Conundrum: “1: a riddle whose answer is or involves a pun; 2a: a question or problem having only a conjectural answer; 2b: an intricate and difficult problem.” (Tenth edition, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 2000).

The Telegram appropriately labeled the CMS facility in this way. It is an especially good example of the 2b description. As a result, the CPS school board is thinking long and hard about a solution that would make sense for students and be acceptable to the community.

Below is a description of the CMS facility conundrum. Next week’s column will focus on solutions the school board is considering to solve the riddle.

Forty-two percent of the facility was built in 1924. Due to its age, the district is faced with significant investments in the old building in order to continue its use. Many parts of the old building are out of compliance with fire, safety, health, and handicap accessibility codes. Though exact costs for some of the required work are unknown at this time, the estimate is between one million and 1.5 million dollars. High cost items are a new fire sprinkler system and a new ventilation system.

Then there are costs that will be incurred in the near future due to the age of equipment and materials. These costs could be required at any time, but likely would be between five and ten years down the road. The big cost item in this category is an upgraded heating and cooling system which would be more than three million dollars. Also in this category is roof replacement. Such replacement would be a minimum of $375,000. The cost could skyrocket well above this figure if it is found that the 1924 wood structure that supports the roof is in substandard condition due to many factors including leakage, mold, and fire safety.

The third category of expenses in the CMS facility is needed updates for such items as windows and gym flooring. Windows throughout the building let in the elements year-round. This makes the building very inefficient for heating and cooling. It also causes such problems as mold and mildew around the window areas. The flooring in both gyms needs to be replaced or resurfaced. The cost of these items is not available at this time. It likely would be about three hundred thousand dollars.

The last category of need involves space. Most of the building was built at a time before many of today’s required school programs existed. Such programs as special education, English as Second Language, and remedial reading classes have been required in the last three decades. The extra classrooms that have been found for these services have resulted in converting bathrooms into a classroom, using former store-rooms for tutoring rooms, and converting other spaces for instruction (such as a stage) that were never meant to be used in that way.

About eight to ten new classrooms should be built to meet the needs of the current student population. Adding this classroom space would likely cost several million dollars. This would be due to construction costs and the cost of purchasing adjacent city blocks and homes in order to meet city-parking codes. The cost of such an addition could be as much as three million dollars.

The cost of renovating the middle school to meet the needs mentioned above could easily be greater than seven million dollars. Due to the age of the 1924 section, the school board is hesitant to make this type of investment in such an old structure.

Making matters worse is the middle school sets on only six acres of land. Recommended space for a middle school of about 800 students would be over 20 acres.

Now you know why the current CMS facility is a great example of a conundrum. Next week’s column will give the options the board is considering to solve the puzzle.

For more information, contact the Web Master.