Growls

This morning in the online Arlington Sun Gazette, Scott McCaffrey reports that “so far, no construction surprises” have occured in the building of the new Wakefield High School. McCaffrey writes:

“All is proceeding according to plans - no surprises to date,” said Linda Erdos, the school system’s assistant superintendent for school and community relations, as crews worked to level existing ballfields where the new 380,000-square-foot Wakefield will be constructed adjacent to the existing, 1950s-era school.

[ . . . ]

“School Board members in May approved an $88.4 million contract with Forrester Construction Co., which was the low bidder among seven firms seeking the project. The construction contract is part of an overall projected cost of $115 million for the new Wakefield, mostly funded by bonds approved by voters in 2008 and 2010.”

According to information from the Virginia Department of Education, however, there may may be a surprise, or not. During the 2010-2011 school year, three new high schools in Virginia were put under construction. The Annual Cost Data Report does show a couple of surprises, however, based upon at least two measures:

• Wakefield High School -- building cost, $77,399,376; site cost, $11,000,623; total cost, $88,399,999; total square feet, 382,102; square feet/pupil, 175; total cost/square feet, $231.35; building only cost/square foot, $202.56; and total cost/pupil, $40,681.

• NEW Clarke County High School -- building cost, $19,550,000; site cost, $3,750,000; total cost, $23,000,000; total square feet, 162,050; square feet/pupil, 183; total cost/square foot, $143,78; building only cost/square foot, $120.64; and total cost/pupil, $26,357.

• Loudoun County HS-7 -- building cost, $40,996,000; site cost, $19,766,000; total cost, $60,762,000; total square feet, 275,574; square feet/pupil, 140; total cost/square feet, $220.49; building only cost/square foot, $148.77; and total cost/pupil, $31,080.

So on the basis of the building cost per sq. ft. and the total cost per pupil, the cost of the new Wakefield High School is far and away the highest of the three Virginia high schools put under construction during the 2010-2011 school year. Just wondering: what is it that the Arlington School Board actually do? It's obviously not oversight. Taxpayers should want to know!

Capital construction information for the Arlington Public Schools is available here, and for Wakefileld High School is here.