$55M needed to renovate Hildebran, Icard elementary schools

The Board of Education members listened intently on Monday night as Hamilton Cort explained that renovating Hildebran and Icard elementary schools would cost $55 million.

Cort, an architect with McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture, provided a detailed report during the board’s Monday special called meeting. Needed changes ran the gamut from lengthening student drop-off/pick-up lines and relocation/concealment of electrical/data conduit to building a new cafeteria and a campus-wide storm drainage/catch basin system.

The study of the existing schools is part of an overall proposal to construct a new elementary school to replace the two aging facilities. The district was awarded a $42-million needs-based grant in February to build a new school in eastern Burke County. Some residents of the Hildebran and Icard communities have expressed a desire to renovate the schools; however, the grant money is strictly for a new school and cannot be used for renovating existing facilities.

The school board subsequently approved the purchase of 43 acres on Huffman Avenue in Connelly Springs. The $1 million purchase has been approved, as required, by the Burke County Board of Commissioners.

Dr. Bob Acord, director of Auxiliary Services, previously stated that BCPS would use the same design template used for Mountain View Elementary. Cort is also the architect who conducted the facility study and design for Mountain View.

Regarding the construction of the new school, Acord reported the new school could open for the 2026-27 academic school year.

The estimated cost of renovations for Icard is upward of $25 million and approximately $30 million for Hildebran. Cort said the extensive renovations would take two years to complete.

Board member Wendi Craven questioned the cost of mobile units and relocation of students during the phasing process. 

“That could be another additional cost,” Cort said. “That would not be listed in these costs. We have moving costs listed as zero, and that would fall under moving costs.”

According to the detailed evaluation reports concluded by Hamilton Cort:

• Hildebran Elementary School facility does not provide the campus infrastructure or building program to support the school population of a 33-classroom school and cannot provide a modern acceptable educational program without extensive reconfiguration and renovation.

• Icard Elementary School facility does not provide the classroom size or campus infrastructure to support a modern acceptable educational program without extensive reconfiguration and renovation.

Both reports state, “the useful life of a public school building shell and structure is generally regarded as 60 to 80 years.” Built in 1956, Hildebran’s structure is 68 years old. Icard Elementary was built in 1934, making it 90 years old.

At Chairman Seth Hunt’s request, Cort joined the board in closed session. No action was taken by the board following the session.

Previously announced public meetings for community feedback scheduled for Sept. 16 and 19 have not been firmly set and are tentative, according to Public Relations Officer Cheryl Shuffler.

CENTRAL OFFICE 

According to Superintendent Dr. Mike Swan, the board has been in communication with City of Morganton officials regarding the relocation of the district’s central office to the current home of Burke United Christian Ministries, 305 W. Union St. 

Swan shared an architectural rendering of concepts for the new central office. An architectural firm has not yet been chosen, so the renderings are not final.

In the rendering, computer-generated trees line the lot. Swan says the property is required to have a certain number of trees in the lot to meet building codes. The building is 32,000 square feet.

OTHER UPDATES

Finance Officer Keith Lawson proposed a budget revision request as a follow-up from the Aug. 5 meeting regarding Freedom High School’s driving range, the new central office, and an additional request to complete Liberty Middle School’s track renovation. The budget revision is scheduled for action item votes next week.

The next board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 3, at 6 p.m.