Horry Board of Education approves $7.4 million needed for renovations

Overbudget renovations at two Horry County schools will continue now that the Board of Education approved delaying two other projects.

The district needs another $7.4 million to finish the scope of renovations at Midland Elementary and North Myrtle Beach Middle schools. The board voted to delay a replacement building for the Horry County Education Center and renovations to Aynor Middle School during its regular meeting Monday.

The original budget to renovate both schools was about $18.5 million, but increased construction costs spurred the extra expenditures. The cost to complete all of the planned work – which includes more classrooms and a traffic loop – is now more than $34 million.

“It’s something that’s been planned, but the costs have escalated a bit so now we need to prepare the funds,” Neil James, board member, said.

The Horry County Education Center’s new building would have cost $4.6 million, according to John Gardner, chief financial officer. Aynor Middle’s renovations were slated at $2.8 million.

Both schools were identified as at-capacity several years ago, James said, but due to increased area demand on construction services the price has also rocketed. District officials debated just finishing the initial scope of work – which totals about $6 million – but the district’s facilities committee wanted to include North Myrtle Beach’s elongated traffic loop.

The district has already budgeted $240.3 million to build five new schools, which is $72.9 million over the original budget. The schools – which are all contracted to be built by First Floor Energy Positive – are slated to open by August 2017.

Midland Elementary is getting an additional 40,000 square feet that includes a new kitchen, cafeteria and some new classrooms. North Myrtle Beach Middle is adding more classrooms, Mark Wolfe, executive director of facilities, said.

Pike McFarland Hall Associates, Inc. is contracted to renovate Midland Elementary School at a nonrecurring cost of about $11 million, according to documents from the district. The firm is based in Myrtle Beach and has built several schools for the district, including South Conway and North Myrtle Beach elementary schools.

D3G Architects LLC. is contracted to renovate North Myrtle Beach Middle School at a nonrecurring cost of about $7.5 million, according to documents. D3G Architects is also based in Myrtle Beach and has worked with the district before, Wolfe said.

The overbudget projects will be funded through a combination of general obligation bonds, equipment lease financing and sales tax funds, according Gardner. All five new schools plus the two renovations are part of an 11-year, $541.3 million capital building plan approved by the district years ago.

This story was originally published June 6, 2016 at 7:56 PM with the headline "Horry Board of Education approves $7.4 million needed for renovations."