The Pasco County School Board approved an agreement with Wannamacher Jensen Architects Inc., in May, with the company’s initial fee based on an estimated cost of $39 million for a project to essentially replace the existing West Zephyrhills Elementary School, at 37900 14th Ave., in Zephyrhills, with a new facility.
But, according to background materials for the school board’s Aug. 22 meeting, “there have subsequently been changes that have resulted in an increase in both the scope of work and in the overall square footage of the new building.”
As a result, the agenda materials add: “This has increased both their design and construction administration work significantly since their original proposal, not least of which is the impact of the new building location and the additional civil services required, which has resulted in an increase to the overall construction budget.”
That new overall construction budget is $51 million.
The changes have led to an increase in the architect’s original fee of $1,006,805 to a new fee of $3,804,240, according to the agenda packet.
The school board approved the change, as part of its consent agenda, without discussion.
Published September 13, 2023
