KINGSTON, N.Y. – School district trustees are considering a $107.1 million, five-year capital project bond request that, among other things, includes air conditioning for nine schools.
Air conditioning work could be done in conjunction with other needs listed in the district’s five-year plan, consultant Armand Quadrini said Wednesday during a Board of Education meeting. The board has previously approved spending to install air conditioning in the century-old main building at Kingston High School.
“It’s not really possible to do only the air conditioning without including the related infrastructure upgrades,” at the remaining schools, Quadrini said.
“Air conditioning means in many cases a greater electrical circuit inventory,” he said. “Air conditioning in and of itself doesn’t address the deficient ventilation conditions in the schools.”
Projects proposed without air conditioning are estimated at $45.3 million while doing only the air conditioning at the remaining schools would be $88.6 million.
The plan also includes security improvements and handicapped accessibility in each of the buildings.
Overall, projects in addition to air conditioning in the five-year plan include:
• Miller Middle School: $13.7 million for wood floor reinforcing, refurbishing an elevator, adding ladders to rescue windows, science lab improvements, and repairing a water leak at the auditorium stage.
• Bailey Middle School: $29.4 million for an additional 80 parking spaces, new water services, replacing concrete curbs, replacing windows and roofing, main office renovations, repairing a gym divider roof beam, refurbishing the kitchen loading dock, and a full renovation of the auditorium.
• Chambers Elementary School: $6 million for 30 additional parking spaces, repairing walkways, playground and drainage improvements, replacing exterior kindergarten doors, firewall improvements, toilet room renovations, replacing the kitchen grease interceptor, add water bottle fill stations, adding a portable generator hook-up, and making fire alarm system upgrades.
• Crosby Elementary School: $8.3 million for 33 additional parking spaces, repairing walkways, relocating the playground, installing window shades, replacing the metal ceiling in the kitchen, renovating the cafeteria, and upgrading the fire protection system.
• Myer Elementary School: $9.7 million for 14 new parking spaces, replacing the sewer system, replacing stairs, adding a soft ground surface for the playground, replacing termite-damaged floors, replacing 62-year-old windows, and refurbishing stairs and railings.
• George Washington Elementary School: $13.4 million for “green” upgrades to the outdoor and community activity areas, repaving the parking lot, improving site lighting, facade brick repointing, adding an elevator, installing rescue windows for six instructional spaces, and renovating the auditorium.
• Edson Elementary School: $10.2 million for sidewalk and access improvements, repaving the path to the lower recreation field, adding windows, replacing a stair rail, toilet room renovations, upgrading the fire protection system, refurbishing kitchen waste piping, adding water bottle fill stations, adding a portable generator hook up, and fire alarm system upgrades.
• John F. Kennedy Elementary School: $5.1 million for interior door replacements, toilet room renovation, replacing water lines, refurbishing kitchen waste piping, adding water bottle filling stations, fire alarm upgrades, and public address system upgrades.
• Graves Elementary School: $11.3 million to create a new parent pick area, establish a new bus area, replace soccer field drains, add a canopy to a portable building, replace windows, toilet room renovations, and replace wood doors and frames.
