Building Our Future:
Pre K-5 Facility
October, 2021: Facilities Update
OCSD, Video Walkthrough, October 2021.mp4September, 2021: Facilities Update
20210924 Oberlin Walkthrough.mp4August, 2021: Facilities Update
OCSD, Video Walkthrough, August 2021.mp4June, 2021: Facilities Update
20210616 Oberlin Walkthrough .mp4May, 2021: Facilities Update
20210520 Oberlin Walkthrough.mp4April, 2021: Facilities Update
Oberlin Video Walkthrough, April 2021 (Normal).mp4March, 2021: Facilities Update
Oberlin Video Walkthrough, March 2021.mp4February, 2021: Facilities Update
OCSD, Video Progress Report, 2-15-21.mp4MSR-Oberlin-Feb2021.pdfJanuary, 2021: Facilities Update
OCSD, Construction Progress Update 1-22-21.pdfDecember, 2020: Facilities Update
OCSD-Board-Video.mp4OCSD, School Board Progress Report, 12-15-20.pdfBuilding Walkthrough
Oberlin 20201121 Revised.mp4Virtual Tour
Oberlin Virtual Walkthrough.mp4August, 2020: Facilities Update
The Oberlin City Schools Facilities Project is moving forward. In fact, the project is not only ahead of schedule, but it is also within the budget. If you travel by the project site, or view the live Project Camera images http://66.203.35.3/#view, you will be able to view the construction coming along in the gym and cafeteria. The Park Street entrance is almost ready for reopening; and an access road has been installed on the stadium’s previous track. The retention basin has been completed near the former band practice field. TDA, the architectural design firm, has established additional parking space in front of the gym.
Additionally, TDA made a presentation at the August Board of Education meeting regarding interior design colors and furniture samples for the new building. Color and furniture samples were set up in the Prospect Elementary School gym for a week to allow staff and administrators an opportunity to view samples. The interior designer hosted a Zoom virtual meeting with staff and administrators to gather input. TDA is making a few color changes based on staff, administrative and Board suggestions. The new facility will have a fair representation of the district’s colors, which are red and blue.
The Pleasant Street Project has been completed and the grass is starting to grow on the property. The field will be ready for Fall 2021 sporting events and extracurricular activities
May / June, 2020: Facilities Update
PreK-5 Facility:
The new PreK-5 project is moving forward. TDA, an architectural design firm, has begun working on installing utilities. The waterline has been tied in at all three locations including the east side of the site, and to North Park Street and North Pleasant Street. The retention pond has been constructed and the outlet structure is being installed.
The installation of the new road around the old Oberlin High School track has been delayed because of the wet spring months. The project shifted to completing utility installation while those areas are drying out. The walkways and curbs at the south end of the existing high school will be replaced over the next month so that the paving of the road and parking areas can all be completed by the time students and teachers return to school. The road is expected to open prior to the first day of school.
The work on the new school building continues with the digging and pouring of the footers.
Oberlin City Schools were unable to secure a Power Purchase agreement to install a solar array by the retention pond. The district worked with the City of Oberlin to conduct a cost analysis and determined that the solar array would create a more efficient cost savings installed on the roof of the PreK-12 building. The district is pursuing funding to install a rooftop array. The rooftop array will provide data to the Environmental Dashboard. The district has been awarded a $60,000 grant to provide support for an environmental studies lab in the new PreK-5 facility. The lab will utilize data from the Environmental Dashboard to create innovative lessons.
Oberlin City Schools would like to thank the City of Oberlin for their collaboration.
Pleasant Street Project:
The Pleasant Street facility Project is expected to be completed by September. The district will save bricks from the Pleasant Street, Eastwood and the Prospect facilities. We will create a memorial for the new PreK-5 facility consisting of masonry bricks from all three locations.
April, 2020: Facilities Update
Oberlin City Schools PreK-5 project has been moving forward during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Construction Team meets throughout the week to discuss project updates, challenges, and any new guidelines. Due to this close communication, we have NOT had any delays in the project. So, we are on schedule and within our estimated budget. The district has temporarily closed the Oberlin High School Park St. entrance to secure the site based on OFCC and Health Department guidelines. All construction employees will have to check in with a Health Professional before starting work at the site. The Health Professional will maintain temperature logs, ensure Lorain County Health Department COVID-19 guidelines are followed, and monitor workers health conditions.
TDA and Greenspace have heavy equipment on-site and are working on creating the stormwater management basin on the old band practice field.
The Construction Team has secured permits from the City of Oberlin. Oberlin City Schools would like to thank the City of Oberlin for their support and assistance throughout the project.
The Oberlin City School Board will meet on Friday, May 22 to discuss additional construction items.
IMG_0275.movThank You - Oberlin College Green Edge Fund:
We want to thank The Green Edge Fund for supporting the Environmental Dashboard at the new PreK-5 facility. The building will have rooms connected to monitoring systems along with the Solar Array and Electric Car Charging Stations. The funding will support staff training to integrate the Dashboard into the curriculum.
LIVE Construction WEBCAM:
Our LIVE Construction webcam is operational! If you are interested in monitoring the district's new PreK-5 facility progress, please visit http://66.203.35.3/ - view .
March, 2020: Facilities Update
Oberlin City Schools Board of Education passed three critical items to keep the PreK-5 Facilities project on time and within budget at the Wednesday, March 25, 2020, Special Board Meeting. Without the Board support and leadership on these items and approval, it would have impacted the project cost and timeline.
· Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for the PreK-5 – Phase II of the project
· Solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)
· Abatement and Demo of Pleasant Street
Oberlin City Schools is going Solar!
The Board of Education approved Sun Energy (Enerlogics) to facilitate a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the district. Enerlogics will install Solar Panels to provide power for Oberlin High School and our new PreK-5 facility. The panels are at no cost to the community. Solar enables Oberlin City Schools to achieve savings against current electric expenditures, as well as more substantial savings over the next 20 years. Enerlogics will also provide an interactive educational Solar Display at the entrance of the school.
About Enerlogics:
Enerlogics was founded in 2009 to focus on “behind the meter” services for larger commercial and industrial clients. Enerlogics Networks focuses on bringing intelligent technology solutions for energy efficiency, demand response, energy supply, renewable power, and facility operations.
Enerlogics was founded by industry professionals with over 75 years’ experience in services, including energy management, energy efficiency, integrated demand-side management, building controls, intelligent IT communications and operations, and project/construction management. This varied background allows Enerlogics the flexibility to adapt to the specific needs of clients, offering cost-effective solutions with maximum value.
Pleasant Street Location
The Abatement and Demolition of Pleasant Street will begin in April. The district will use the needed area for extracurricular activities, athletic fields, youth programs, practice fields, and shared use with the College and City of Oberlin.
Construction Trailer on Site and Ready to Go!
The Greenspace Construction Manager, Mr. Tim Rini, a trailer has been on the Oberlin site for two weeks. Greenspace will begin construction during the first week of April. The district is installing a “real-time” construction camera on site. The camera will help our community and staff observe construction progress. We will activate the camera in mid-April.
January/February, 2020: Facilities Update
Oberlin City Schools PreK-5 facilities project is currently on time with our construction schedule. We want to assure the community that the district is in great financial shape to complete the building. This is due to the support of the community passing the Bond in November. The district will continue to pursue grant opportunities to produce cost savings and sustainability initiatives.
The Board of Education has approved the Design and Development (DD) phase of the project. Design and Development Phase is defined as the following - Transitional phase of an architect/engineer (A/E) services in which the design moves from the schematic phase to the contract document phase. In this phase, the A/E prepares drawings and other presentation documents to crystallize the design concept and describe it in terms of architectural, electrical, mechanical, and structural systems.
Over the last two months, our Facilities Team has been working with the city on securing permits, negotiating pricing, preparing for bids, engaging in meetings with community agencies like the Environmental Dashboard and Cable CoOp, and seeking sustainability and educational grant opportunities.
This month we want to share with you a virtual tour of the new PreK-5 Facility. This is not a completed project. We will add some additional items later to the design, pending cost.
Oberlin Elementary School_Final.mp4December, 2019: Facilities Update
The Oberlin City School Board of Education approved the configuration and materials for the exterior of the building at the December meeting. This is illustrated below in a slideshow.
If you drive by Oberlin High School now, you will see some new site construction occurring. The Oberlin High School stadium home bleachers and tennis courts were removed as part of the early construction site plan. The Facilities Team is preparing the site to begin additional construction.
The High School parking lot will remain open until March/April. This will allow community members, staff, and students to utilize the parking lot during winter events. In March/April, the district will close part of the parking lot to begin the second construction phase of the PreK-5 facility. We will have temporary parking established during this phase of the project.
The district is working with Efficiency Smart (https://www.efficiencysmart.org) to analyze our PreK-5 plans for additional energy cost savings. This is a free service. Efficiency Smart has worked with many Oberlin projects to achieve cost savings.
Once again, we would like to remind our community that Park St. will remain open throughout the construction project.
Information Regarding External Finishes
2019-12-17-OES-Ext-Design-Resolution (1).pdfFacilities Video 02.mp4November, 2019: Facilities Update
Oberlin City Schools approved LFI’s and project enhancements at the November Board of Education Meeting for the new PreK-5 facility. The LFI’s and project enhancements included:
PreK-5 Gym Extension: Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) provides a smaller gym for the new PreK-5 facility. The Board recognized the need for more extensive gym space to allow for additional indoor recess options, athletic opportunities, and community usage.
Outside Canopy: The new facility will have a covered canopy. The canopy will protect students, parents, and staff during inclement weather.
Flooring Options: The district explored various flooring options for the new building. We recognized the importance of equipping the building with flooring that will have the ability to sustain long term usage.
Our Facilities Team provided a presentation to the Oberlin City Planning Commission on December 4, 2019. The Planning Commission approved Phase I of the project. The district would like to thank the City Planning Commission.
The district has moved the construction fence at Oberlin High School to allow parking lot access for winter activities.
IMG_0275.mov
October, 2019: Facilities Update
The Construction Team (Oberlin City Schools, Then Design Architectural (TDA) firm, and Greenspace Construction Company) met with staff and the Board of Education members during the month of October. During the meeting, the team discussed storage space and viewed a tentative building floor plan.
The Oberlin City School Board has been working very hard on identifying a few building enhancements which will be funded by Local Funded Initiatives (LFI’s), grants, and other funding sources. Some of the options are extending the elementary gym. The gym extension will allow additional running space for students and an area for extended opportunities for after school community partnerships. The Prek-5 facility will include an extended canopy in the front and rear of the building. The canopy will provide cover for students and parents during inclement weather; furthermore, this was an important feature identified by many parents, staff, and community members.
Construction has started! Parents, students, staff, and community members will notice some heavy equipment on-site and fencing. The fenced area will be open for Oberlin High School winter events. This will allow community members, staff, and visitors to access the entire parking lot.
Park Street will remain open throughout the construction project.
Site Plan Explained
zoom_0.mp4CONCEPTUAL SITE MASTER PLAN OPT 02 PHASE 1.pdfSeptember, 2019: Facilities Update
The Groundbreaking Ceremony was a great success! I want to thank our staff, students, parents, community members, and alumni for attending the ceremony on September 20, 2019. Oberlin City Schools (OCS) had over 200 alumni attend the ceremony and homecoming game. We recognized alumni classes during halftime of the football game. We had alumni traveling great distances from Atlanta, Georgia, and Boston, Massachusetts, to attend the ceremony. At the end of the game, the fans enjoyed the final Phoenix Band Light show at the OCS stadium. The Groundbreaking Ceremony was a night to remember! It was great to see our Indians and Phoenix alumni join to share in this historical event. Thank You!
On September 24, 2019, the district approved a Schematic Design for the new PreK-5 Facilities project. The Schematic Design provides a blueprint for the exterior of the building. Our architectural firm, TDA, presented a very informative Powerpoint presentation on the next steps for the facilities project. The district is always monitoring project costs and savings for our stakeholders. We are in the process of writing four grants for the project. The awards will assist with funding new kinesthetic furniture, sustainability, and educational initiatives, safety equipment, and developing safe routes to schools.
The district has not completed a final floor plan design yet. We are still working with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) and our Project Team to develop a final floor plan. The floor plan has to be submitted and approved by OFCC. The floor plan will include features from our staff, students, Visioning Session input, and Sustainability Committee conversations. The Project Team is currently working with the City to secure permits.
Oberlin CS_BOE 2019 09 24 Phase I.pdf2019-12-17-OES-Ext-Design-Resolution (1).pdfAugust, 2019: Facilities Update
The district has been working with TDA and Greenspace throughout the summer to move the New Elementary project forward. The next step in the process, required by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC), was for Oberlin City Schools to select a Commissioning Agent (CA)) to assist with construction oversight. A committee met and reviewed prequalified OFCC Commissioning Agent firms. The Brewer - Garret firm was selected. The Oberlin City School Board approved Brewer - Garret on July 16 to join our Facilities team.
Brewer-Garrett is a Middleburg Hts. / Berea-based company with a vested interest in the success of our educational facilities. They have extensive experience in delivering Commissioning Services for both State-funded and locally funded initiatives. Brewer-Garrett has a well-developed and long-standing relationship with the OFCC.
As one of nine prequalified Commissioning Agents for the OFCC, Brewer-Garrett has extensive experience representing State of Ohio building owners as their third-party commissioning authority. They were one of the first prequalified Commissioning Agent for the Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC). Brewer-Garrett will also be the Maintenance Plan Advisor (MPA) and work with OFCC to develop the maintenance plan. The purpose of commissioning a new building is to ensure that the building envelope and systems are designed, built, and are functionally tested to meet all owner requirements and applicable standards.
Groundbreaking Ceremony Update:
The district has selected a committee of teachers, administrators, community members, and alumni to organize the Groundbreaking Ceremony. The committee met on August 7 at Oberlin High School. The committee shared many great Groundbreaking ideas and dates for the ceremony. The committee will meet again on August 29 to finalize a Groundbreaking Ceremony date and activities. Once a final date has been selected, the district will notify all community members, alumni, and staff to attend the historical event.
July, 2019: Facilities Update
The Facilities Project is moving forward! The district will engage in an Early Construction Site Plan with TDA and Greenspace. The Early Construction Site Plan will allow construction to begin this Fall. With the Early Construction Site Plan, the district is anticipating moving into our new elementary facility by the Fall of 2021. We will start construction on October 1, 2019.
We will have a tentative Groundbreaking and Closing of the Oberlin High School Stadium Ceremony scheduled for Saturday, September 28, 2019, at 4:00 pm at the stadium. Alumni, community members, students, and staff are welcome to attend the ceremony. We will have a Groundbreaking Committee to organize the event. The committee will consist of teachers, students, administrators, alumni, and community members. This is a very historical event for Oberlin. Everyone is welcome to attend the ceremony.
It has been a very busy month planning our 2019-2020 extra-curricular schedule while anticipating an Early Construction Site Plan. The district is still working on additional details and schedules. Currently, we will play our last Oberlin High School home football game and band performance in our stadium on Friday, September 20, 2019. The district is in the process of collaborating with Oberlin College on playing our additional home high school football games at the Oberlin College Stadium. OHS Soccer will play their last home game on September 28, 2019, at the Oberlin High School Stadium. We will have the Groundbreaking Ceremony after the match at 4:00 pm.
After careful planning with Greenspace and TDA, the construction project will not impact Oberlin High School baseball, softball, and practice fields. The district is currently collaborating with the City and Oberlin College on developing a plan for the 2020-2021 school year and beyond.
The district will continue to update our community on any new construction and athletic developments. Once again, we would like to thank you for your support.
June, 2019: Facilities Update
Board Approves New Elementary Site Location:
On May 21, 2019, the Oberlin City Schools Board of Education approved the location for our new elementary facility. After months of soil testing, analyzing site elevation topography, and utility maps, TDA and Greenspace identified the best location for the facility was to the south of Oberlin High School. This is illustrated in the TDA Visioning slideshow on our website: https://www.oberlinschools.net/our-district/building-our-future
Community Visioning Session:
Oberlin City School District and TDA facilitated a community Visioning Session on Saturday, May 18, 2019 from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm at Mt. Zion Fellowship Hall. We had about 50 stakeholders in attendance. During the event, Visioning Committee members identified many important features they would like to see in the new facility. The Visioning Committee mentioned important items like an Outdoor Educational Center to increasing musical instrument storage space. TDA will utilize information from the Visioning, Eco Charrette, staff, students, Board of Education, and administrators to create an innovative schematic design.
Oberlin Visioning Report.pdfMay, 2019: Bond Update
In April, 2019 we sold $10,000,000 in bonds to be repaid over 30 years which, after expenses, generated $9,810,000. Later this year we will begin the process to structure the sale of the remaining $7,760,000. Our first payment on the bonds will be due on November 1, 2019.
Now that our Construction Manager at Risk, Greenspace Construction Services, LLS, has been hired we will plot our cash needs for the project and invest the bond proceeds accordingly.
April, 2019: CM Selected
On Saturday, April 27th Oberlin City School’s Facilities Committee met with three Construction Manager (CM) firms. The committee consisted of parents, staff, and administrators. AECOM, Greenspace, and Ruhlin firms provided the committee with very detailed presentations. The committee selected Greenspace as the construction management (cm) firm for the project. Greenspace has collaborated with TDA on the following projects: North Ridgeville City Schools, Cleveland Municipal School (CMSD) District Campus International, Brooklyn City Schools, and other projects. The Greenspace team will include a sustainability consultant to support the Oberlin PreK-5 Facilities projects high-performance initiatives.
March, 2019: Bond Rating
On Friday, March 1, 2019, Oberlin City Schools traveled to Chicago, Illinois to engage in a 2-hour 36-page presentation to Moody Investors. As part of the facilities process, the district must receive a bond rating from Moody Investors. The bond rating will secure an interest rating for the district. Prior to the meeting, we submitted a 85-page detailed portfolio. The portfolio illustrated the district’s financial, academic, and community highlights. We have been collaborating with the city, college, and all stakeholders since January to gather the data for the portfolio and presentation. It was a very comprehensive process. The district would like to thank Dr. Ken Stanley and Angela Dotson for all your time and hard work.
February, 2019: Architect Selected
Oberlin City Schools PreK-5 Facilities Committee, consisting of 22 staff and community members, will recommend Thendesign Architectural (TDA) firm to the Oberlin Board of Education at the Tuesday, February 26 Regular Board Meeting. The PreK-5 Facilities Committee met on Saturday, February 9 from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm at Oberlin High School.
During the meeting, Lesko, BSHM, and TDA architectural firms provided presentations to the committee. After great discussion and reviewing all of the presentations, the committee selected TDA as their first choice. TDA designed the new North Ridgeville Academic Center, North Olmsted Performing Arts Center, IB International School in Cleveland, and various other innovative projects. Please visit TDA’s website at http://www.thendesign.com/.
Once the architect has been approved, the firm will begin conducting land survey's, working with our Sustainability Committee, and meeting with our stakeholders (students, staff, parents, administrators, and community members).
December, 2018: Request for Qualifications
In December, community members and district administrators met to develop a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for an architect. The RFQ will allow architects to submit their qualifications and interest in the project. The Oberlin Board of Education approved the RFQ on December 11, 2018. The district will post the RFQ on our website, newspaper, and on the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) website. Interested architects will submit their RFQ’s between December 14, 2018 to January 17, 2019 to the Oberlin Board of Education. A committee consisting of community members, staff, and administrators will review the RFQ’s and then select an innovative architect, tentatively by February.
November 2018: Issue 11 Passes
PreK -5 Facilities Committee Members
Oberlin City Schools would like to thank all of our PreK-5 Facilities Committee members for your hard work and dedication.
Chris Frank -School Administrator
Robin Diedrick - Teacher / OOEA
Albert Borroni - BOE Member
Barry Richard - BOE Member
David Hall - Superintendent
Angela Dotson - Treasurer
Erika Arbaugh - OAPSE
Kelley Singleton - City Council
Kristin Peterson - City Council
Chief Warfield - OPD Police Chief
Jeff Baumann - City of Oberlin
Pradnya Martz - Realtor
Jeff Hobbs - Oberlin College
Eric Steggall - Oberlin College / Parent
Mike Dyer - Parent
Todd Rasmussen - Parent
Heather Adelman - Parent
Matt Adelman - Parent
Amy Burgess - Parent
Steve Thompson - Parent
Erik Andrews - Parent
Craig Brandt - Parent
Financial Update
Sudsina & Associates Qualifications - Oberlin CSD (1).pdfPreliminary Credit Profile 121118 - Oberlin CSD.pdf