School Board Backs Park, Strawberry Point Revamp Designs

With and schools in the midst of multi-million dollar renovations this summer, the board kept the district’s other modernization projects moving forward last week, approving the schematic designs for revamps of and schools.

The board received presentations on both designs (attached, at right) from Marcus Hibser of Hibser Yamauchi Architects in Oakland, with Hibser describing the goals of each project.

Both projects seek to make substantial improvements for improved access and traffic flow, particularly at Strawberry Point, where traffic often backs up deep onto East Strawberry Drive during dropoff and pickup times.

“The critical issue is that the way that students are getting into the campus is not entirely safe,” Hibser said. “We are working to fix that.”

The projects include upgrades of communication systems, ADA access and infrastructure like electrical, plumbing, flooring, windows and doors. The schools will also be painted.

District consultant Pete Norgaard noted that the Strawberry Point design included elements that went beyond the $1.65 million that was allocated for Strawberry Point in Measure C, the $59.8 million bond voters approved in 2009 to pay for the modernization of the district’s five elementary schools.

“Had we simply done the schematic design to the allocated budget dollars, we would probably not have even been able to meet the level one funding priorities we listed,” Norgaard said.

Norgaard recommended leaving the proposal as is for now and remove certain elements for cost reasons later in the process.

“It would be a bad idea to hit the panic button now and take away some very nice and needed improvements at Strawberry Point,” he said.

Both projects come back to the board in the fall for approval of the design development documents.