Kent School District completes new fields, multipurpose rooms

Several Kent schools this fall have new multipurpose rooms, heating and air conditioning systems, practice fields and tennis courts.

The Kent School District recently completed projects worth millions of dollars as part of the $252 million bond measure approved by voters in 2016. That measure included 120 proposed projects.

District officials released in September an updated completed projects and projects in process list. The list did not include project costs, but a district spokesperson answered questions from the Kent Reporter about the costs of specific projects. The Kent School Board still has to sign off on the completed projects.

Projects recently completed:

• Soos Creek Elementary Multipurpose Room: $4.2 million

Multipurpose room is complete, a final inspection is in progress and school has full use of building.

• Cedar Valley Elementary Multipurpose Room: $3.8 million

Multipurpose room is complete, a final inspection is in progress and school has full use of building.

• Sunrise Elementary HVAC: $3.3 million

Installation of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system is complete, a final inspection is in progress.

• Neely O’Brien Elementary HVAC: $2.7 million

Installation of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system is complete, a final inspection is in progress.

• Kent-Meridian High practice fields: $2.4 million

Practice fields are complete, and limited to school use only while new grass is growing.

• Kent-Meridian High synthetic field: $1.8 million

The first synthetic baseball field in the district is ready to play ball.

• Kent-Meridian High tennis courts: $152,954

Tennis courts are complete with a new equipment storage shed.

• Dumpster platforms all schools: $241,197

Wood dumpster platforms were replaced with aluminum platforms.

Projects to be done

• Northwood Middle School fields

Project is 90 percent complete. The softball field is ready for seeding and the baseball field is receiving top sand.

• Cedar Heights Middle School science labs

Architect has been selected and design phase is scheduled to begin this fall. Construction dates are pending permitting.

• Daniel Elementary heating system replacement

Design began this year with installation expected in the summer of 2020.

• Grass Lake Elementary energy management system

Design phase begins in October and scheduling begins after plans are approved.

• Horizon Elementary BacNet upgrade

Design of this building automation and control system for the exterior building and parking lot lighting system will begin in spring 2019.

• Meeker Middle School field

Permits in progress with bidding scheduled for spring, construction will begin in summer 2020.

• Meridian Elementary heating system replacement

Design began this year with installation expected in the summer of 2020.

• Maintenance storage on administration campus

Project is 75 percent complete and scheduled to open in December.

Multipurpose rooms coming up

Pine Tree Elementary, construction began in August, scheduled to open in July 2020; Fairwood Elementary, construction began in July, scheduled to open in June 2020; Lake Youngs Elementary, design phase began this spring, construction is scheduled to begin in June 2020 and finish in June 2021; Meridian Elementary, currently in the second design phase, scheduled to open in spring or summer 2021; Springbrook Elementary, design phase began this spring, construction is scheduled to begin in June 2020 and finish in June 2021.

New school construction updates

• New elementary school on West Hill: estimated $40 million

Design phase is 50 percent complete and demolition of site is underway at the former Kent Mountain View Academy site, 22420 Military Road S. Construction scheduled to begin in May 2020 and finish in fall 2021.

• New academy campus: estimated $18 million

Building demolition is complete and site work is in progress for the new Kent Phoenix and Kent Mountain View academies at the former Panther Lake Elementary site, southwest corner of 108th Avenue Southeast and Southeast 208th Street. Construction scheduled to begin in May 2020 and finish in fall 2021.

Both schools are currently sharing the Kent Phoenix site, 11000 SE 264th St., the former Sequoia Middle School.