Fact #4:

HBCSD's hired “expert” estimated only a $4 million dollar difference between renovating ($10.9) and rebuilding ($14.9M) North School. The truth was rebuilding North School would cost almost 3x ($29) the cost of renovation and take two years longer than the district's "expert" estimated.

(1)       In 2013, the Facilities Planning and Advisory Committee was given an estimate of $14.9 million and 30 months by the district’s hired expert Paul Bunton of BCA Architects to completely reconstruct North School.  In the same report, Paul Bunton gave the FPAC members an estimate of $10.9 million and 20 months to modernize North School.  The FPAC used these estimates to make their recommendation to the school board in April 2013.  Given the small difference of approximately $4 million dollars that the FPAC was given between completely reconstructing North School and modernizing the campus the FPAC recommended that school board members completely reconstruct North School.

(2)       It is believed that Paul Bunton did not tell the FPAC members that North School was in the Coastal Zone and if rebuilt would require and expensive and lengthy Environmental Impact Assessment (EIR) and approval from the Coastal Commission that would add to the time frame of rebuilding North School.  The Coastal Commission did not approve the reconstruction of North School until August 2019.

NOTE: It seems that HBCSD blamed the "delay" caused by the EIR and Coastal Commission for the five years it took to build the new campus at North School. Even if the FPAC members were not aware of the need for an expensive and lengthy Environmental Impact Report and Coastal Commission approval, school board members was aware of the need for an EIR and Coastal Commission approval before they decided to rebuild the campus. The district's attorney, Mr. Terry Tao was also very experienced with prior HBCSD facility projects and was well aware of the need for an extensive EIR when rebuilding North School located in the Coastal Zone.

(3) The decision by school board members to hire Place Works to compile an Environmental Impact Report and create a traffic assessment of North School and a historic assessment of North School in November 2015, well before Measure S was passed by the voters, proves that they were well aware of the lengthy and expensive process when making the decision to rebuild North School.

NOTE: In several handouts and meetings HBCSD Superintendent Jason Johnson (2020-2024) and school board members blamed opponents for the EIR "delays" in rebuilding North School. Blaming the community for the district's own decisions is reminiscent of HBCSD blaming residents for delays and cost overruns when building the gymnasium at Valley School from 2005-2008. See Lie #41.

NOTE: It is believed that blaming the Environmental Impact Report for "delays" for the long process to rebuild North School was done to deflect blame from school board members for their decision to rebuild versus renovate North School in 2016.

NOTE: The Division of the State Architect (DSA) did not approve HBCSD plans for North School until January 17, 2019. The Coastal Commission will not rule on approval of a plan until the building plans have been approved by the DSA.

The Environmental Impact Report was finally passed by school board members in early 2019 after the DSA approved the district plans to rebuild North School. Therefore there was NO "DELAY" in the process of rebuilding North School. The five-year time frame to demolish and rebuild North School was the normal length of time it would take to undergo such a project. HBCSD could have probably halved the five-year time frame by renovating North School instead of demolishing and rebuilding the campus.

NOTE: The Pier Avenue Community Center is NOT located in the coastal zone and therefore would not have needed Coastal Commission approval for changes to the Community Center campus. School board members and their consultants should have been aware of this fact and decided to take years to rebuild North School instead of exercising their contractual provisions to use classrooms at the Community Center.

NOTE: District usage of the Community Center is dependent on district enrollment exceeding 1,266 students. HBCSD enrollment surpassed 1,266 students from 2010 to 2020. By the time North School was finished being rebuilt for $29M, district enrollment had dropped below pre-2010 levels to approximately 1,200 students.

(4)       According to a 2017 estimate by independent construction firm, Juge Construction, North School would only cost $6.2 million to renovate including building a brand-new additional administration and classroom building. 

(5)       In 2013 the estimate given by Paul Bunton, the district’s hired expert, to fully reconstruct North School was $14.9 million dollars.  In 2014 the Long Range Facilities Master plan authors GKKWorks estimated that the average cost to completely rebuild North School as being $32,378,954.   

(6)       The reality in April 2021 was that North School cost approximately $29 million dollars and took approximately 54 months NOT $14.9M and 30 months to completely reconstruct.

(7)       This report was given to FPAC members at their second meeting in February 2013.  However, Paul Bunton’s consulting agreement was not agreed to by school board members until March 13, 2013.  When did Paul Bunton have time to examine the North School campus to produce these estimates before he was hired by HBCSD in March?

How thorough was Paul Bunton's examination of North School to create these estimates that conveniently supported the school board’s desire to build a brand-new campus at North School for only $4 million more than renovating North School?