The board of trustees approved a guaranteed maximum price, or GMP, for the Mendez Elementary School replacement project and the first phase of the San Marcos High School additions and renovations project during its latest meeting March 17.
The breakdown
Work on the new Mendez campus is set to be completed by June 2026 in order to open in August for the 2026-27 school year. Demolition of the existing Mendez campus would begin in summer 2026 and be completed by November.
The cost of the Mendez project has come in at $58.1 million, Sandoval said, which is about $1 million more than when it was initially brought forward during the design phase but still within budget.
Sandoval said this includes $2 million for the construction manager and owner contingencies, and a $250,000 tariff contingency for potential increased costs in supplies and materials.
“Much like all of our construction projects, we’ll continue to work to save costs as we go down the line during construction,” Sandoval said.
What else?
The first phase of the San Marcos High School project is expected to begin in June and includes administration building renovations, relocating utilities, a band practice pad and parking additions. The GMP for this section is about $510,000 under budget at $4.8 million.
The GMP for this phase also includes the procurement of materials needed for work on the second and third phases.
The GMP for phases 2 and 3 is not being brought forward to the board yet, Sandoval said, but is currently tracking at about $28.8 million. Construction on the two remaining phases is expected to last between September 2025-August 2027, and projects include:
- Band hall and black box additions
- Performing arts and fine arts renovations
- Special education renovations
- A new classroom addition
