Renovation work on Booth Middle School on South Peachtree Parkway in Peachtree City is ongoing. Future plans for the school, once the new Booth opens, still includes the potential for the building to be used by colleges and universities.
Work on Phase 1 of the renovation is underway in the west wing, with Phase 2 expected next summer. Students are expected to attend classes in the new Booth on the city’s east side near the end of calendar year 2021.
Asked about future plans for Booth, Superintendent Jody Barrow said the school system has letters of intent from Southern Crescent Technical College and Clayton State University to utilize space at the old Booth campus.
“There is no signed lease agreement given that it’s a year and a half away,” Barrow said. “We’re working to design the space to accommodate the classes they want.”
Barrow noted the potential exists that other colleges or universities might also want to populate the building.
By way of background, the Fayette County Board of Education earlier this year approved the guaranteed maximum price of $11,752,415 for the renovation work to be completed in two phases. Total cost for the project, including renovation, furniture, safety and security features, architectural and engineering fees and the energy management system, totals $13.5 million.
A significant percentage of the total cost, approximately $6 million, is reimbursable by the state due to the age of the school, excluding the west wing that was built in 2002. Once reimbursed, the local cost will be approximately $7.5 million.
As for the ongoing work at the current campus, Facilities Director Mike Satterfield previously said Phase 1 includes work on the west wing such as painting, floor coverings, ceiling tiles, lights, roofing and the HVAC system. Phase 1 also includes replacing the roof on the older part of the school.
The Phase 2 portion of the project, which includes a more extensive renovation of the older portion of the school, will be done next summer, said Satterfield.
Let’s get something out of the way, and that is that Stagecoach Road is a private street owned partly by each of the landowners along its path. Options for other sites were given to the BOE to no avail.
The paving of Stagecoach to facilitate traffic would require the city or county to purchase first then pave. Current budget constrictions don’t favor such happening.
Currently, the access is via Carriage Lane whose intersection with Hwy 54 and Walt Banks which is a reason the BOE purchased those two lots. No cart path access is planned.
Considering that the majority of students attending the new school will reside north of Hwy 54 and west of Robinson Road, one can see the site selection was sophomoric at best.
OOPs. My mistake. I was positive that I heard the mayor say Stagecoach and Carriage Lane were city streets. I guess one is and one isn’t. That being the case, let the school board stew in its own juices when school buses or parents cars back up on a dirt road. The city needs no involvement.
I don’t think many people in PTC understand this reality. It would be good to make it clear to all- as Mike just did. Clearly the response “We don’t own that road” is the best response to any school board or parent demands.
Agree Mike, one of the more boneheaded decisions I have seen locally in years.
Hmmm, Private street. Owned by landowners. Any ideas?
Here’s one – the landowners can certainly improve their own street – right? Sure, so somebody give them a bid to widen and pave the whole thing for whatever it costs. Then the landowners can mark that up by 10 or 20% and offer it to the school board before school opens. There will be a strong need and parental pressure and there’s apparently lot’s of money they seem willing to spend. Win/win.
Or if that fails, go to Plan B and the property owners can just sell the naming rights to the road like they do with stadiums and ball parks. Ralph Jones and Bob Lenox were good mayors who have been overlooked in the street-naming exercise – maybe the city would pitch in for that. If not, maybe some corporations – Sany Street, Signargis Way or Denison Drive.
Plan C. is ugly as a last resort, but still gets an improved street over there. Go political with naming rights – MAGA Drive, BLM Way, Planned Parenthood Street, Fox News Road. How cool is that? Young kids can learn how to hate each other on the school bus before they even get to school.
Why are they spending our K-12 tax dollars to help make the building suitable for college and trade schools?
Terrific news! Best possible decision. The trade school option will help educate and train students in something practical. College is not for everyone. It is overrated and costly way beyond any possible return a student can expect at $30,000+ per year.
And once again, that unneeded football field is just sitting there waiting for another building.
Of course the Stagecoach site for the new Booth was a poor decision executed poorly. Only choice now is for Peachtree City to donate the roadways to the school board and let them do the improvements, paving and negotiations with the state on traffic signals and turning lanes – with school taxes or a bond or an E-splost instead of expecting PTC taxpayers to cover up and fund their huge mistake. Be a good campaign issue if someone wants to be the next mayor. Of course Vanessa could do that right now and cement her legacy as the best mayor in 20 years -maybe even 1 of the top 3 with Lenox and the real mayor Brown. Howard Morgan should also rate near the top as well.
I do not agree with you on this issue. First, I don’t think our state’s tax money should reward run away school boards. Second, our school board will probably have to build an additional building at the football field site. Third, PTC should not cave to the school board’s need for new roadways. Fourth, and finally, the school board does not demand quality facility construction. Technology allows construction of enduring buildings and grounds. Fifty to sixty years is not enduring. Look across our nation and one can find school buildings that have endured for over a hundred years and are remain in use as intended.
Perfect, renovations are suitable for college use but we spend millions to build a new school in the most unsuitable spot!
Citizens’ taxes matter – #CTM