Pine Bluff School District board members Wednesday approved a $765,949 estimate from East Harding Construction to prepare the former Jack Robey Junior High School campus for reopening as a temporary Pine Bluff High School starting next school year while the current high school on West 11th Avenue is being remodeled.
PBSD Superintendent Jennifer Barbaree said the cost of the work could come down considerably, as the base bid includes a $100,000 owner contingency allowance. She clarified the contingency is in place because certain pieces of the roof, work for which accounts for $72,604 of the bid, may cost more than others.
Construction manager Shawn Carroll of East Harding Construction outlined the scope of the work on the Jack Robey campus on South Olive Street in a March 26 letter to Barbaree. Among the items:
Abatement and demolition of existing loose floor vinyl composition tiles (VCT) in multiple areas around the school including the entire hallways and concession stand area directly in front of the gym entrance.
Roofing, decking and shingle repairs as needed.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Ceiling tile replacement of stained or broken tiles throughout the building.
VCT flooring patchwork to occur where tiles are broken or loose.
Prep and repainting of multiple spaces.
Repair of a unit in the front office, replacing a 10-ton unit in the media center and filter replacement for all units at the completion of the project.
Plumbing rework of the hot water system supplying the kitchen area after the existing boiler was damaged during a “freeze event.”
Re-lamping of existing 2×4 lights as needed and the high bay lights in the gyms.
And all supervision, temporary protection, cleanup from construction activities, unforeseen conditions, owner contingency, permits, taxes, insurance and bond.
The campus was shuttered after last school year as the PBSD’s secondary schools merged into the two-campus Pine Bluff Junior High School on Fluker Avenue and PBHS. The current junior high campuses, formerly Robert F. Morehead Middle and Dollarway High schools, were remodeled well after the opening of the Jack Robey campus in 1986.
Barbaree said officials hope to open bids for the high school project this week. District officials hope the new PBHS will be completed by 2026.