FELLSMERE — The long talked about renovation and expansion of the Fellsmere Elementary School campus is one more step closer to becoming a reality after the School Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to award the contract for architectural services.
Schools Superintendent Dr. Fran Adams told the board Tuesday that the district staff is ready award the contract to get moving on the nearly $9 million construction project.
The architectural services contract in the amount of $460,000 has been approved for Edlund Dritenbas Binkley. The firm has offices in Vero Beach and Deerfield Beach.
Among the changes planned for the school are a larger cafeteria and more permanent classroom space.
The current cafeteria is original to the school, which was built in the early 1980s on a model for 450 students. The school currently holds more than 700 students.
“This is an investment in education for our students,” School Board member Claudia Jimenez said of the construction project.
Adams noted that the project was identified in the district’s 5-year capital outlay plan and will be funded through those dollars.
Board member Karen Disney-Brombach, a Fellsmere resident, said the board should recognize the City of Fellsmere for its role in identifying land that would help facilitate the expansion.
Plans call for some parking to relocated to city property to allow for the cafeteria’s expansion into what is currently the parking lot.
Earlier this year, residents, Fellsmere City Council members and school officials reviewed the school’s layout and pitched ideas for improvements. At that time, School Facilities Director Susan Olson said that construction could begin early 2012 and be wrapped before the end of the same year.