After a year of a construction, the Niles Community Schools 2015 bond project, which sought to tackle a host of school upgrades across the district has progressed on time. Officials announced last week that the construction throughout the district, which will be supported by the $40 million bond, is on schedule, with some buildings to be about 95 percent complete as early as the fall.   

Niles Community Schools Director of Operations Lewis Evans credited a strong team with helping to meet deadline goals.

“We have got a very good team of engineers and architects behind this,” Evans said. “We have dissected drawings and looked over changes in the field. If there is an obstacle we try to jump on it and keep things moving.”

TMP Architecture Inc. was chosen by the school for the projects, while SKILLMAN Corporation is handling construction operations.

Applegate said any minor delays would have been from trying to find bidders for projects in a market that is currently saturated in construction projects.

As far as the budget for the projects, Superintendent Dan Applegate said so far plans have been within the budget.

“We have $40 million plus some interest and portions of our sinking fund to fill in any shortfalls,” Applegate said. “It would be very difficult to say if we are under or over the $40 million at this time because there is unused contingency money.”

An allotted 5 to 10 percent contingency seeks to cover any unexpected costs, Applegate said.

And while the district has not gone over the budget, Applegate said there are more projects officials hoped to be covered by the funds.  All projects that applied to safety or security and classroom enhancement took priority. Other more aesthetic projects on the wish list will have to be put on the back burner, such a proposed canopy at Ring Lardner Middle School, Evans said.

“We have to balance wants and needs,” Evans said.

Prior to the 2015 bond, the last bond the district passed was in 1992, Applegate said. Many of the schools have undergone wear and tear that has put them in need of updates.

Both Applegate and Evans expressed excitement for the projects, some of which have already improved the learning environment for children in the district.

At Howard-Ellis students have already been able to move into nine brand new classrooms. The classrooms are functional, but still need to be floored, which will happen this summer.

In the coming months, internal construction on the schools will continue.

Out of the $40 million, $29 million of bond money is being allocated toward internal updates across the district’s eight school buildings, Evans said.

One such improvement will be an update to the school’s HVAC system. Vertical ventilators will provide updated classrooms with fresh air, using equipment that is so quiet some teachers have asked Applegate if the machine is working.

Every classroom will have its own separate unit to bring fresh air in. Each classroom will also be equipped with air conditioning, Evans said.

Much of the internal and mechanical components of the schools have not been updated between 1930s and 1960s.

Investing in these internal operations will likely save the schools money down the road by increasing mechanical efficiency.

“We are trying to think long term,” Applegate said. “This will hopefully help with our preventive maintenance.”

The next major part of the project will be obtaining a bid for Eastside Connections in October and bidding Northside and Southside in the winter, with construction anticipated to begin in the summertime of 2018.

Last month students at Howard Elementary proudly displayed handmade notes to the community, thanking them for supporting the 2015 Niles Community Bond project that has allowed the school to acquire new classrooms, among many other features.

Applegate echoed the sentiment and thanked the community of Niles for approving the bond project that will greatly increase the learning environment for Niles students and their teachers and administrators.

“This is an investment the community made in the schools,” Applegate said. “And investment does not mean spend and waste. We take it very seriously. In the end we all keep thinking about how thankful we are for the community for allowing us to do this for the kids.”

SKILLMAN Corp. construction progress report on March 28

Ballard Elementary

• Construction commenced April 10

Eastside-Northside-Southside

• Project to bid in fall 2017

• Notices to proceed issued in fall 2017

• Construction to commence in spring 2018

Howard-Ellis

• Total completion: 80 percent

• Metal building: Complete

• Wall painting: Complete

• Storefront door installation: Available

• Electrical installation: Complete

• All inspection for occupancy: Complete

Niles High School

• Project bid on Feb. 21

• Pre-construction meeting hosted March 7

• Contracts delivered to contractors March 16

• Construction began April 3, 2017

Oak Manor

• Construction commenced: Feb 27, 2017

• Submittal process: Approximately 80 percent complete

• Demolition continued through spring break

• All temporary wall construction complete

Ring Lardner

• Total completion: 80 to 90 percent

• Phase III temporary occupancy inspection: Complete

• Masonry construction for new
multi-person restrooms: Complete

• Phase IV MEP: Rough complete