Schools

Columbia Public Schools to be Expanded, Renovated in Proposed 2014 Capital Budget

County Executive Ken Ulman's fiscal year 2014 capital budget includes several improvements to local schools.

 

Atholton High School Renovation

  • The project will expand the school and renovate it.
  • Five different phases make up the project. The first phase, which is scheduled to finish in April of 2013 would add a new addition. The second phase, from May 2013 to December 2013, will renovate the auditorium and media center. Phase three encompasses a second-floor science and classroom renovation as well as a cafeteria addition, to be built from January 2014 - June 2014. Phase four will renovate art and athletic classrooms and facilities from June 2014 - December 2014. Phase five will renovate the gym and administrative area as well as parking and the main entrance. Construction on phase five will take place from January 2015 to August 2015.
  • The county noted the school, which was built in 1966, requires an update to align it with current educational standards.
  • $20 million is proposed for fiscal year 2014. The total project is projected to cost $51 million, with $13 million already spent. 

Running Brook Elementary Addition

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  • $5.3 million in improvements to provide additional capacity to meet expected enrollment growth
  • The project will provide 100 seats of additional classroom space and updated infrastructure to handle the expansion.
  • Without the addition, the school is projected to exceed capacity by 2019.
  • Construction would occur from June 2013 to August 2014.

Longfellow Elementary Addition and Renovation

  • This project will expand classroom spaces and renovate the school.
  • The county reported that the need for this project is because the school was built in 1970 and needs to be updated.
  • $10.9 million is budgeted for fiscal year 2014, with $5.2 million previously budgeted, making the total projected cost $16.1 million.
  • Construction is scheduled to take place from June 2013 to August 2015.

Wilde Lake Middle School Renovation and Addition

Find out what's happening in Columbiawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  • Due to overcrowding at the school, this addition and renovation is designed to add classroom space.
  • The projected capacity of the school will exceed 110 percent by 2014 if no construction takes place.
  • The plan will add 156 seats in additional classroom space.
  • $2.6 million is proposed for fiscal year 2014, with construction planned from July 2014 to August 2016. 

The full fiscal year 2014 capital budget proposal can be found by clicking here. County Executive Ken Ulman made his capital budget proposal public last week. The capital budget still needs to be reviewed and approved by the Howard County Council before it is goes into effect.

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