Elmwood Park School District 401 board members unanimously approved the sale of $55 million in bonds at a recent public hearing.
Voters approved the bonds through a referendum in March for facility upgrades at John Mills and Elmwood elementary schools. Planning for the major renovation and repairs is expected to begin this summer, and the district is working with architecture and construction firms to present a timeline for the work to the board by the fall, Superintendent Nicolas Wade told the Pioneer Press.
“We had tens of millions of dollars of necessary life safety (repairs) to do in terms of plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and also just really modernizing these learning environments to reflect what our expectations are,” Wade said. “Both elementary schools are 100-year-old buildings, they need a lot of care, and addressing that is what the referendum set out to do.”
The major renovations will include electrical, mechanical and plumbing replacements and repairs, and bring Elmwood Elementary into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Pioneer Press reported.
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Wiring, door frames and locks will also be repaired and replaced, and classroom and office space at John Mills Elementary will be added.Wade said smaller-scale upgrades will begin this summer, including window replacement, roof repairs, brick repair and security upgrades.