Hollister School District’s Board of Trustees approved four contracts totaling nearly $42 million for the development of a 12-acre site for a new primary school.
At the June 26 meeting, the board voted unanimously on all four items, the largest being a $41.5 million design-build contract with Otto Construction for the Santa Ranch School Project.
Staff recommended the approval of Otto Construction because the proposal “offered the district the best value.”
Trustee Robert Bernosky made the motion, which was seconded by Trustee Elsa Rodriguez and supported by board colleagues Peter Hernandez, Elizabeth Martinez and Patricia Moore.
“As requested, Otto Construction, Inc. submitted DSA pre-approved, reuse building plans and construction methods that will expedite the DSA approval process, construction and opening of the new school by January 2021,” according to the staff report.
The project, which will be funded through Measure V and Measure M bond monies, includes 33 standard classrooms, three Science/Art/STEAM classrooms, a library and an administration office. The design features two-story buildings with elevator access to accommodate ADA requirements, playground structures and turf/athletic fields.
The 12-acre land is located on the corner of Sunnyslope and Fairview roads in the Santana Ranch development. The district plans call for a transitional kindergarten through eighth grade school site to serve more than 900 students and help accommodate the growing population as existing schools near capacity.
The other three items, regarding the same property, approved by the board June 26 were:
- A $75,000 contract with Earth Systems Pacific to “perform all observations, monitoring, testing (if needed) and prepare all required documents and reports on behalf of the district” at the request of the state Department of Toxic Substances and Control;
- Another $132,296 contract also with Earth Systems Pacific for Site Investigation Work Plan, a Removal Action Plan and Removal Action Completion Report “for construction of the new school at Santana Ranch”; and
- A $185,000 contract with EMC Planning Group for required biological surveys, observations and monitoring prior to, during and after construction.
