Work on administration building begins today
Political, school officials to attend groundbreaking
Construction on the new Muscogee County School District administration building officially begins today on a site nestled between the Columbus Public Library and Rigdon Road.
The building has sparked considerable controversy because its price tag -- $25 million -- far exceeds estimates used in the campaign for the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax that will pay for it.
Still, city and state officials such as state Sen. Ed Harbison, D-Columbus; U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Ga.; state Rep. Calvin Smyre, D-Columbus; and City Manager Isaiah Hugley are expected to attend the 10 a.m. groundbreaking ceremony, which symbolizes the first step in building the structure.
Valerie Fuller, director of communications for the school district, said board chairman James Walker, vice-chairman Philip Schley, District 1 board member Patricia Hugley Green, Superintendent John Phillips and board member John Wells also will attend the event, along with students from Rigdon Road Elementary School and student representatives from Northside and Carver high schools.
The groundbreaking takes place three weeks after the board's May 19 decision to award a $15.6 million contract to Brasfield and Gorrie LLC of Kennesaw, Ga., to build the center. The construction company's bid was substantially less than the $18 million budgeted for the structure.
Master plan
In addition to the new education administration building, a city services center, natatorium and parking deck are planned for the site.
A preliminary draft of the master plan for the land included a 19-acre site behind the city and school district structures to be developed as greenspace. During the school board's May 19 meeting, the board approved a motion by member John Wells to eliminate all references to the greenspace, which included a bandshell, small lake and other embellishments in the concept drawing, so as not to create confusion about what is being promised in the development.
It was a precaution taken to avoid revisiting the controversy sparked by a previous artist's drawing of the new library, which was among evidence cited by some citizens who said the city promised a park on site during the campaign for the library's construction. A lawsuit over that plan and spending remains mired in the courts.
Board member Cathy Williams, who will also attend this morning's groundbreaking, said there are currently no funds available to develop the tract of land behind the city and school district structures. Private funds will likely be invested into the property and the land will probably be developed for public use, Williams said.