Construction demand, other factors could affect Klein ISD 2015 bond costs

Robertson said there has been a 40 percent increase in building permits in Houston this year compared to last year, a total of $8.5 billion in construction costs across the city. He said there are as many as six significant petrochemical projects in the Greater Houston area and more than $6 billion in bond money being used at schools in the region.

KISD has already seen construction costs rise among schools built in the last several years. Zwink Elementary, which opened in August 2012, cost $124 per square foot to construct, while French Elementary construction costs increased to $165 per square foot in only three years.

With the elementary school in the Willow Lake Village subdivision scheduled for completion in 2016, Robertson said construction costs would likely be at least $175 per square foot.

"An elementary school could cost us $30 million to build when we used to build it for $15 [million]," Robertson said.

Robertson presented the data on construction costs Sept. 22 to the dozens of community members participating in the second steering committee meeting for the district's 2015 bond. The committee is working on narrowing down a list of about $700 million in district-wide projects prior to a presentation being made to the KISD board of trustees in December.

The most significant piece of new construction likely to be included in the bond is High School No. 5. Although about $60 million remains from the 2008 bond authorization for the project, the district anticipates needing another $100 million to fund the school, which could open in the fall of 2017.

However, increasing construction costs could lead the school to cost $15 million–$20 million more than anticipated, Robertson said. Klein High School, which was recently reconstructed in time for the 2014-15 school year, cost $165 per square foot. However, High School No. 5 could cost as much as $235 per square foot to construct.

Robertson said he would have a better idea of the construction costs of High School No. 5 by the third steering committee meeting Oct. 28. A community dialogue will be held for the public before then on Oct. 20 at the KISD Multipurpose Center.

The steering committee will meet one final time Nov. 11 to finalize the recommendations for the bond before a presentation is made to the board of trustees Dec. 8. The board can then chose to accept, modify or reject the proposal presented by Superintendent Jim Cain to the board in January.

For more information on KISD or the 2015 bond, visit www.kleinisd.net.