarrett Coleman voted no on both.

Keppel provided a timeline for the project.

Kickoff meetings are starting now; bids will be received in spring 2023; construction should begin next summer; and the building should be ready for occupancy by summer 2024.