Leonardtown High School is going to get a new concession stand, but one that comes with a particularly hefty price tag.
The St. Mary’s school board voted May 8 to award a contract in the amount of $921,750 to Dennis Anderson Construction, along with a $50,000 construction contingency, for a new 1,380-square-foot concession outbuilding.
The one-story building, which will include a concessions room, storage, restrooms, janitor’s closet and exterior water fountains, will be built a few feet north of the current concession stand.
The new build was based on the existing structure’s limited exterior restrooms, and had been identified for replacement due to its having been constructed in 1978.
“So why not replace it completely?” asked Director of Design and Construction Paola Laino.
Laino said a substantial amount of construction will be completed by Sept. 20.
“I was very surprised at the cost per square foot, which set off a bunch of alarm bells for me,” school board member James Davis said, referring to the $680 cost. “I don’t have a real argument in terms of the cost estimates. I do have [issues] with the design. I wonder why we have to spend almost a million dollars on a relatively small building. Are there alternatives in design?”
“The only reason I’m hesitant to change the materials is that commercially CMU [concrete masonry unit, a common application for concrete blocks secured with mortar] is the way to go, especially with a building like this,” Laino said. “[This building will] also be used by the community, so you really want to build something that will last longer, and this is not the place where I would like to cut costs on materials just to save some funds.”
She told the board she had heard of other field houses being budgeted for as much as $1.6 million.
“I’m just wondering if we can afford it. That’s why I’m asking if we can value engineer this building,” Davis said. “Yes, it would be nice to have a brick facade, but I think we can live with something much less cheaper.”
The project was originally in the fiscal 2022 budget and priced at $700,000.
“If you’ve ever been to a track meet you know it’s needed,” school board chairman Karin Bailey said.
“It’s the right thing to do to bring Leonardtown up to par with Great Mills and Chopticon,” school board member Mary Washington said, “and that’s one of the responsibilities of the board to have equity among facilities.”
School board member Cathy Allen said the “design is great” and added, “It is unfortunate the costs have gone up, but it is not unique to us.”
The project was awarded to Southern Maryland-based Dennis Anderson, which had the lowest of the four bids. The company has done previous work with St. Mary’s and Charles public school systems.
“If what matters most is the future and our children,” Superintendent Scott Smith said, “that’s where you should be putting your time, effort and treasure.
Dates to rememberThe following are some dates to remember for public and private schools:
May 22 — St. Mary’s school board meeting, 6 p.m.
May 27 — Memorial Day, no school
May 28 — Project Graduation (Chesterton Academy, The King’s Christian Academy, Leonard Hall Jr. Naval Academy, St. Mary’s Ryken)
May 29 — Commencement and Project Graduation (Chopticon High)
May 30 — Commencement and Project Graduation (Leonardtown High)
May 31 — Commencement and Project Graduation (Great Mills High)
June 6 — Last day for pre-K students
June 7 — Two-hour early dismissal and last day for grades K-12
June 11 — Last day for teachers
June 12 — St. Mary’s school board meeting, 9 a.m.
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