Design for new Shiner school campus unveiled
Thursday, June 2, 2005
Barry Halvorson, Victoria Advocate Reporter

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SHINER - A preliminary look at the proposed new school campus for the Shiner Independent School District was unveiled during a public forum Wednesday night at the First United Methodist Church Activity Center. It was sponsored by the school district.

Architect's rendering of the plan for the new Shiner school to be built next to Comanche Stadium just northwest of town. (click image above to enlarge)

© Jim Singleton Architects, Bryan, Texas 2006

Project architect Jim Singleton of JSA in Bryan emphasized the plans being presented at the meeting were preliminary and based on a master plan that he has been developing based on interviews with school staff, teachers and the public. He said that he still has to determine many of the specifics, including exactly how big the buildings will be, number of classrooms and how to configure the building on the available property.

The preliminary design for the K-12 campus calls for the construction of two buildings utilizing a hill located adjacent to Comanche Stadium. He said one of the advantages of using the hilltop site would be that people driving down Alternate U.S. Highway 90 would see the school from the roadway.

The building closest to the roadway would be a two-story building for what Singleton described as passive classrooms for English, math, social studies and the like. The first floor would be for the lower grades K-6 with the seventh- and eighth-grade classrooms at one end of the second floor and high school classes at the other end. He said the arrangement would allow for some separation between younger and older students.

The second building, higher on the hill, would include more active classrooms, such as science labs, a band hall and theater. The center of the building would include the gymnasium and cafeteria with the other side of the building housing such programs as agriculture studies.

"With a tight budget, we have to layer things," he said. "We want to minimize the amount of exterior wall and get as much as possible under one roof. We've taken that approach to lessen the budget."

A glass wall using the same kind of materials used in racquetball courts would separate the gym and cafeteria, Singleton said. That would allow the cafeteria to be used as a foyer and concession stand for the gym.

A stage in the cafeteria would back up to the theater arts room for multi-use.

Singleton, responding to questions, said the new building would have to be designed to Texas Education Agency minimum requirements and to International Code. As a result, the rooms would accommodate up to 24 students instead of the 15-18 currently found in Shiner classrooms.

"It will accommodate 200 more students than you currently have (525)," When you design to code, you have to be bigger. But if you get a community growth spurt, say a new industry moves in, you can accommodate the growth without having to immediately add classrooms."

The new facility will also have parking for 250 vehicles, with the parking lots on the same side of the building that faces Comanche Stadium so it can serve both the school and the football field. Singleton said that he hopes, at a minimum, to have an asphalt surface for parking.

He said that much of the construction on the larger, active instruction building will be designed around a pre-engineered frame while his preliminary plan for the classroom building will be to use load bearing masonry walls. Masonry will also be used in those areas where there will be the highest use and traffic.

Items that still have to be determined according to available money include the kind of air conditioning system that will be used.

Architect's plan for the interior color scheme of the new Shiner school buildings. (click image above to enlarge)

© Jim Singleton Architects, Bryan, Texas 2006

"The budget is going to be tight," he said. "But there is bound to be a way we can do it. The project is doable in the budget."

Interim Superintendent Trey Lawrence said that the district's budget for the project is $7.8 million. It is being funded through two lease purchase arrangements with $5.5 million for construction and $2.3 million for personal property, which includes such items as air conditioning, light fixtures and other items not part of the brick and mortar portion of the project.

Lawrence agreed the budget would be tight but said that the district would have to meet the cost of the project out of current revenues. He reminded the audience of close to 200 that the district is at the maximum allowed state rate of $1.50 per $100 property valuation.

Responding to various questions from the audience, the superintendent said the district decided on a single campus for several reasons.

"But it comes down to cost," he said. "If we have two campuses, we have to add additional cafeteria staff and maintenance. And when the previous bond to build a new high school was defeated, a lot of the citizens indicated they wanted all the students together. And I think our older students set a good example for the younger kids."

Lawrence said that no decision has been made regarding the buildings that will be left although it has been determined the high school will have to eventually be demolished.

He said he has discussed road improvements that will be needed with Lavaca County Precinct 3 Commissioner David Wagner. He said the city or the Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative will supply electricity, but it hasn't been decided.

He added no decision has been made regarding water and sewer or septic system.

Discussing the lease-purchase arrangement, Lawrence said that the personal property loan interest rate is 4 percent and can be reset every five years with a maximum rate of 8.3 percent and can be paid off at any time. The real property interest rate is 4.9 percent with a reset every five years to a maximum of 8.9 percent and an early payoff of 10 years. He added the average interest rate for such a loan over the past 20 years is 5.45 percent.

The superintendent wrapped up his comments by saying that, unlike so many in today's society, the school board is made up of honest people with a lot at stake.

"I have a lot at stake," he said. "I've got children that are going to be a high school junior, in eighth grade, in sixth grade and in fourth grade and I want them all to graduate from Shiner High School. So I guarantee we're going to do it the right way. You've got to start trusting people."

Board President Denise Overton said she was pleased with the turnout and the number of questions asked by the audience. She added that she also appreciated the fact the audience stayed away from questions about previous decisions.

"I think the spirit in which the people attended the meeting was a positive," she said. "I think we moved forward. I know change is hard and this is a very traditional and conservative community but it is also one that loves and is proud of Shiner, its kids and its school."

Barry Halvorson is a reporter for The Victoria Advocate.
Contact him at 361-798-3888, or by e-mail at hvilladv@vicad.com.

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