Track not part of $400000 in Hinsdale Middle School additions – Chicago Tribune

Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Elementary District 181 will spend about $400,000 for additional features not included in the original $53.3 million budget for the new Hinsdale Middle School.

The District 181 Board Monday approved paying for a fitness mezzanine and expanded storage at about $53,400, two operable windows per classroom for about $217,400 and ducted fan coil units in lieu of cassettes for about $134,500.

The board considered, but took a pass on, an indoor track, which would have cost about $295,000.

"I'm still committed to coming in on or under budget," board President Jennifer Burns said. "The fact that we're on budget with 80 percent of the bids in gives us a good look at our financial situation with the project, which is good."

Burns said two of the additions, the windows and the improved HVAC system, are mechnical items the board felt should be in the building, and would cost more to add later on.

"I think the fitness mezzanine and storage are needed, and we felt the cost for that was justified," she said. "We couldn't justify spending the additional money for the track."

Board member Margaret Kleber agreed.

"The community said that parity with CHMS was important to them, and I think it's important to take that into consideration," Kleber said, noting that adding a track at HMS would leave that school with about 2 times the space of CHMS for physical education.

Nathan Lucht spoke in favor of the track.

"We can, and should, build the best school we can," he said. "Parity should be forward looking."

Both a ducted fan coil and a cassette are types of terminal distribution devices for the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system in the classrooms. Both provide the necessary heating and cooling distribution, with the ducted fan coil providing for better mixing of the air in the room, according to information provided by the district.

Operable windows provide the opportunity for outdoor air on days when the weather is not too humid or too cold. The operable windows include a design feature that will shut down the air conditioning to that room when a window is open, eliminating a previously identified concern with condensation occurring if there were high humidity levels, according to Kerry Leonard, the owner's representative for the project.

The fitness mezzanine is an accessible second level on top of the storage area at one end of the gym. Since the gymnasium is two stories, this space could be made usable for students. Fitness equipment would be provided to further the health portion of the physical education curriculum.

cfieldman@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @chuckwriting

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Track not part of $400000 in Hinsdale Middle School additions - Chicago Tribune