After some hassle and a lot of work, the first phase of new construction at Fairview Elementary concluded two weeks ago.
Students and staff moved tables and books into the school’s new building, Feb. 12, after a year of construction. The project began after the Española School Board awarded, in February 2014, a $13.3 million contract to FCI Construction, of Grand Junction, Colo., to renovate the old school.
Fairview Principal Roberto Archuleta said he is excited that the first part of the renovation is complete.
“We had some difficulties on the way, but we finally arrived to this point,” Archuleta said. “And this is just part of the total construction package.”
Officials budgeted a maximum allowable cost of $16 million to renovate the entire school. The state Public School Facilities Authority will pay 64 percent of the cost, or $11.8 million, while the District will pay 36 percent of the cost, or $4.2 million.
The renovation of the school started as discussions in 2010, when Board members talked about the possibility of using money from a $28 million general obligation bond on the ballot during the 2011 School Board election for the project.
But the building could have been completed earlier if there weren’t any delays in the selection of an architect needed for the construction.
The School Board issued a request for proposals for an architect in January 2012 and the original selection committee recommended to award the contract to FBT Architects over SMPC Architects. But in February 2012, the Board rejected approving FBT and all other preliminary bids and decided instead to ask for another round of bids.
In March 2012, former Board member Floyd Archuleta appointed a different set of selection committee members, which included City Councilor Peggy Martinez, a friend of SMPC architect John Padilla’s wife. Although FBT and SMPC both rebid for the project, SMPC won over FBT this time.
Board members were supposed to pay $769,000 to FBT. They ended up paying SMPC $873,000. It wasn’t until February 2013 that SMPC finished the project design.
Another major hurdle they had during the process is the acquisition of a water line easement from Santa Clara Pueblo to provide fire suppression to the school.
The easement was necessary because the line goes through pueblo land before reaching the school.
After 10 years of indecision, Pueblo leaders approved the easement in December, after the District hired Indian Education Director Francis Vigil, with an annual salary of $55,000.
District Facilities Manager Adan Cordova did not return requests for comment about the project.
Fairview students and staff stayed in the old classrooms while the new building was being constructed.
The first phase of the renovation resulted in 15 new classrooms, four special education classrooms and a 30-computer lab. There is also a media center in the works, but that was not ready as of last week, Roberto Archuleta said.
The second phase of construction encompasses the renovation of eight additional classrooms, for a total of 27 new classrooms, and the gymnasium. A playground and a staff parking area will also be installed and constructed on the east side of the school.
Last-minute issues
District Superintendent Danny Trujillo said officials had to fix some last-minute issues in the new building.
“There was (sic) a few minor things, nothing really major,” he said.
The state fire marshal, during an inspection the week of the move, identified the new building’s fire alarm as inaudible. District employees fixed the issue immediately, Trujillo said.
Officials also separated parent and bus pick-up locations after a trial run proved chaotic two weeks ago. Now, parent pick-up is located on Hacienda Lane, on the west side of the campus, while bus pick-up is located on Zuni Lane, on the east side.
Now that Fairview’s cafeteria is still under construction, school lunches are being prepared at Española Middle School and dropped off at every Fairview classroom, Trujillo said.
Roberto Archuleta said they are on schedule to finish the second phase by August, before next school year. Although he doesn’t expect the new building to affect classroom performance, “it is a nice motivation for the school community.”
“We don’t depend on a facility for academic excellence,” he said. “Academic excellence comes from teachers working with students and teachers can work with students in any facility. But a new facility definitely encourages students and teachers to do their best.”
Empty classrooms
Roberto Archuleta said after the second phase, there might be excess classroom space, because there might not be enough students to fill the entirety of the new school.
He projects at least four classrooms will be empty by the start of next school year.
“We’re actually going to have empty classrooms when all is said and done,” he said. “We’re planning on growing our school. We are getting new enrollment and on a weekly basis, we get one or two new students. We believe that’s going to continue.”
Currently, the school has 321 students and Archuleta expects to end the school year with 330. He said the school might begin next school year with the same student population.
“It’s difficult to project that because there’s a lot of movement in the Valley,” he said. “Students come in and leave. Families move to new places.”
Last year, the School Board voted to close Velarde Elementary and Mountain View Elementary because the District does not have enough students to occupy the two schools.
But Trujillo said the excess space at Fairview is normal.
“We always create a school a little larger than the exact need because we have different programs that we could use,” he said.
Next school year, officials might use the empty classrooms as the home of a prospective District Boys and Girls Club, Trujillo said.
Administrators might also establish an elementary arts program in the excess space, as well as a possible expansion of the District’s pre-kindergarten program.
Hectic move
Originally, Fairview classes were suspended Feb. 12-13 for the move into the new building, Roberto Archuleta said. But because this wasn’t enough time, classes were again canceled Feb. 17, when they were supposed to resume.
Fairview teacher Andrea Medina worked during the weekend and President’s Day to move classroom materials.
“Everybody moved,” she said. “It was hard. Moving an entire classroom was tough. I was here everyday with help from family. My husband and children were here when we were moving.”
She had to move the materials left in her classroom by Friday afternoon on her own, during the weekend. Still, she said the school received ample help from District employees.
Teacher Gina Chavez said she was “physically exhausted” after the move. But she said she’s glad about the new building’s more accessible environment.
“I like that it’s central and we don’t have to walk in and out of the building, back and forth,” Chavez said. “The access to it is easier.”
District employees finished, last week, vacating the old facility of furniture in preparation for the second phase of construction. Despite the hectic move, Archuleta said the work is worth it for the students.
“The students are totally excited, more than any adult,” he said. “It’s nice to see happy faces.”