With continued Detroit Public School teacher sick-outs where the teachers are supposedly striking for the only the conditions of the buildings and not for changes in their contract, one has to ask where did the money for Detroit Public Schools go? In November 2009, Detroit voters approved the Proposal S Bond Referendum which enabled the district to access $500.5 million dollars for school capital improvement projects. This was the six largest allocation in the nation at the time.
Is there any excuse for Detroit schools to be in the condition they currently are in?
Here is a DPS press release from July 17th 2010:
Detroit-Detroit Public Schools has awarded $180.4 million in contracts for 10 construction projects in the district’s three-year capital improvement program being funded with $500.5 million dollars following voter approval in November of the Proposal S Bond Referendum.
DPS released a progress report on the bond program today that includes four new-build projects and six schools that will receive major renovations and additions. All combined, the 10 projects total $180.4 million in awarded prime contracts to Detroit-headquartered firms. Construction on the 10 sites is currently underway or is set to begin this summer. All 10 projects are scheduled to be completed by fall 2011 or earlier.
The 10 projects start seven months after voter approval of Proposal S, six months since the sale of the bonds, and five months after the initial selection of the program manager, Walbridge Joint Venture for Detroit Public Schools. Construction work includes nine high schools and PreK to 8 schools and the development of a new Office of Public Safety Headquarters and Operations Center, which broke ground today.
“Detroit-headquartered companies are leading construction on all 10 school projects awarded thus far,” said Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb. “That, along with the pace of contract awards and construction rivaling the highest-performing school districts, is testament that we are meeting commitments made to Detroit parents and voters just over seven months ago. We plan to have all projects awarded and underway before the end of this summer, with some completed facilities coming online by that time as well.”
Detroit voters approved the Proposal S Bond Referendum last November which enabled the district to access $500.5 million dollars for school capital improvement projects. DPS received the 6th largest allocation in the nation. The DPS School Construction Program will include a total of seven new schools and eleven renovations. The improvement program also includes district-wide technology upgrades and security initiatives being funded with the Proposal S dollars. To comply with federal guidelines, all bond dollars will be spent within three years and all 18 schools will be completed by September 2012.
DPS School Construction Program
Progress Report
July 16, 2010
Total Schools/Buildings Under Construction: 10
New Construction: 4
Major Renovations: 6
Total Project Value to date: $180.4 million
Project Contractor Amount Construction Start Completed
Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School
New Construction
Jenkins Granger LLC
50% Detroit-HQ $45.3 million Summer 2010 Fall 2011
PreK to 8 School at Clark Park
New Construction
Brinker Christman
50% Detroit-HQ $20.5 million Summer 2010 Fall 2011
Gompers PreK to 8 School in Brightmoor
New Construction
Brinker Christman
50% Detroit-HQ $20.5 million Summer 2010 Fall 2011
Office of Public Safety HQ and Operations Center
New Construction
O’Brien Edwards Construction Co.
100% Detroit-HQ $5.6 million Summer 2010 December 2010
John R. King PreK to 8
Major Renovation
White Construction
100% Detroit-HQ $10.7 million Summer 2010 Fall 2010
Marcus Garvey PreK to 8
Major Renovation
Dumas Concepts
100% Detroit-HQ $8.9 million Summer 2010 December 2010
Fitzgerald PreK to 8
Major Renovation Jenkins Construction
100% Detroit-HQ
$8.6 million Summer 2010 December 2010
Henry Ford High School
Major Renovation
KEO / McCarthy & Smith
50% Detroit-HQ $17 million Summer 2010 Fall 2011
Denby High School
Major Renovation
O’Brien Edwards Construction Co./ Turner
50% Detroit-HQ
$16.5 million Summer 2010 Fall 2011
Western High School
Major Renovation Colasanti/DCI Joint Venture
100% Detroit-HQ
$26.8 million Summer 2010 Fall 2011
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