Lake Park, IA (KICD) — The Harris Lake Park School Board received a preliminary estimate on what the new elementary building might cost Monday night.

F.E.H. Architect Nick Massman says the new wing, designs, and contingencies would run about 15.1 million.
Adding a new practice track would add 1.2 million, and several other updates to the high school would add up to a total budget of 17.6 million – about a million under the amount the bond issue would bring in.

School Board president Lisa Carstenson says she and her fellow board members were pleased with that figure – especially in the day of escalating construction costs.

The school board also approved a site plan. The major departure from the pre-election concept was placing the gymnasium on the East end of the elementary, instead of adjacent to the current middle and high school gymnasium.

Carstensen thinks the new building would flow well.

The Harris Lake Park school district hopes to let bids this summer. If construction really does come in a million dollars under budget, it would leave money to construct a new bus barn on the property.