ANN ARBOR, MI – Ann Arbor Public Schools has been busy working on a wide range of facility improvements since the passing of a bond in 2019.
As the district looks ahead to an ambitious second phase of its capital bond construction projects that include major building renovations and the construction of new elementary school buildings in the coming years, much has been done through the end of 2022.
AAPS has spent $94 million on capital projects during first phase of bond projects, with 75% of expenditures coming via bond funds and another 25% from the district’s sinking fund.
The Ann Arbor School Board began considering projects in late 2020 and has approved more than $153 million on a variety of projects, with work completed on air conditioning and LED lighting, roofing, paving projects, the installation of solar arrays on school rooftops, playground projects and theater upgrades.
The figure was calculated from board-approved projects and does not include numerous other projects the district has planned over next two years to close out the first phase of construction with funding from AAPS’ $1-billion capital bond, anticipated to cost $1.44 billion over the next 20 years, and its sinking fund.
The early work addresses the most immediate needs identified on a district facility conditions assessment, with a focus on stabilizing district buildings, Gilbane Building Company Project Executive Stephanie Corona said.
“By the end of 2024 we should be completed with our air conditioning and lighting projects,” Corona said. “We also focused on some instructor issues including our theater rigging, which was beyond their useful life.”
Here’s a look at progress on AAPS’ phase-one construction projects.
Projects without cost amounts have not yet received school board approval, however, while providing project funding totals don’t mean work on those projects are complete. Multiple projects listed with one cost were approved by the school board as a group.
New LED lighting installed inside Ann Arbor Public Schools’ Bach Elementary School.Image provided | AAPS
AIR CONDITIONING AND LED LIGHTING ($140 million)
Air conditioning and LED lighting projects have been completed or are scheduled in the following schools:
Dicken Elementary, Lakewood Elementary, Carpenter Elementary and Mitchell Elementary: $4,985,635
Lawton Elementary: $1,125,587
Angell Elementary: $3,398,688
Bach Elementary (Complete Spring 2023): $3,113
Community High School (Complete Spring 2023): $8,995,448
Eberwhite Elementary (Complete Spring 2023): $1,514,482
Scarlett Middle School (Complete Spring 2023): $11,469,228
Clague Middle School (Complete Summer 2023): $26,496,166
Forsythe Middle School (Complete Summer 2023): $21,570,000
Wines Elementary (Complete Summer 2023): $1,940,000
Pittsfield Elementary (Complete Summer 2023): $1,390,051
A2 STEAM (Summer 2023): $3,715,402
Tappan Middle School (Complete Spring 2023): $20,652,748
Burns Park Elementary and Angell Elementary: $3,331,480
Ann Arbor Open (Summer 2023): $1,366,224 (pending board approval Dec. 21)
Pioneer Theater Lighting Upgrade (Continue in Summer 2023)
Transportation (Summer 2023)
Huron High School LED Lighting (Summer 2024)
Haisley Elementary (Summer 2024)
Abbott Elementary (Summer 2024)
King Elementary LED Lighting (Summer 2024)
THEATER UPGRADES ($5 million)
Clague Middle School: $332,515
Slauson Middle School: $307,394
Scarlett Middle School: $260,921
Forsythe Middle School (Summer 2023): $273,819
Huron High School (Summer 2023): $610,409
Tappan Middle School: $324,648
Additional theater improvements at Pioneer High School included seating upgrades: $465,738; lighting and audiovisual: $1,361,294; and carpeting: $121,550
A pavement resurfacing project at Ann Arbor Public Schools’ Pattengill Elementary School.Image provided | AAPS
PAVING PROJECTS ($997,000)
Allen Elementary School and Dicken Elementary School: $724,275
Logan Elementary, Pattengill Elementary, Pittsfield Elementary and Wines Elementary (patch and repair projects): $272,703
Haisley Elementary (Summer 2023)
Bach Elementary (Summer 2023)
Huron High School (Summer 2024)
A new roof is installed atop Ann Arbor Public Schools’ Westerman Preschool.Photo provided | Ann Arbor Public Schools
ROOFING ($4.6 million)
Bryant Elementary: $614,370
Huron High School: $1,320,750
Pioneer High School: $292,300
Mitchell Elementary, Pattengill Elementary and Westerman Preschool: $1,656,147
King Elementary, Scarlett Middle School, Abbot Elementary School, Wines Elementary School and Tappan Middle School: $2,948,680
Homeland Solar installs a 300-panel solar array at Pattengill Elementary in Ann Arbor on Wednesday, June 24, 2020.Jacob Hamilton
SOLAR PROJECTS ($2.44 million)
Bryant Elementary: $309,430
Westerman Preschool and Pioneer High School: $801,348
Pattengill Elementary, A2 STEAM School, Haisley Elementary, Huron High School and Forsythe Middle School: $1,329,943
Scarlett Middle School (Summer 2023)
Tappan Middle School (Summer 2023)
PLAYGROUND PROJECTS ($706,000)
Eberwhite Elementary School: $385,000 ($285,000 PTO donations)
Bryant Elementary: $113,257
Westerman Preschool Natural Play Area: $208,256
One of two new classrooms created inside Scarlett Middle School.Image provided | AAPS
OTHER IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
Elevator Improvements at Burns Park and Huron High School: $202,740
Elevator Improvements at Tappan & Community (Summer 2023) $270,930
Scarlett Exterior Column Repair: $52,003
Skyline Envelope Improvements: $2,543,145
Tappan Masonry Parapet Restoration
Thurston Nature Center
Skyline stormwater and irrigation
Two new classrooms and student service center at Scarlett Middle School
Boiler and heating system improvements
Converted underutilized spaces into classrooms
Art, music and science furnishings and equipment
Collaboration spaces at Scarlett Middle School
Ceiling Tile Replacement
New window shades
Entry improvements at Clague Middle School
New storage rooms at Community High School
New access for HVAC maintenance at Community High School
Cross corridor doors at Tappan Middle School
Music room acoustical improvements at Clague, Forsythe and Scarlett Middle Schools
Social/Emotional spaces at Scarlett Middle School
Entry improvements at Tappan Middle School (Winter 2023)
Huron High School Pool Filtration Improvement (Summer 2023)
Community, Early Childhood, and Staff Campus (Starts 2023)
Add band room at Ann Arbor Open (Summer 2023)
Holloway bleacher stabilization (Summer 2023)
Elevator improvements at Clague and Slauson (Summer 2024)
READ MORE:
Nearly $63M going toward more air conditioning, lighting upgrades at 13 Ann Arbor schools
These 10 AAPS construction projects total $97M, from solar roofs to geothermal heating
New elementary schools, natatorium part of second phase of AAPS bond plan