SOLON — The Solon Community School District (SCSD) School Board of Education approved a proposed timeline for six major projects funded by the $25,500,000 bond issue voters approved in March during their regular meeting Thursday, April 20.
The point of the bond, Superintendent Davis Eidahl explained, was to get ahead of projected enrollment growth and, “start building now so we’re not trying to catch up to it.” He expressed appreciation for the majority who passed the bond. “This community supports and loves their school system. We’re pretty fortunate.”
Tim Oswald with Piper-Sandler, the district’s financial advisor, laid out a strategy for managing the district’s debt service and timing the sale of the bonds over the next few years to generate funds as each project becomes ready to go subject of course to economic fluctuations, and ongoing supply chain issues.
Solon Intermediate School (SIS) expansion
This project is expected to go out for bid this fall with construction work beginning next spring, and an expected completion in fall of 2025.
“It was a no-brainer to do this project immediately because we need to alleviate space at Lakeview, so we can go in and renovate.”
SIS, built in 2017, was designed with expansion in mind as the district’s needs dictated. Seven general education classrooms, one special education classroom (and additional space), one project-based learning room, and a gym will be added.
New transportation center
The former Joe’s Truck Shop along Hwy. 1 at the north edge of Solon will be remodeled to serve as a new transportation center for the district with office space, a drivers’ lounge, and maintenance facilities for the district’s growing fleet of buses and vans.
Acquisition of the property has been moved back to an expected July 1 purchase date with all improvement work to be completed by fall of 2024.
Renovation of Lakeview Elementary School
This extensive project may likely prove to be the trickiest to accomplish as much of the work will need to be done during the summer months when school is not in session. Exterior work will likely begin in the summer of 2025. Additional work will include updating or replacing the building’s major systems – electrical, plumbing, and heating and cooling.
“It’ll be a couple of summers and might be a two-year project with only 12-15 weeks to work each summer,” said Eidahl.
The anticipated completion is fall 2026 at which time third grade students will move to SIS, which is expected to have plenty of space with the completion of the expansion.
Replacing the turf in Spartan Stadium
This project is to be done in 2024 after the conclusion of the soccer season and completed in time for football season. The existing turf is more than 12 years old and well past its prime.
Indoor multiuse indoor activity facility
At this time no site has been selected for the proposed facility, which would include practice space for athletic programs, marching band, etc.
While ISG, the district’s architectural and engineering firm, displayed several possible locations for such a facility based on being able to accommodate the proposed footprint of such a facility, none have been found to be functional or desirable. And there is the possibility of the school district and the city working together on some sort of joint facility in relation to replacing the current Central Office and Community Center.
Demolition of the current District Administrative Office and Community Center, and construction of a new Central Office
This project is expected to begin in the fall of 2026
“We’re having conversations to see if there is anything we can do together with the City. We’re going to meet monthly with city officials and start laying out our needs, their needs, seeing if there is anything we can overlap and do together while meeting our needs,” Eidahl said. “At this point, we don’t know if it’s possible, or if it’s not possible, but we’re going to have those conversations and explore those with depth.” The Superintendent added it is hoped that by December a determination will be made as to the feasibility of partnering, or not.
“As with any issue that rises to the top in Solon it’s space and the footprint. So it comes down to here’s what we need in an indoor facility, here’s what the City needs for a community center. Separate, can we find adequate space? If we put that together, is there a big enough footprint that would accommodate both of our needs and fits? Because that would certainly expand that building to meet both of our needs.”
Space then becomes a critical issue, he said, to determine if it is even a possibility to build a combined facility that could even perhaps include shared administrative space for the City and the District.
“We know what we need, they have an idea of what they need as the city grows. Is there a space big enough to house both? We’ve got a good relationship and it’s great to be able to explore these ideas.”