FAYETTEVILLE-MANLIUS SCHOOL DISTRICT – By a vote of 611 to 438, residents of the Fayetteville-Manlius School District approved last week a $52 million facilities project proposal to modernize and expand F-M High School.
“We are so grateful that our residents have authorized the district to move forward with this project,” F-M Superintendent Craig J. Tice said. “This project will provide the opportunity for Fayetteville-Manlius High School to finally meet the needs of all of its students.”
The capital improvement project allows for programmatic upgrades and improvements, a better connection between the school’s House 1 and 2, centralization of administrators’ and counseling offices, improved heating and ventilation throughout the school and a variety of other renovations.
Construction is not expected to begin until spring or summer 2023. The next steps in the process include an architect design period and a state Education Department review of the final project plans. Tice indicated at an informational meeting held in late November that the district would go out to bid on the various aspects of the project in late 2022 to take advantage of a favorable winter bidding climate.
F-M is eligible for state aid on approximately 80 percent of the cost of the project. The district also plans to use $7.2 million from a capital reserve fund to reduce the amount of money to be borrowed for the project. Money for a capital reserve fund comes from general fund money that remains unspent at the end of each fiscal year. With the use of the capital reserve funds, it is estimated that the project will result in a tax rate increase of 1.89%, or $95.60 for a home in the town of Manlius assessed at $200,000, which would be phased in over a four-year period beginning in 2024-25.
This high school renovation is the second phase of a three-phase modernization program at the district. The first phase, which cost $45.2 million, primarily focused on improvements to Wellwood Middle School, an expansion of Eagle Hill Middle School and upgrades to the high school’s library and restrooms. A third phase, focused on the district’s three elementary schools, is expected to be advanced when the high school renovations are completed.
What’s included in the project?
– Addition to House 2 that would create a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) wing
– Asbestos abatement
– Auditorium acoustical upgrades
– Classroom renovations and enhancements
– Consolidated main office suite and new nurse’s office adjacent to the single-point of entry near the auditorium
– Fire alarm and public address system upgrades
– HVAC replacement to improve ventilation and air filtration, including the addition of air conditioning in House 2
– Major mechanical system upgrades
– New auxiliary gym adjacent to the wellness center
– New broadcast journalism space adjacent to the auditorium
– New elevator and staircase by House 2 main entrance
– New fire lane around the back of the building
– New learning support center adjacent to the expanded cafeteria
– New photography instructional space adjacent to the art classrooms
– Sidewalk and asphalt replacement
– Stadium turf replacement
– Two-story cafeteria addition and renovation with hallways to connect House 1 and 2 to improve the pedestrian traffic flow and building security
