District 99 Approves $1M in Renovations for Downers Grove High Schools

Downers Grove North and South high schools will receive more than $1 million in repairs and renovations in the coming months.

The Community High School District 99 Board of Education voted unanimously Monday to approve a series of contracts for capital improvements at both campuses.

Scheduled upgrades at South High School include the reconstruction of the north parking lot, new athletic lockers and complete replacement of the athletic flooring in the school's small gym. North High School will receive a partial roof replacement and replacement of the HVAC system in the main gym.

Both schools will receive lighting upgrades in their main gyms, officials said.

District 99 Operations Director Marty Schack said South High's north parking lot, located next to the tennis courts, has not been replaced since it was built 30 years ago. The contract was awarded to Orange Crush of Hillside for $132,451.90.

"We've gotten our money's worth out of that parking lot," Schack said. "It's time to (replace) it before we lose the base."

The ventilation work at North High School will be performed by Amber Mechanical of Alsip for $375,800. The contract for lighting upgrades was awarded to Excel Electric of Frankfort for $233,000.

A second set of contracts approved by the board included several improvements to South High School.

The interior walls, ceilings and trim for the auditorium and balcony at South High will be painted by Oosterbaan and Sons, Co. of Posen for $33,800, officials said.

The flooring project was awarded to Vortex Enterprises of Addison for $130,409, and includes carpeting and resilient floor replacement in the library and other classroom areas. The project will also replace approximately 7,000 square feet of athletic flooring in the school's small gymnasium.

South High will also get new lockers in the main gym, small gym, and the lower-level weight and fitness locker rooms, officials said. The contract was awarded to Larson Equipment and Furniture Company of Palatine for $151,500.

The final contract awarded Monday went to Elens and Maichin Roofing and Sheet Metal, Inc. of Joliet. The company will replace the rooftop about the loading dock area at North High for $75,750, officials said.

All approved projects were identified as top-priority by the District 99 administration in the 2013-14 capital improvement plan, which was presented to board members in November.

Most of the work is expected to take place this summer, officials said.

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