By Carol P. Bartold, Senior Staff Reporter     

May 9, 2018: Plans to remodel the Bronxville High School library as a learning commons have been delayed. Dan Carlin, assistant superintendent for business, reported the change in plans to the Bronxville Board of Education at its May 3 meeting.

The project, conceived in 2014, approved by the New York State Education Department ("NYSED"), and supported financially by the Bronxville School PTA, is designed to provide a space conducive to flexible project-based learning, collaboration, and interaction among students. The goal is to move the library from a traditional 19th-century book depository model to an adaptable space that will accommodate changing program needs.

Carlin stated that two rounds of bids solicited by the district for the $1 million transformation resulted in most of the proposals received costing between $1.4 and $1.5 million. He described two contractors bidding within an acceptable range as “questionable” and noted that they both decided not to proceed with the project. Another vendor decided to withdraw from the project during the district’s vetting process.

“They saw where we were going in trying to get their bid down,” Carlin said, “and they realized there wasn’t the money in the project they thought there would be for them.” He added that awarding the project for summer 2018 construction is no longer feasible.

Carlin recommended that the district rebid the project in the fall or include it in the larger and more cohesive capital construction plans included out of the recent bond issue. “Folding it in with the overall larger bond issue would alleviate some of our funding concerns if there is money left over,” he said, “or it would give us time to devote more general fund money to it.”

Superintendent Dr. Roy Montesano stated that the district’s architects, LAN Associates, will review the proposed library commons plans and determine the best course for moving forward with it.

Other Capital Construction Work:  In an update on other capital construction work, Carlin reported that his office issued a purchase order for the elementary school playground to be rebuilt this summer. In addition, he said, the Chambers Field and track replacement and installation of the remaining three flood mitigation pumps have been submitted to NYSED for early approval.

Carlin said the district hopes for a late fall 2018 start on Chambers Field with a spring 2019 completion. “That’s the best-case scenario,” he said. Otherwise, the field and track construction will be done during the summer of 2019.

The pumps will be ordered upon approval from NYSED and installed upon arrival.

Pictured here:  Front (L to R): Trustee Arleen Thomas, Superintendent Dr. Roy Montesano, trustee Michael Finley, and trustee Jennifer Russo; back (L to R): trustees Dr. Jack Bierwirth, Jonathan Atkeson (board vice president), Jeff Rohr (board president), and Thomas Curran.

Photo by A. Warner