Thank you, Mesa County voters, for approving the 2021 Bond Measure! Just as the district shared detailed information during the course of numerous projects funded by the 2017 Bond Measure, we will continue to post updates here on d51schools.org throughout the Grand Junction High School construction process. Below are a few answers to frequently asked questions.
How big is the new school?
The three-story, 246,500-square-foot building is built to comfortably enroll 1,600 students, though there is room (100% capacity) for upwards of 1,900 students.
When will construction begin?
Construction is scheduled to begin in Fall 2022.
When will the new school open?
The new building is scheduled to be ready for occupancy in time for the start of the 2024-25 school year. Sports fields should be finished by the end of 2024.
What are some features of the new school?
The building will have a community performing arts center, an athletic center, a commons area that can be converted to a dining area during lunch time, a Maker Space and media center/library, and Career and Technical Education classrooms. Rather than being divided by grades or subjects, classroom wings will be sorted by career pathways/academies:
1) Arts & Humanities
2) Business & Entrepreneurship
3) Engineering, Technology, & Natural Resources
4) Health Sciences & Human Services
How much will it cost to rebuild Grand Junction High School?
The estimated project cost is close to $145 million, with about $113 million of that cost coming from construction and the rest going to "soft costs," such as furniture in the building.
What are the funding sources for this project?
The 2021 bond measure provides the bulk of the project funding - $115 million. The rest will come from a $10 million Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant from the state and $19.5 million remaining from the 2017 Bond Measure.
How much will this bond measure cost homeowners?
The owner of a $300,000 home will pay less than $3 per month, according to current estimates from the assessor's office.
Is the plan to rebuild the entire school?
The project will supply a completely new high school. However, the East Gym and the Art Building, which are newer parts of the GJHS campus with more structurally sound foundations, will be preserved.
Where will students go to school during construction?
The design for a new Grand Junction High School is a three-story building on the northeast part of the current campus. The design will allow construction to take place while students continue to attend school at the current buildings. After the 2023-24 school year, GJHS will be able to move into its new building over the summer, and the old building will be demolished. Sports fields and parking will be completed on the site of the old school in 2024, and the entire project should be done by the end of 2024.
Why build on the existing site?
Building on the existing site saves taxpayers the expense of purchasing new land for the high school. It also isn't necessary to move - the soil under GJHS is the same as soil found pretty much anywhere else in city limits, including right next door at the growing CMU campus. The structural issues that led to cracks and sinking in Grand Junction High School's foundation are the result of poor construction in 1955, when the main building was built. More modern construction practices will install dozens of piles under the new foundation to anchor the building to hard shale, rather than clay, and result in a more stable foundation.
How do bond measures work?
If voters approve a bond measure, the district is authorized to sell bonds to investors in the amount of the bond (in this case, $115 million). The district pays back the investors with interest over time using a temporary property tax increase that voters approved specifically for the bond measure when they voted for it. When the bonds are paid off, the property tax increase goes away.
BALLOT MEASURE 4B LANGUAGE
SHALL MESA COUNTY VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 51 DEBT BE INCREASED $115 MILLION, WITH A MAXIMUM REPAYMENT COST OF NOT TO EXCEED $205.75 MILLION, AND SHALL TAXES BE INCREASED NOT MORE THAN $20.9 MILLION ANNUALLY BY THE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS:
1) FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF REPLACING GRAND JUNCTION HIGH SCHOOL (CONSTRUCTED IN 1956) WITH A NEW HIGH SCHOOL ON THE SAME SITE AND RENOVATING THE EXISTING EAST GYM AND ART BUILDING ON THE HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS SITE (THE “PROJECT”); AND
2) REPLACEMENT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL WILL INCLUDE IMPROVED CLASSROOMS, LEARNING SPACES AND FACILITIES BY EXPANDING STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCESS TO MORE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, COLLEGE CREDIT COURSES AND VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL SKILLS TRAINING CLASSES; AND
3) THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL WILL ALSO INCLUDE IMPROVED ART AND ATHLETIC FACILITIES AVAILABLE TO ALL STUDENTS; AND
4) WITH THE TAX INCREASE EXPIRING UPON THE REPAYMENT OF ANY BONDS ISSUED PURSUANT TO THIS BALLOT QUESTION; AND
WITH BONDS ISSUED AT SUCH TIME, AT SUCH PRICE, AND IN SUCH MANNER CONSISTENT WITH THIS BALLOT ISSUE, AND SHALL PROPERTY TAXES BE LEVIED AT A MILL LEVY SUFFICIENT IN EACH YEAR TO PAY THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON THE DEBT AND ANY REFUNDING DEBT WHEN DUE, OR FOR A RESERVE THAT CAN ONLY BE USED TO PAY THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON BONDS; PROVIDED THAT THE PROCEEDS RECEIVED BY THE DISTRICT FROM THE ISSUANCE OF THE BONDS AUTHORIZED BY THIS QUESTION SHALL NOT EXCEED $115 MILLION; AND PROVIDED FURTHER THAT ANY PROCEEDS OF THE BONDS REMAINING AFTER THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE SHALL USED ONLY TO REPAY BONDS AND NOT USED FOR PROJECTS NOT AUTHORIZED BY THIS BALLOT QUESTION?
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