Bid Awarded for New Middle Schools

     Bids for the construction of two new middle schools in Anderson School District 5 have been awarded. Both schools are slated to open to students for the 2011-2012 school year.

     The low bid for the schools came in approximately $5 million below original estimates.

     Shelco, Inc., a construction company based in Greenville, was the low bidder for the two projects, with a combined bid of $32,542,400. The company was awarded the projects in a July 24th meeting of the District Five Board of Trustees.

      The District plans to construct Glenview Middle School on a site on Old Williamston Road, and Robert Anderson Middle School, named for the Revolutionary War hero, on Dobbins Bridge Road.

      The lower-than-expected bid was largely a result of the district’s cost-containment efforts, in addition to the current economic recession and the resulting increase in competition for such projects, according to district officials.

      The two new middle schools are scheduled for construction as part of the district’s $140 million building plan, which was approved in an April 2007 referendum by more than 60 percent of district voters. The $140 million in construction bonds authorized by the referendum can only be used for construction and renovation.

      Glenview Middle School will relieve overcrowding at the current McCants Middle School. Robert Anderson Middle School will replace the current Southwood Middle School and will draw students from both Southwood and Lakeside middle schools. The current Southwood school will retain its name, however, as it transitions to a 6-12 grade arts magnet school.

      The new middle schools are scheduled for completion by the start of the 2011-2012 school year.