The design phase for new gyms at North Fayette Elementary School and Peachtree City Elementary School along with another building on the Peachtree City campus for a media center and four classrooms was approved March 16 by the Fayette County Board of Education.

Board members agreed to the design work for the projects which were first proposed in February. The design work, state approval and bids will require approximately five months to complete, said Facilities Director Mike Satterfield.

It was on Feb. 2 that the school board gave the go-ahead to have plans drawn up that could lead to the construction of new gyms at Peachtree City Elementary School and North Fayette Elementary School and, potentially, a new classroom building at the Peachtree City school.

Satterfield previously addressing the need for new gyms at the two schools told the board both were in need of replacement. He said both metal-frame buildings with no insulation and with drainage and rust issues were constructed in 1984. Also smaller than the gyms at many of the school system’s other elementary schools, they total 5,180 sq. ft.

Satterfield proposed replacing both buildings with gyms of 8,214 sq. ft. using brick with steel supports, acoustical ceilings and outfitted with restrooms, storage space, offices and connecting canopies.

Satterfield recommended that the new gym at North Fayette be located where the current gym stands while the gym at Peachtree City be located nearer the street on the southeast side of the campus.

The expected price for each new gym would be $1.2 million and would be funded by E-SPLOST (Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) revenues.

The current plan for Peachtree City Elementary includes constructing a building that would include four classrooms and a media center and be situated behind the new gym. The current media center would be converted into four Kindergarten classrooms.

Citing a potential need for a new classroom building, Satterfield in February noted the coming construction of new homes in the Wilksmoor Village area on the city’s west side, adding that nearby schools are close to capacity.

The addition would mean that Peachtree City Elementary School could support a student population of 650 with 41 instructional units. Satterfield said that number would put the school essentially on par with the school system’s smaller prototype elementary schools.

If subsequently approved by the board, the new classroom building would cost $1.5 million and would be funded by E-SPLOST revenues.

If ultimately approved, which design and bid projects customarily are, the North Fayette gym project could commence in April 2016 with an expected completion in October 2016.

The Peachtree City gym project could begin in October with completion in April 2016. The new classroom project could begin in April 2016 with completion expected later that summer.