District cautions renovation could uncover costly surprises; Manning renovation estimated $25–$35M

Officials told attendees that renovating old elementary buildings carries significant unknowns and cost risks. "Initial estimates for renovating Manning alone were in the range of 25 to 35,000,000," Joe Smith, the district's director of buildings and grounds, said, adding that unidentified conditions inside walls can "snowball" costs when uncovered during renovation.

The district said renovation would likely proceed in phases, could displace students over multiple summers and would not change the original building footprint or fully bring the site up to current ADA and storm shelter requirements. O'Connor said these limitations and the risk of finding hazardous materials often make new construction a more predictable long-term investment.