Itasca-based firm to design C-M middle school wing

by Dennis Sullivan
editor@ewcnews.com
Feb. 25, 2015

School District 201U Board of Education members Tuesday selected an award-winning architectural firm to design Crete-Monee Middle School’s sixth-grade wing.

Board members Maurice Brown, Nakia Hall, Tom Hysell and Kim Sanders, in a special meeting, voted to hire Itasca-based DLA Architects to design and oversee the University Park school project, originally estimated at $11.5 million.

Ann Williams

The unanimous action at the Crete-Monee Education Center followed the recommendation of Ann Williams, assistant superintendent of business. Responding to a question from Brown prior to the vote, Williams said the actual cost of construction “could go up or it could go down. You’ll recall from the interview program some of the things they are talking about doing would actually lower this number.”

Board member Mike Turay, who missed the meeting because of a medical issue, said later he agreed with the selection of DLA. It was time for a change,” he said, adding, “They did have the most impressive approach.” But Turay also questioned the board’s spending priorities, saying, “I would much rather divert a couple million bucks into the classroom.”

Tuesday’s board action is contingent upon school district attorneys’ approval of contract language. Williams later said that approval could occur this week.

DLA’s client list includes Elmwood Park Community Unit School District 401, Western Springs School District 101 and Harlem School District 122.

In 2012, the Northeast Illinois Chapter of the American Institute of Architects awarded DLA the Merit in Architecture for Preservation and Adaptive Reuse Award, in recognition of the firm’s transformation of two light-industrial buildings into a new Multi-Purpose Classroom Building for Elgin Community College.

In her report, Williams ~~stressed DLA also had the lowest rate of the top three firms interviewed but~~ didn’t say what it was. After the meeting, Williams and Hall refused to discuss the rate, citing the need for attorneys’ approval of the contract. (PLEASE SEE CORRECTION BELOW)

DLA replaces Healy, Bender & Associates, which oversaw construction of Crete-Monee High School and played a key role in the facilities-improvement plan Supt Nathaniel Cunningham presented in October.

That proposal, intended to bring all District 201U schools close — or equal — to the level of Crete-Monee High School, called for the middle school expansion to occur in time for Fall 2015.

In addition to adding onto Crete-Monee Middle School, Cunningham’s $52.6 million Master Plan plan calls for the school district to:
* Build a new, large, elementary school to replace Crete and Balmoral elementary schools for Fall 2016,
* Upgrade and convert Coretta Scott King to a kindergarten-through-fifth grade school for Fall 2017,
* Improve Talala Elementary School for Fall 2018,
* Improve Monee Elementary School for Fall 2019 and
* Improve athletic facilities at Crete-Monee High School.

The Crete-Monee School District 201U Website has a summary of Cunningham’s October presentation and a link to images used in his PowerPoint presentation.

CORRECTION/CLARIFICATION FRIDAY, FEB 27
Williams, responding Wednesday afternoon in an email, acknowledged DLA’s fees were lower than those of the previous architect, but denied saying DLA had the lowest rate of the top three firms interviewed.

“That is not what I said. I do not have any idea what fees would be charged by the other finalists interviewed,” Williams said.

Notes from the meeting confirm Williams limited her comparisons of DLA’s rate to:
* the rate previously charged by Healy, Bender & Associates
* DLA’s work for a nearby school district and
* an architectural project at another nearby school district.
Williams didn’t name any of those three firms or districts.

Cunningham, adding to Williams’ report to the four board members, said, “The sooner we get the process started, the sooner we can start the addition. The rates are what’s most important to the board,” he said, adding, “The rates will not change.”

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Eastern Will County News