This past Tuesday residents of the New Trier township district rejected the $174 million plan. At school, I have been disappointed in the selfishness many students are expressing; that we (class of 2011) wouldn't personally benefit from this proposal. Whats truly problematic for the voters is how excessive this $174 million plan was. School planning and Management Magazine reported in 2009, that this plan would spend roughly $56,000 per student. With $56,000, I'd rather buy a brand new Mercedez-Benz E class. The construction for this project was a proposed $300 per Sq. foot. Naperville High school, built less than ten years ago, spent only $187 per Sq. foot on its construction. No way was this plan worth that kind of money. Many things in the plan were luxuries, rather than necessities. Underground parking? Is is that difficult to walk from your parking spot to the school in the chilly weather? This plan had no empathy for the tax payer either. Property taxes have rose while our house prices have decreased. This would continue to happen, as the plan would furtherly raise taxes. The board should revisit the plan, and create something more modest, a plan residents are able to afford.
I could not agree with you more about keeping the plan modest. A few niggles with your argument.
ReplyDelete1) The reason why a school like Naperville is so much cheaper to build is that they can tear down the building and start over on their acres. We have a very small lot which requires 'creative' techniques of accommodating students during the construction as well as getting materials to and through the building.
2) the underground parking goes back to the lot size thing-- we have such a small lot that we need to use the space as efficiently as possible. Putting staff parking in the basement would free up more spots outside (like up at the train station) for students as well as help deal with the relative shortage of spots for teachers.
3) As for the per-student cost. This is a rather arbitrary argument to make as the renovation will last for a time much longer than four years. Plus, an E-class will depreciate while a renovated school will raise home values, raising your net worth.
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ReplyDeleteIn response to your comments:
ReplyDelete1) Is this "creative" technique of construction absolutely required? Wouldn't our school fare better through postponing construction another decade or so, and starting from scratch?
2) Why invest the money in an underground parking garage that would only have enough room for a limited number of faculty members only. Given the next plan will build the school from the ground up, a much larger parking garage would function with less cost.
"Why invest the money in an underground parking garage that would only have enough room for a limited number of faculty members only"
ReplyDeleteInfinitely large parking lots don't exist...?