Murphy – The Cherokee County Board of Education is scheduled to select an architecture firm to design the new consolidated high school during a special called meeting at 5:30 p.m. today.
The school board held off on deciding which firm to select after hearing presentations from six architects at its regular meeting Thursday, after first hearing from the firms during a work session on Sept. 2. Each firm gave a presentation lasting about 30 minutes before taking questions from the board and district staff.
The board decided to wait to make its decision due to the amount of information presented as well as to give school board member Keesha Curtis an opportunity to watch a livestream of the presentations. Curtis was unable to attend Thursday’s meeting.
Although he said he was ready to make a decision immediately following the presentations, board vice chair Jeff Martin said he understood waiting until Curtis had time to watch the presentations herself.
“She does have the packets available to her that were presented previously in that regard,” Martin said. “In terms of limiting, that is true. I would be willing to wait if it was thought that that was going to be something that she needed more time for.”
Other members of the board, including James “Jaybird” Ellis and Jeff Tatham, expressed similar views.
The firms included Boomerang Design; Cope Architecture; LS3P&PFA Architects; McMillan, Pazdan & Smith Architects; Novus Architects; and SGA-Narmour Wright Design. Boomerang, LS3P&PFA and SGA-Narmour Wright are based in Charlotte; McMillan, Pazdan & Smith and Novus are based in Asheville; while Cope is based in Knoxville, Tenn.
The district is planning to locate the consolidated high school next to the School of Innovation and adjacent to Tri-County Community College in Peachtree. The school will eventually house all public high school students countywide following the approval of school consolidation earlier in 2021. LS3P&PFA is already working with the district on the School of Innovation.
Each of the six firms told the board about past projects and how they would likely go about building the school. Some produced basic drawings or mock-ups showing how a school and stadium both could fit on the site.
Members of the board asked many of the firms about whether they thought both the school and stadium could be built for $40 million. While no firm said it was impossible, many said it would be difficult to construct both within the budget.
“We don't want to limit what you can do with the school,” LS3P Principal in Charge Paul Boney said. “This school is going to be here for 100 years. Think about the next time you're going to build a high school.
“When was the last time you built a high school in Cherokee County? Gosh, I wouldn't limit myself. I'd do the right thing for the future of the kids.”
Boomerang Design Principal Rob Johnson said his firm's estimate showed the total project cost coming in right at $40 million.
“If you went to the state guidelines, that building's too big,” he said. “For it to be affordable, we need to scrutinize it line by line. That's a healthy way for us and y'all because then you know all the spaces in that building. If we're all at the table, we're confident we can get it.”
Many of the firms also spoke to the drastic fluctuations in the construction market and building supply costs due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors. The board also asked many of the firms what method they believed would be better to administrate the project as between design-build and construction manager at-risk.
Superintendent Jeana Conley said the district could end up with more money for the project depending on various factors in state government and elsewhere.
“It could be an entirely different conversation if that budget comes through, and the $11 million we were promised is there and grant possibilities might be there,” she said. “There could be a lot of possibilities, so I would like for us to dream big right now. That's my recommendation.”