Midway ISD hears $16M schematic update for high school gym addition; underground detention and alternate vestibule among changes

Aubrey Moses of architect Huckabe told the Midway ISD board on Monday that the schematic design for the Midway High School athletics addition remains largely the same but includes several notable changes intended to improve site logistics and long‑term operation. "The one change that we've made is we've gone from an above ground detention pond to an underground detention pond," Moses said, explaining the change was driven by circulation needs around locker‑room corridors.

The project will be delivered in two guaranteed‑maximum‑price packages so site utilities can start this summer and the addition can follow in late summer or early fall, with renovations completed during the summer of 2027. Moses said the current base‑bid construction cost is "a little over $16 million," and the team is tracking several alternates and capital‑improvement items separately.

Board members flagged several practical concerns during Q&A: increased cost for an underground detention solution, coordination with spring AP testing, traffic and access impacts from long‑running construction fencing and potential arena audio upgrades. When asked whether the underground pond raised cost, Moses acknowledged it was more complex but said Masonic's site‑utility allowance in the estimate absorbed the change.

Trustees and staff also discussed an alternate bid to enclose the team‑room exterior doors in a monitored vestibule. The board heard the vestibule's security and aesthetic benefits and was given a standalone price estimate of roughly $184,000 if packaged separately; architects said embedding it in the base bid would likely yield better competitive pricing.

Other design details presented included added locker‑room and restroom renovations (to be tracked as capital improvements at about $300,000) and corridor flooring replacement (about $65,000). Staff said those renovation costs would come from capital improvement funds rather than the high school edition bond budget.

The board did not vote on any contract or award at the meeting; staff said the site‑utility package is out to bid and the administration plans to bring GMP documents and an updated estimate to the June board meeting for approval.

What happens next: staff will return with the site‑utility GMP and an updated full‑project estimate at the June board meeting; construction will proceed as bids and permits allow with the goal of finishing by August 2027.