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Architect Picked To Design New $16.5 Million Ernest Ward Middle Campus
December 11, 2012
An architectural design firm has been picked to design a new state of the art, $16.5 million Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill.
The bid is set to be awarded to Sam Marshall Architects of Pensacola in the total amount of $1,389,002. The bid includes architectural and engineer fees of $826,800, plus just over half million for other items like interior design and consultants for a various parts of the project.
Four other companies submitted were considered for the project — DAG Architects, Quina Grundhoefer Architects, Bullock Tice Associates and Heffernan Holland Morgan.
A nine-member committee ranked the five firms in order of preference following presentations and interviews with each company. Sam Marshall Architects was the first choice of seven committee members and the second ranked choice from two members.
Once a contract is officially approved by the Escambia County School Board later this month, Sam Marshall Architects will go to work designing the 600-student building. That process will including meeting with an advisory committee at Ernest Ward that will provide input into the design process, down to the colors of walls and floors.
After the building design is approved, the next major phase of the project will be the selection of a builder.
Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said recently he expects the new Ernest Ward will open in August 2015.
Students will be on site during the construction of the new school. Once the new building is complete, most of the current building will be torn down, and portables and modular buildings currently on the campus will be removed. The current administration building is slated to become a maintenance facility.
Pictured top: Escambia School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas and Ernest Ward Principal Nancy Perry discuss options for the new school campus during a meeting back in August. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Comments
4 Responses to “Architect Picked To Design New $16.5 Million Ernest Ward Middle Campus”
I went to second grade there and thats where I got my diploma. I hate to see it all torn down. I had some good teachers(Ms. Webb’Mrs. Stone Coach Day ect..). I hope someone will make the memories are saved.
Instead of paying 1.5 million for a new design, why not use the design for one of the new schools in Crestview?
REGARDING:
“Students will be on site during the construction of the new school.”
This could be an opportunity to give students experience in the building trade if it were written into the contract and followed up on.
Just a thought.
David for opportunities
This is fantastic, and Ernest Ward is definitely needing this. One question: Is there any way that the district could round up maybe one of Ernest Ward’s old portables and convert it to a field house for the Northview Chiefs Class 1A State Champions, since they don’t have one?