Public Building Commission Board Approves Contracts on New Fieldhouses, School

The Public Building Commissions Board of Commissioners today approved the awarding of contracts for construction of a Chicago Public Schools middle school and two Chicago Park District fieldhouses, with the contracts representing a total value of more than $43 million.

The Board of Commissioners also pre-qualified general contractors for two new high schools and accepted the resolutions from the Board of Education to have the PBC move forward on seven additional school projects.

With todays actions by the Board of Commissioners, the Public Building Commission continues to take great strides toward the improvement of this city, said Erin Lavin Cabonargi, Executive Director of the PBC. By investing in these communities, we are investing in our future by providing the people of the City of Chicago with places to learn and opportunities for recreation. With the addition of this new school and these new fieldhouses, we establish civic centers that will serve generations of Chicagoans.

The contracts awarded will be for the construction of the Southwest Area Middle School, Taylor-Lauridsen Park and Fieldhouse and Jesse Owens Park and Fieldhouse.

Southwest Area Middle Schools construction contract is for $29.4 million. The construction of Taylor-Lauridsen Fieldhouse will cost $6.9 million, while the construction of Jesse Owens Fieldhouse will cost $6.8 million.

The Board awarded the contracts for both Taylor-Lauridsen Park and Fieldhouse and Jesse Owens Park and Fieldhouse to Burling Builders Inc. of Chicago, which was the low bidder for both projects. FH Paschen/SN Nielsen & Associates LLC of Chicago submitted the lowest bid for Southwest Area Middle School.

The Board of Commissioners also formally agreed to have the PBC take on the development of projects for the construction of two new high schools and five new elementary schools. The new South Shore High School will be built at 75th Street and Jeffrey Avenue, while the new Kelly Curie Gage Park High School will be at 53rd Street and St. Louis Avenue.

The five elementary schools include Avondale-Irving Park Area Elementary School, at Springfield and Milwaukee avenues; Boone Clinton Area Elementary School, at 6700 N. Whipple St.; Brighton Park I Area Elementary School, at 38th Street and St. Louis Avenue; Lee Pasteur Hurley Area Elementary School, at 67th Street and Keating Avenue; and Powell Replacement Elementary School, at 75th Street and South Shore Drive.

The Board later approved six general contractors to be pre-qualified to bid on the Kelly Curie Gage Park High School and on the South Shore High School projects, where ground is expected to be broken later this summer.

The Board also approved acceptance of a generous donation of property from the Comer Science & Education Foundation. The donated land, at 1000-1014 E. 73rd Street, is expected to become the site of the new Grand Crossing Branch Library.

The PBC manages construction and renovation projects for the Chicago Public Library as well as the City of Chicago and its other sister agencies. Mayor Richard M. Daley serves as the PBCs chairman. Additional information about the PBC and its projects is available at the agencys Web site: www.pbcchicago.com.