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Sunday
March 21, 2010 Since 1922 |
Pressbox plans for Stallworth finalized
By Barrett Goldsmith
Baytown Sun Published November 21, 2007 Stallworth Stadium is now set for $2.4 million worth of improvements, including work on a new press box that will be larger and more accessible for disabled visitors.
The board of trustees approved a contract with Division One Inc., who will begin work in December and should complete the work by the end of the spring semester. The project was originally budgeted for about $860,000 under the district’s 2005 bond program, but interest earnings should cover most of the overages.
The improvements will include the addition of an elevator to the press box, handicapped seating on the north and south ends, handicapped parking, sidewalks and improvements to restrooms and concession areas.
Robby McGowen, GCCISD assistant superintendent, said the improvements were sorely needed based on the size of the press box and the demands placed upon it, especially during high school football games and the annual Bayou Bowl.
“We have a 17,000 capacity stadium and to run a stadium during a football game we just didn’t have the physical space,” McGowen said.
“You have media, scoreboard operators, timekeepers, PA announcers. Then you have coaches from both teams and other coaches there scouting. We had a press box for two 5A high schools and one 4A school and it was the size to support maybe one 4A school. And of course we had to make it handicap accessible.”
McGowen said the budget for the project was not accurately done at the beginning of the process, and that inflation, labor and construction costs also drove up the budget.
The bids this time around were significantly lower than an earlier round in which the district was receiving quotes closer to $3 million.
Gilbert Santana, chairman of the Citizens Bond Advisory Committee, which has overseen the execution of the bond, said the district could have done more work initially to get a more accurate picture of a final budget, but he said he is glad the project came in as low as it did.
“We’re satisfied we got the best price we could,” Santana said. “I don’t think any of us did the best job we could estimating it. It’s just a matter of doing enough up-front engineering to get a better estimate.
“Some of these projects need a little more work up front to find out some of the things that might not be on the surface. But I think the district is now doing a good job executing it and finding good prices.”
Santana said the project was delayed toward the latter end of the bond cycle in order to get projects with a more direct classroom influence completed.
“We delayed the project a few years and it saved us some money,” Santana said. “We’re looking forward to the stadium being upgraded completely.
“It’s always been one of the big issues in the district. All the accessibility issues are going to enhance the stadium to almost like a new one. We were OK with delaying because it wasn’t an instructional issue.”
Baytown Sun Published November 21, 2007 Stallworth Stadium is now set for $2.4 million worth of improvements, including work on a new press box that will be larger and more accessible for disabled visitors.
The board of trustees approved a contract with Division One Inc., who will begin work in December and should complete the work by the end of the spring semester. The project was originally budgeted for about $860,000 under the district’s 2005 bond program, but interest earnings should cover most of the overages.
The improvements will include the addition of an elevator to the press box, handicapped seating on the north and south ends, handicapped parking, sidewalks and improvements to restrooms and concession areas.
Robby McGowen, GCCISD assistant superintendent, said the improvements were sorely needed based on the size of the press box and the demands placed upon it, especially during high school football games and the annual Bayou Bowl.
“We have a 17,000 capacity stadium and to run a stadium during a football game we just didn’t have the physical space,” McGowen said.
“You have media, scoreboard operators, timekeepers, PA announcers. Then you have coaches from both teams and other coaches there scouting. We had a press box for two 5A high schools and one 4A school and it was the size to support maybe one 4A school. And of course we had to make it handicap accessible.”
McGowen said the budget for the project was not accurately done at the beginning of the process, and that inflation, labor and construction costs also drove up the budget.
The bids this time around were significantly lower than an earlier round in which the district was receiving quotes closer to $3 million.
Gilbert Santana, chairman of the Citizens Bond Advisory Committee, which has overseen the execution of the bond, said the district could have done more work initially to get a more accurate picture of a final budget, but he said he is glad the project came in as low as it did.
“We’re satisfied we got the best price we could,” Santana said. “I don’t think any of us did the best job we could estimating it. It’s just a matter of doing enough up-front engineering to get a better estimate.
“Some of these projects need a little more work up front to find out some of the things that might not be on the surface. But I think the district is now doing a good job executing it and finding good prices.”
Santana said the project was delayed toward the latter end of the bond cycle in order to get projects with a more direct classroom influence completed.
“We delayed the project a few years and it saved us some money,” Santana said. “We’re looking forward to the stadium being upgraded completely.
“It’s always been one of the big issues in the district. All the accessibility issues are going to enhance the stadium to almost like a new one. We were OK with delaying because it wasn’t an instructional issue.”