Valley Middle construction costs set

The Grand Forks School Board this week approved the first round of bids on the Valley Middle School project. The guaranteed maximum price for the build is set at just under $44.6 million dollars.

The bids came under budget allowing the district to add several alternatives back into the project. Board President Amber Flynn says that could push the total cost to closer to $53 million.  “The reason for the gap is we are approving the items bid out and have come back.  The alternate items still have to be bid.  So we will approve those at a later date to get to the $53 billion cap.”

Voters approved a $79 million dollar referendum in May – including $55 million for the new school. The remaining dollars target a new central kitchen and safety improvements throughout the district.
Business Manager Brandon Baumbach says there are limits on how the money can be spent.  “Voters said “yes” to that and it created a different fund and those can only be used for what was articulated in the question.  They can’t be used for other needs in the district.”

Groundbreaking is tentatively set for Valley Middle this spring – with a winter of 2025 completion date.