Serving Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood Counties
The Eastwood School Board unanimously approved a resolution at the June 25 regular meeting for a November ballot measure, which would renovate the district’s main campus buildings.
The next step in the process will see district treasurer Monica Leppelmeier take the approved resolution to the county auditor, who will tell her what the actual needed millage will be based on the assessed valuation. The board will then come back at its next meeting on July 20 at 7:30 a.m. inside the elementary school cafeteria to approve the final resolution with the updated ballot language.
Should it eventually be approved by voters, the bond would be issued in early 2027. Design would take place from January to December 2027, with an early site construction package in the late fall 2027. By late summer 2029, construction is estimated to be completed with occupancy that fall.
The general timeline for this project began on Feb. 12 with a task force meeting, which ultimately met five times. There were also two community hearings, the latest being on June 17, where officials made the recommendation to the board.
With the process, the district is looking to modernize its campus. The high school opened in 1961, and an addition in 2000 added an academic wing, a gymnasium, locker rooms, a weight room and the Eagles Nest.
The middle school, which houses fifth through eighth grades, opened in 1970, and fifth grade students currently use the middle school for lunch and specials.
With that, the district analyzed 23 facility assessments, including things such as the heating systems, roofing, plumbing, foundational structure, security systems, site condition and technology among others.
Officials estimate that it would cost $33 million to renovate the high school, which includes $6.7 million for heating, $4.3 million for general finishes, $3.8 million for electrical and $1.7 million for roofing.
The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) currently recommends replacement when the renovate-to-replace ratio is over 66 percent. The high school is at 74 percent.
Meanwhile, the middle school renovation is estimated to cost $22.8 million, including $4.4 million for heating, $2.9 million for general finishes, $2.5 million for electrical and $1.3 million for roofing. It has a 77 percent renovate-to-replace ratio.
To renovate both schools up to code and required standards, it is estimated to cost between $55 million to $57 million. The renovation life expectancy is 25 years, and new construction life expectancy is 50-plus years.
With that, the preferred renovation, or redesign, option would include 48,580 square feet of classrooms, special education and academic support spaces, including 11,715 square feet for fifth graders. It would have a separate space for a middle school and high school media center, art, instrumental and computer rooms, as well as one vocal room.
There would be 16,300 square feet of a high school competition gym with give-or-take 1,600 seats and four locker rooms.
Additionally, there would be a high school life skills lab, a middle school tech lab, a new offer for STEM in both the middle school and high school and a high school Ag-Ed lab with a CAD lab adjacent.
The option would also add 100,111 square feet to the elementary to make pre-kindergarten through 12th grade a total size of 180,922 square feet. It also has optional items to demolish or abate Pemberville Elementary, the middle school and the high school.
Its total co-funded cost is $49,041,057. The local, 64-percent share is $31,386,276, and the state’s 36-percent share is $17,654,781.
For more information on the plan, visit EastwoodSchools.org/facilities-updates. The site contains a video recording and slides from the June 17 meeting, as well as a summary and slides from the April 15 meeting.
