News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
vary by $1 million
Contractor Kirby Nagelhout's estimate for the new Sisters High School is $1 million higher than the architect's.
Bill Kionka, who works with architect Scott Steele Associates, estimates a cost of $18,365,000; Nagelhout estimates $19,375,638.
According to architect Scott Steele, the variation is primarily in estimates of the amounts of materials needed for particular aspects of the job. Some of the biggest differences are in the cost of foundations ($119,005); roof construction ($524,309); interior partitions ($419,649) and plumbing ($262,737).
Variations in estimates are common in the early stages of a project. The more detailed design drawings become, the more accurate are the estimates.
"The fact that there is a difference doesn't surprise me," Steele told the school board at their meeting Monday, March 4. "We're trying to get to the bottom of why those numbers vary."
Board members were frustrated by the gap.
"We have important board decisions to make and I don't know if I'm comfortable without tighter numbers than this," said Bill Reed.
The board meets again Friday, March 8, to begin detailed discussions on features of the school. Those discussions are likely to include the size of commons areas and the auditorium and "value engineering" options on types of materials that might be used.
Steele said the architects and contractor should have a better handle on the numbers by Friday.
However, Steele cautioned, the estimates could remain $1 million apart.
If that happens, it will complicate already contentious issues about how and where money is spent in the school.
Board member Steve Keeton presented size comparisons he developed between the 700-student Sisters High School and the 1,500 Summit High School in Bend.
According to Keeton's research, Sisters High School plans more raw square footage and more square footage per student in several key areas.
For example, locker rooms in Sisters are 10,690 square feet, while those at Summit are 9,167. Sisters' band and choir rooms are larger than Summit's.
The planned Sisters commons area is 8,692 square feet versus 9,271 square feet at Summit (set for split lunches of 750 students).
However, the square footage per student is virtually identical, according to Keeton's calculations.
Keeton also questioned whether the seating arrangements in the planned 920 seat auditorium leave adequate space. He calculates 4.68 square feet per seat versus 6.286 at Summit.
The architects acknowledged that some of the seating is tight.
More spacing would mean fewer seats in the same size auditorium.
"It works for a high school auditorium," said architect Mike Gorman. "If you want more performance, for bigger people -- adults -- yes, you might want more room."
Using the same square footage per seat calculation as Summit's, Keeton noted that the planned auditorium would actually seat 685 people.
The board meets next at 4 p.m. on Friday, March 8 at the Sisters High School Lecture/Drama Room.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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