The Wright City R-II School Board has approved an updated contract with Bond Architects during their May 15 meeting.

Following the passage of Prop G, a bond measure for a performance gym at Wright City High School during the April election, Erik Wilson from Bond Architects outlined the next steps for the project.

The updated contract allows Bond Architects to make necessary modifications to construction drawings to incorporate the new gym into the existing high school structure. 

The board unanimously approved a fixed cost of $290,780 for Bond Architects to manage the engineering and design of the performance gym. This initial phase, expected to take three to four months, will also include the development of bid and permit documents needed for construction. 

 According to Bond Architects, estimates for the performance gym range from $9.2 to $12.2 million. 

The contract also includes bid and construction documents for a performance gym, locker rooms and restrooms. The building is expected to be 30,000 square feet. The gym will not serve as a FEMA storm shelter, since the auxiliary gym already holds that purpose. 

Since the performance gym was not included in the final construction plans for Phase 1 of  the high school, new construction drawings are necessary. Construction is expected to be less than 15 months, with the district’s contract with Bond Architects extended to June 2027. 

Wilson noted that the gym will be built into an existing structure that already has roughly two and a half sides constructed. New walls will need to be taller than what is currently present, which will require some demolition work. 

In addition, the sizes of the gym lobby and locker rooms could be adjusted.

He further explained that while minimal site work will be required, the phasing of the building will differ since students will still need access to the cafeteria, located next to the hallway where the gym will be built.

Things such as connecting utilities to the existing building will be necessary.

Bond Architects will work with the district administration and awarded bidder to ensure they can work around an occupied building, while maintaining access to exits and required spaces.

Board Member Mary Groeper raised the question of why this was not planned better, specifically asking about the demolition. 

Wilson clarified that Phase 1 of construction was designed with the gym as part of the base project but was also proposed as an alternative if the total cost went over the district’s bonding capacity. However, it was not designed for Phase 2. 

He noted that some infrastructure, like the sewer system, was sized to accommodate the gym, but some demolition would still be necessary on any area of the building.

“It’s demolition but it’s not like we’re tearing down a large portion of the building – it’s just parts of it,” Wilson said.