Jun 1

Jun 1 School district backs away from proposal to build $500K concession stand

(THE MED CITY BEAT) - Rochester Public Schools is scaling back on a proposal to build a new concession stand at Century High School.

The administration will ask the school board on Tuesday to reject all five construction bids for a new facility.

According to documents posted to the board's website, the district wants to "reassess the project and research other more viable alternatives" to bring the existing concession stand up to code.

It's unclear what those alternatives may be. The district had previously proposed a 26 x 86-foot facility, which would include a ticketing area, an ADA compliant restroom, a concession area and storage space.

This project would require demolition of the current building, as well as upgrades to the sewer lines and electrical service.

The base bids ranged from $465,169 to $556,000. Of the four alternate proposals, the lowest was $305,493 for just the concession stand.

The board expressed displeasure with the high cost of the proposals at a meeting last month. Several members also questioned the timing of the project.

The school district is moving forward with a referendum this November in response to a budget deficit. Though the dollar amount will not be announced until later this summer, it's expected to be in the $5 to $10 million range.

If you're interested in learning more about this issue, the board will meet Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the north cafeteria of Century High School.