Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Indiana District Approves $80M for Two Construction Projects

  • By Matt Jones
  • 05/23/22

The Tippecanoe School Corporation in Lafayette, Ind., recently approved $80 million in bids for two district construction projects. The first is the construction of a new facility for Klondike Middle School, with comes with an estimated cost of $69 million from Kettelhut Construction. The second is an expansion project at Mayflower Mill Elementary School, according to local news.

The district plans to redistribute students among different facilities once construction is complete. The elementary school will serve students in grades K–2; students in grades 3–5, currently attending the elementary school, will move into the existing middle school building to be renamed Klondike Intermediate School; and students in grades 6–8 will move into the new Klondike Middle School building.

TSC Superintendent Dr. Scott Hanback said that the existing middle school was built during the 1970s and underwent renovations in the 1990s. The new Klondike Middle School building was originally approved in March and is set for completion by fall 2024.

The existing elementary school, meanwhile, was built in the 1950s and has seen numerous additions since then. The current expansion project is a result of rising population in the area.

“They’re exploding in population, and they need more classroom space,” said Brian DeFreese, TSC Board President. “So, we approved all the funding to add more classrooms; bigger spaces; and new, more modern spaces. So, it’s an expansion. There are two phases; we’ve approved the first phase. There’s a second phase to it that adds even more to the interior, and then we wanted to make a more secure entrance to the school, and that’ll be in the second phase.”

The elementary school expansion was originally budgeted at $15 million, but the board received a $10 million bid from the J. R. Kelly Company. Construction on both facilities will proceed while students are out of school for the summer, and the elementary school project has an estimated completion date of fall 2023.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Barbara Vick Western Branch

    Barbara Vick Western Branch

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The Barbara Vick Western Branch has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Grand Prize award in the category of Renovation.

  • Designing the Bridge Between Inclusivity and Independence in K–12 Schools

    Fostering independence is fundamental to learning and development for K–12 students. It offers many proven benefits, such as enhanced confidence, problem-solving, decision-making, and social skills. However, this foundational objective loses its impact if it’s not accessible and adaptable to all students. Inclusivity plays a critical role in cultivating independence and healthy autonomy for students, fostering positive student learning outcomes by uniting pedagogy with the physical learning environment.

  • Cal Poly Humboldt Starts Construction on Healthcare Education Hub

    California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt in Arcata, Calif., recently announced that work has begun on a renovation project that will turn the Stewart Building into a new Healthcare Education Hub, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Sundt Construction Inc. for construction services.

  • Dallas-Area District Debuts Three New Facilities

    The Duncanville Independent School District in southwest Dallas, Texas, recently held ribbon-cutting ceremonies for three new facilities that resulted from a $170-million bond program passed in 2023, according to a news release.