Linn-Mar asking for bids on $30 million high school renovation project

MARION - The Linn-Mar school board Monday night authorized DLR Group of Des Moines to begin letting bids later this week for a $30 million renovation project at Linn-Mar High School.

The bidding schedule calls for a pre-bid meeting Feb. 11, public hearing Feb. 23 and bid opening at 2 p.m. Feb. 26. Bids would then be available for possible action by board members at their March 9 meeting.

Plans include two new 'main entrances” with slightly different purposes, a collegiate-style lecture hall, expanded fitness center, student store and a guidance center where students could meet with career or college representatives.

The redesigned school also will have more student collaboration areas, improved technology and security infrastructure and a 'wayfinding” theme that will help direct students and visitors to various sections of the building.

The renovations are expected to increase capacity at the building by 400 to 500 students. Current enrollment is just over 2,000.

Although the Linn-Mar district is in an enrollment growth mode, the largest four-year group of students (third through sixth-graders) currently in the district's high school 'pipeline” totals out to just above 2,200.

Target date for substantial completion is between December 2016 and August 2017.