The Region 9 Board of Education is inviting architectural firms to submit engineering and design bids to add restroom facilities and team rooms to Joel Barlow High School’s “Nest” athletic facilities.
The goal of the project is to provide Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) code-compliant bathrooms and team rooms at the Nest under one structure.
The bid is the latest move the Region 9 Board of Education has taken to make improvements to the building and athletic fields.
“It’s a necessary next step to complete our facilities,” said Michael Santangeli, Barlow athletic director. “We put in new tennis courts, 200 additional parking spots, a new track, brand new turf field, and this just ties everything together. It provides us with something that we are missing.”
Firms must submit their bids to the school district by Dec. 8 at 5 p.m. After receiving the bids, the Region 9 Board of Education may invite up to three finalists to present their proposals and be interviewed.
The winning bidder is the firm who offers the best combination of price and quality, but the board is not required to award the contract to the lowest bidder. The district also has the right to negotiate further with the bidders and can ask for modifications and clarifications to the bids.
The estimated $3. 6 million improvement project, named the Barlow Community Enhancement Project, is being funded through a combination of private donations and government funds. A private group made up of parents, neighbors, alumni and fans of Barlow, has been raising awareness and hosting fundraising events to develop the Nest.
“This is truly a community effort, and what’s great about it is that the community will be the one who benefits from it, which excites me,” said Santangeli.
Due to the addition of bathrooms, the firm with the winning bid will have to research and design options for wastewater disposal. Code-compliant bathrooms and team rooms are the goal of this project, but students and community members are also in favor of a concession building with basic kitchen amenities that can serve food.
