New LVUSD school on tap for completion in 2007

By Stephanie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com

Despite bidding delays for the new elementary school on Reyes Adobe Road in Agoura Hills, progress has been made on two fronts: site preparation and funding.

Three contractors—Bernard Bros., C.W. Driver, and S.C. Anderson, Inc.—asked Las Virgenes Unified School District board members last week for two additional weeks to prepare bids. The bids are expected to be opened March 8. The contract should be awarded in mid-May, according to the project report.

Bob Hensley, Glenn Ueda, architects with WLC Architects, Inc., and Don Blake, the Yerba Buena construction manager, presented a project update at the meeting.

The school has been scaled down to reduce costs. Projects costs were slashed from $33 million to the new estimate of $26.6 million. The new school will be modeled after Bay Laurel Elementary in Calabasas.

The Yerba Buena project has been plagued with problems besides spiraling construction costs.

It also had long delays from governmental agencies which found traces of contaminated soil, and faced demands by Southern California Edison to put power lines under ground.

Other project setbacks included building a new road and bridge, and other site and funding issues.

The project is now on course to be completed by early 2007.

Hensley gave a rundown on the project elements. The property on Reyes Adobe Road spans 35.8 acres, but only 10.7 acres is considered usable land.

The building will be 46,893 square feet, and the school will include 27 classrooms with capacity for 663 students, he said. There will be two kindergarten classrooms, one special education class, and 24 classrooms for grades 1 to 6.

The school is located next to a 100-year flood plain (and was close to reaching the maximum height due to the unusual amount of rain last week), but the school board was assured that buildings would not be threatened by water damage since they will be located 26 feet above the creek.

Although many power lines will be located underground, some will be above ground. The safety concern was allayed by Hensley, who said, "Students won’t be anywhere near the power lines."

The school will feature three levels, including parking, the buildings and the play field. Access to the school will be from Reyes Adobe Road, although buses will drop off students on Lindero Canyon Road.

Approval from myriad governmental agencies has not helped the project’s progress. Currently, only a few agency approvals remain.

Southern California Edison must authorize the relocation of utility lines, while the Office of Public School Construction expects to approve the application by the end of April. The Department of Fish and Game’s approval is also pending.

Funding has been an issue throughout the planning phases of the school. State grants of up to $15.3 million are being solicited, and the district will add $11,363,642, for a total budget of $26,669,663.

The Yerba Buena Construction Oversight Committee, a group of citizens with specific expertise, has been active in the process.

"They’ve been very, very valuable," said Donald Zimring, interim district superintendent.