Name: Robust year for school projects on November ballots | Finance & Commerce
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Robust year for school projects on November ballots | Finance & Commerce

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Skip to contentBrian JohnsonOctober 4, 2023Lake Elmo Elementary is one of two elementary schools that Stillwater Area Public Schools plans to replace with a new building if voters approve the project on Nov. 7. (Submitted rendering)HomeBusiness &amp; EconomyRobust year for school projects on November ballotsLake Elmo Elementary is one of two elementary schools that Stillwater Area Public Schools plans to replace with a new building if voters approve the project on Nov. 7. (Submitted rendering)Brian JohnsonOctober 4, 2023The Stillwater Area Public Schools has a plan and building locations in mind for an ambitious construction program. Now all it needs is a thumbs-up from voters.On Nov. 7, district residents will vote up or down on a $175 million bond referendum to pay for the projects, which include replacement of two aging elementary schools, a major remodel and expansion of a middle school in Lake Elmo, and districtwide security and safety improvements. Construction could begin as soon as next year.The projects primarily address growing enrollment and aging facilities, said Carissa Keister, chief of staff/executive director of strategic communications for Stillwater Area Public Schools. Specifically, she said, the two elementary schools up for replacement are more than 100 years old, and the district expects to add 1,000 students in the next 10 years.“We are a district of about 8,200 now, so that’s pretty significant growth,” Keister said in an interview.Stillwater’s program is part of a busy year for school bond referendums. For all of 2023, 65 districts have upcoming referendums for construction projects or have already gone before the voters with ballot initiatives, which is the most since 2017, said Greg Abbott, communications director for the Minnesota School Boards Association.This fall alone, 44 districts are seeking voter support for everything from security and technology upgrades to remodels and ground-up construction.Four of the fall 2023 referendums top $100 million. Most notably, the Osseo district wants $223.2 million for a new elementary school, a high school addition, renovations and safety upgrades, and the South Washington schools seek $160.875 million for safety improvements and renovations at secondary schools, according to the MSBA.Kraus-Anderson is working with a number of districts on their referendums, including Stillwater, said Jenna Mead, the company’s director of market, referendum and project planning. Trends include safety and security improvements and new spaces for career and technical instruction, Mead said.“More students really enjoy that hands-on learning. The shop classes they built 50, 60 years ago are limited as far as how many kids can get in there and also there is no tech component,” Mead said, adding that one of the goals is to provide updated equipment and “make it feel a little more like what the actual industry feels like when you are in it.”Stillwater says its referendum is based on the recommendations of a facilities planning team, community feedback and two district-wide surveys.&nbsp;In June, the school board approved a resolution to hold the bond referendum, the district’s first since 2015.Anchoring the program is a plan to replace Lake Elmo Elementary and Andersen Elementary with new, larger buildings in Lake Elmo and Bayport. Both of the existing buildings are unsuitable for renovation, according to the district. The schools feed into Oak-Land Middle School, which would be expanded and remodeled.Also planned are district-wide safety and security improvements, including a secured front entrance addition and remodel at Stillwater Area High School, the district says.The district has identified sites in Lake Elmo and Bayport for the new elementary schools.Contingent on passage of the referendum, the district has a purchase agreement for a 47-acre property at the corner of Lake Elmo Avenue and 10th Street North in Lake Elmo (Lake Elmo Elementary) and a letter of intent to a acquire a 10-acre parcel adjacent to Barker’s Alps Park in Bayport (Andersen Elementary).The district would partner with the city of Bayport to use the park’s fields and green space. Keister said the existing Andersen Elementary School in Bayport is on an undersized, 1.4-acre site with no green space or room for expansion.The Lake Elmo Elementary School location offers room for future expansion — a key consideration in a fast-growing community.“That area is growing so rapidly, and land is kind of a hard thing to find there,” Keister said. “We thought it was better to purchase a larger plot for future needs. Long term, there might be additional construction that will need to happen on that site.”If the referendum passes, the district’s next steps include working with the cities permitting and zoning and site planning, and getting community input on designs, Keister said. The goal is to start construction about a year from now and finish up by 2026, Keister said.RELATED:Kraus-Anderson launches renovation of elementary schoolRosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan school district scores big wins for constructionNew school to rise on former golf course siteShare this!Hermantown plans to transform a 120-acre site west of the Duluth International A[...]October 4, 2023Northwestern Mutual on Tuesday broke ground for its $500 million remodeling proj[...]October 4, 2023Kraus-Anderson has completed a $99 million high school in Owatonna.October 4, 2023The city of Minneapolis wants residents to weigh in on roadway and public space [...]October 4, 2023Xcel Energy said this week that several Upper Midwest energy companies have file[...]October 4, 2023New industrial buildings delivered in the wake of COVID-19 are pushing up vacanc[...]October 3, 2023Sign up for your daily digest of Minnesota News.See the full list of events hereRobust year for school projects on November ballotsHermantown plans 120-acre business parkTwin Cities industrial sector strong, despite rising vacancies, report showsCity wraps up $6.5M Bde Maka Ska pavilion rebuildU of M seeks building study proposals for Hormel InstituteThis fall alone, 44 districts are seeking voter support for everything from security and technology [...]Hermantown plans to transform a 120-acre site west of the Duluth International Airport into a new bu[...]Northwestern Mutual on Tuesday broke ground for its $500 million remodeling project of the North Off[...]Kraus-Anderson has completed a $99 million high school in Owatonna.The city of Minneapolis wants residents to weigh in on roadway and public space design concepts for [...]Xcel Energy said this week that several Upper Midwest energy companies have filed plans with the Min[...]After two years of receiving federal subsidies, 220,000 child care programs across the country were [...]A new, two building, 134,000-square-foot replacement is in the works for Lake Oswego Junior High Sch[...]Racine Kenosha Builders Association and Lakeland Builders Association are hosting up to 1,800 youths[...]Automakers posted big increases in new vehicle sales during the summer, despite high prices, rising [...]Finance &amp; Commerce names 2023 Top Women in Finance honoreesFinance &amp; Commerce’s Top Projects of 20222023’s Finance &amp; Commerce Reader Rankings Final WinnersTop Women in Construction 2023This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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Skip to contentBrian JohnsonOctober 4, 2023Lake Elmo Elementary is one of two elementary schools that Stillwater Area Public Schools plans to replace with a new building if voters approve the project on Nov. 7. (Submitted rendering)HomeBusiness &amp; EconomyRobust year for school projects on November ballotsLake Elmo Elementary is one of two elementary schools that Stillwater Area Public Schools plans to replace with a new building if voters approve the project on Nov. 7. (Submitted rendering)Brian JohnsonOctober 4, 2023The Stillwater Area Public Schools has a plan and building locations in...

Robust year for school projects on November ballots | Finance & Commerce

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