When we reported Monday night on Seattle Public Schools‘ proposed $1.8 billion, six-year capital-levy renewal/expansion – BEX VI (aka the sixth “Building Excellence” levy) – we noted the biggest West Seattle project on its list is a $50 million addition for Career Technical Education at Chief Sealth International High School. We also noted that the levy document linked to the agenda for next week’s School Board meeting (4:15 pm October 9) has no other details about the proposed project, and that the process of developing the levy list did not involve community consultation the way BEX V did. So we had to ask SPS’s media team to dig up details on the proposal, which they’ve done over the past few days. According to district spokesperson Tina Riss Christiansen:
An addition to Chief Sealth International High School is proposed to meet the needs of the Career and Technical Education Program, eliminate the eight portables along the west property edge, and enhance energy conservation, addressing both State of Washington Clean Energy and City of Seattle’s Building Emissions requirements.
The classroom addition is planned to be added at the northern portion of the existing school and will include relocating the existing Career and Technical Education construction trades classroom from the basement and the food service classroom from the interior of the building. Both classrooms are undersized for the student populations they serve and poorly located for routinely transporting the materials and supplies required to meet the educational program needs.
In addition, SPS plans to construct eight general education classrooms.
The project is contingent on School Board approval of the levy projects and voter approval of the levy. Construction is planned to occur with students remaining on-site.
The $50M is divided 2/3 construction and 1/3 A/E fees, permit costs, construction contingency, furnishings, and Washington State Sales Tax.
No renderings yet, the district says, because design work won’t start until and unless the levy – one of two that the district plans to send to voters in February – is approved.
We are in the process of scheduling community information meetings on both levies after the Oct. 9, 2024, Board Meeting and Study Session.
Adding proposed project information to the website is also in progress.
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