Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.
Article Image Alt Text

An artist's rendering of the potential new San Marcos Consolidated ISD central administration building at the ACC Goodnight Center. Screenshot from SMCISD YouTube

SMCISD board approves $7 million renovation for administration office

Sunday, October 24, 2021

The San Marcos Consolidated ISD Board of Trustees approved a $7 million dollar renovation for a new central administration building.

The multi-million dollar investment from the school district’s general fund would renovate the Austin Community Goodnight Center, located at 1331 State Highway 123, for a new central administration office.

SMCISD administrators relocated in late 2017 to a temporary central office location at 631 Mill St. after mold was found in the previous office. The trustees created a central administration office subcommittee, which has met five times since Jan. 28, 2021. The board later approved Stantec Architecture Inc. for architectural services for a central office building during its Sept. 20 meeting.

Stantec Workplace Market Leader Julie Zitter presented the architectural firm’s feasibility study during Monday's regular board meeting, which examined facility assessments and long range facility plans, recommendations and cost estimates and test fits for an administration building.

“I think as the first point of arrival, your first chance for prospective clients and students and people wanting to work at the district is going to be your administration building,” Zitter said. “You want to use this building to attract, retain and recruit talent and I think this a great opportunity to have ultimate impact on your students.”

Zitter said Stantec examined three test fit sites where a central office could be built — 120 Stagecoach Trail, formerly Dick’s Car Museum; Hunter Road and ACC Goodnight.

Zitter presented a cost analysis to renovate ACC Goodnight which estimates the project to cost $7,018,599.77. The project would take approximately 18 months to complete with six months dedicated to design, two for the bid process and 10 months for construction.

“So what you have going for you at this building is you already have a slab. You don’t have to wait for that to cure,” Zitter said. “You already have steel. You don’t have to wait in line for that. So, you do have some benefits by having an existing asset that you can continue to appreciate versus the opposite just sitting there not doing anything for you.”

After Zitter’s presentation, the board later held a discussion regarding the potential renovation of the ACC Goodnight facility.

Trustee Miguel Arredondo began the conversation by asking Zitter if costs could be lowered after seeing the initial price by lessening planned parking spaces.

“I know I have some initial sticker shock on the proposed budget for the new central administration building and so I’m wondering tonight or whatever that number can decrease over time,” Arredondo said. “I’d be interested in looking at that.”

Trustee Anne Halsey brought up concerns that the process was moving too quickly.

“I was expecting that the committee would really come back with a variety of proposals, not one fully developed, pre-envisioned proposal,” Halsey said. “I feel like the board as a whole hasn’t had an opportunity to weigh in on this vision and this use. Like the idea that we would have external, community event space outside, I'm not necessarily opposed to that, but that’s a completely new concept to me that I don’t remember having conversations about that in the last four years that we’ve been going through this process. So, I just feel like we’ve sort of — I know it’s taken a long time — but we’ve skipped a step.”

Trustees Kathy Hansen, Margie Villalpando and Mayra Mejia, who are all on the central office subcommittee, defended the work the committee did, saying that the board did give them authority to come up with a solidified plan to present.

“We did the work,” Mejia said. “So, I mean, the work is done. We didn’t know that there was a pace that we were supposed to go. We worked with Stantec. We were very open about everything. I just don’t know how you expected for us to not have a full proposal tonight. That is what we voted on.”

Hansen later inquired about how much the district has paid in rent for the current administration office on Mill Street. James Barton, SMCISD assistant superintendent of business and support services, said the district originally paid $11,890 per month on rent but it increases by 2% each year. Current rent for the Mill Street location is $12,625. Barton added that SMCISD has spent $579,255 at its current location since 2017-18.

Arredondo later suggested an addition to the motion that at least 50% of work done comes from local vendors, including roofing, tile work, mill work and engineering services. Hansen agreed with Arredondo’s suggestion, saying that’s always been her request.

“I think it’s very important to support our local workers and local businesses and the people that work for them,” Hansen said.

While trustees were supportive of the idea, Juan Cruz, the district’s legal counsel, recommended against it.

“In terms of local preference that I would not suggest you put it in right now because in terms of the contract negotiations, to what your [legal policy] provides,” Cruz said.

Ultimately, the board approved the renovations for a new central administration building at the ACC Goodnight Center in a 6-1 vote with Halsey as the lone no vote.

San Marcos Record

(512) 392-2458
P.O. Box 1109, San Marcos, TX 78666