Yorktown School District Construction Project Update: Officials Looking to Fix Field, Track and Pool

The Yorktown School District is looking into fixing the high school's turf field and track simultaneously. Board of education members continued the discussion during their March 7 meeting. 

Other renovations the district wants to undertake is the middle school's swimming pool.

Discussions included the cost of the replacement of the high school's track and field if the projects were done simultaneously. The current turf field is approaching the end of its life, athletic director Fio Nardone said. Usually a turf is replaced between eight and 10 years. 

In addition, the drainage would need to be replaced as well, which Scott Hillje, principal of KSQ Architects said it has not been working properly since its initial installation. The cost for replacing the turf and drainage at the field is estimated to be between $1.2 million and $1.5 million.

"Drainage is going to be a big factor, a big cost in addition to the turf itself," Hillje said. "Over the last several months, we've watched the field during heavy rain and you walk up there, and it's not a puddle here and there, it's a pond. And so we know drainage is going to be a big issue."

"I think we're at a point where we clearly have to take a serious look about replacing [the field]," Nardone said. 

If the field were restored back to a sod field could cost between $500,000 and $700,000. The current field is being regularly used in the spring, summer and fall and Nardone said he can't imagine going back to a sod field.

From a construction point of view, contractors said it would be easier if they did the track and field projects simultaneously. 

As a stand alone project, the replacement of the turf field might not be eligible for state aid, Assistant Superintendent of Business Tom Cole said. 

School officials have three options on the project:

1. Include the cost in the general field, which would require a contribution of $1.2 million from the fund balance, and the district would not be eligible for state aid;
2. Do a separate bond project, which would require voter approval and the district would not be eligible for state aid;
3. Or re-assign unused French Hill Elementary School bond money, approximately $1 million plus $200,000 from unused contingency money to turf field replacement, which would require voter approval and formal notice by April 2 to be placed on the May 17 ballot; The district may be eligible for state aid.

School officials said they favor the third options and want to do the track and field projects simultaneously to save money and time.

Superintendent Ralph Napolitano said the bond money can only be used for construction projects, and said he wants taxpayers to be aware of that. It voted on to be used for capital projects and not to save money on something else, he said. 

Other constructions Projects

Last week, board members met with the district's contractors Arris Contracting Company, Inc. and KSQ Architects, to discuss the status of the district-wide bonded projects. The projects are expected to be continued in the summer.

John Patrick Jackson, of Arris Contracting, Inc. spoke about the pond restoration project, located on middle and high school campus. He said that project is about 75 percent complete, but got shut down for the winter months and work is expected to resume in early April. Four more weeks are needed to complete the pond project, he told board members. 

The boiler replacement project at French Hill Elementary School is expected to be completed within 30 days. However, since the school is idle and there are no students or teachers there, board members are discussing that the $1 million bond money gets transfered to fix the high school's track and field, which is at the end of its life. Voter approval will be required for the allocation of the money. 

At the meeting, the differences between the original plans for construction and the completed work. Rather than replacing outdated electric panels and air handler belts and motors, they'll be replacing the entire air handler units at Monahsic, Brookside and Crompond schools, as well as adding new feeders. 

Full emergency lighting upgrades were also added at those three schools. The enhanced scope also included replacing the Crompond parking lot and adding parking/drop off area, a complete high school auditorium gut renovation, replacing boilers and fuel pumps at the middle school, Brookside and Crompond schools; and a complete replacement of the . 

Board members approved Arris Contracting and KSQ Architects to move forward with the projects.

Plans for the middle school swimming pool facility were also discussed at the meeting, Part of the project would be replacing bleacher benches, adding new ceramic tile, lighting upgrades, door replacements, asbestos abetment. The project's cost is estimated at $1.29 million. 

The next Yorktown school board of education meeting is Monday, March 14. The BOE will need to make a decision on the field by April 2 because voter's approval will be required. The board's choice will be put on the voter's ballot for a vote on May 17.

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