View of the exterior from the south (STR Partners rendering). Other renderings depict the exterior view from the west (at left), the first-floor art corridor (below, right) and the second-floor learning stair (bottom, left).
Construction of the new addition to Culver School is on track to begin this spring and summer.
Supt. John Kosirog said groundbreaking is scheduled for June 2023, with completion expected in fall 2024.
The revised project will include a new full-sized gym and stage, a new preschool wing with two classrooms and a playground, and a new fine arts center with art, band, orchestra, and music classrooms. It also will provide space for a middle school “learning stair” and library, two new STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) classrooms, and two new full-sized, general-purpose classrooms. The addition will bring approximately 30,000 square feet of new and renovated space to the school.
In anticipation of the construction, the district is planning for classroom and office relocations, changes to drop-off procedures, and the inaccessibility of the Culver field at the beginning of next year. The district’s construction manager, Gilbane Building Co., will develop a comprehensive plan to ensure that all accessible areas of the building are safe for students and staff.
“We continue to be excited about the new addition project,” said Board Member Joe Kuffel. “During the past few months, the construction team has been finalizing plans for the construction year. This brings the project another step closer for our students and community.”
The project is to be paid for from a combination of federal Elementary and Secondary School Relief (ESSER) funds, district savings, and revenue resulting from the expiration of a tax-increment financing (TIF) district. The project will not increase property taxes or require a referendum.
“We are going to make do with somewhat less space, both inside and outside, next year,” Kosirog said. “But I’m confident that the many long-term benefits of the project will be worth the inconveniences we will face.”