ICSD’s 120-million-dollar Capital Project has now entered its second phase, as shown most clearly by the bathroom renovations in G-Building in IHS. The project was authorized by voters in May 2019 as a way to address critical infrastructure issues that could not be handled on a day-to-day basis by the district’s custodians, grounds staff, and maintenance workers. The district states that the goal of the project is to “enhance safety and security, upgrade teaching and learning spaces, and improve infrastructure at all ICSD schools.” The full Capital Project will take place over the next twelve years.
Much work has already been done under the scope of the Capital Project, including some especially notable changes at IHS. The IHS pool, which had been closed for years, was opened this year following its completed renovation under the project. Although less visible to students, the IHS roof was also renovated: areas of roofing that were falling apart and out of warranty were replaced with new roofing. IHS’s York Hall, a space in which many students have been for classes or meetings, was also completely renovated under the Capital Project and split into two “flexible learning areas”—lower and upper York. Some changes were also implemented in IHS’s J-Building, with the main office relocated to B-Building and a line of doors installed across the entrance to the Quad to prevent “unauthorized access.” The creation of the Welcome Center was also a major part of Phase 1 of the Capital Project, and it is now home to IHS’s main office.
Other buildings in the district also have completed renovations, including Boynton and Dewitt, which now have improved temperature controls, the Moresco Stadium baseball field, which was repaired and upgraded to prevent drainage issues that have rendered the field unusable for years, and Caroline Elementary School, where a new septic system was installed.
Phase 2 of the Capital Project began in May of last year and will last until December 2024. Current construction includes a new boiler plant in Enfield, upgrades to the LACS main entrance, and reconfiguration of the South Hill parking lot. The bathroom renovations at IHS are also part of Phase 2 of the Capital Project. The new bathrooms will be gender-inclusive, with full doors on the stalls. The bathrooms in H-Building will also be renovated similarly following the competition of construction in G-Building. As part of the construction, the district is required to perform asbestos abatement in those areas.
During Phase 3, the final phase, major renovations will be underway for IHS, including the addition of air-conditioning using Cornell’s Lake Source cooling system and the renovation of the STEM area in IHS. The renovation of the STEM area will involve much of E-wing, where classrooms will be fully renovated and new spaces designed with the input of IHS tech students will be built.
Although the Capital Project comes at a significant cost to the district, ICSD hopes to finance it with a combination of debt retirement and State Building Aid. The district stated that there will be no tax increase for residents as a result of/from the project. The district also clarified why this money was not being used to raise district employee salaries, stating that it was borrowing money to finance the Capital Project but is unable to use borrowed money for employee pay due to state regulations. Christopher Glaubitz, the Executive Team Member assigned to the project from Tetratech, a consulting and engineering firm and Amanda Verba, Chief Operations Officer for the district, both contributed to the information in this article. For more information on the Capital Project and up-to-date construction timelines, visit the district’s website.
