PBC To Build Two New Public Schools

Two new public elementary schools–one on the South Side and one on the West Side–will be built by the Public Building Commission of Chicago for the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), officials said.

PBC Board members, acting Tuesday on a CPS request, agreed to undertake construction of the elementary schools, officials said. New facilities will be built at 126 South Parkside Avenue for Oscar DePriest Elementary School, and at 6315 South Claremont Avenue for Anderson Community Academy. Construction of the DePriest replacement school will cost $22 million, while the Anderson Academy project will cost $21 million, officials said.

The PBC routinely designs and builds new schools and improves existing facilities for the public schools and currently manages about $75 million of the schools’ development program, PBC officials said. Mayor Richard M. Daley chairs the PBC.

Meanwhile, six other schools soon will see work begin on major improvements to their campuses. Under Daley’s Campus Parks Program, the City, Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Park District are at work replacing asphalt and concrete around schools with open space and landscaping. The result is a campus park that also may include playgrounds, basketball or tennis courts, ball fields and tracks, officials said.

Six general construction contracts were awarded at the following schools:

• Burnham Academy, 1903 East 96th Street
  
• Cather School, 2908 West Washington Boulevard
  
• Paderewski School, 2221 South Lawndale Avenue
  
• Arai School, 900 West Wilson Avenue
  
• Burroughs School, 3542 South Washtenaw
  
• Cleveland School, 3121 West Byron Street