Projects that will significantly modernize East Union and Manteca high schools and bring two-story classroom structures to each campus for the first time are before the Manteca Unified School District board when they meet Tuesday.
The board is being asked to approve issuing requests for preconstruction and lease-leaseback services for those two endeavors as well as for stadium renovation projects at East Union, Manteca, and Lathrop high schools; the second phase of the New Haven School modernization effort; and the renovation of swimming pools at Sierra and Weston Ranch high schools.
The lease-leaseback approach allows the greatest flexibility and the best way to reduce costs.
The board also is expected to proceed with approving the purchase of property at 510 and 512 Mikesell Street for the purpose of expanding the Manteca High campus north of the agricultural building.
The state has already cleared the way for the district to buy the property. The $534,500 acquisition price is being covered by residual Manteca Redevelopment Agency money.
The other endeavors are possible thanks to voters approving a $260 million Measure A bond issue in November 2020.
The Manteca High and East Union projects moving forward are aimed at replacing aging classrooms as well as address aging classrooms at the high school campuses that are 101 years old and 54 years old respectively.
The work will also set the stage to expand the program design capacity of the East Union and Manteca campuses to 2,200 students.
East Union facilities
The East Union High upgrade is being broken down into four phases.
It would not only be the most visible work to the community but it would also set the tone for reorienting the campus.
It will include the construction of a two-story classroom building and media center on the grassy area in front of the school office between the student and staff parking lots along Union Road. There will also be a new quad created.
Once completed 29 portable classrooms will be demolished.
That means the work can take place without having to create temporary student housing.
Phase two would modernize the current administration/library into the new administration, attendance and student services complex.
The locker room and choir room would also be modernized.
Phase three involves building a new small gym and weight room. Once those are completed, the existing small gym will be demolished.
An athletic resource center will be built as an addition to the existing large gym. The large gym and gym lobby will also be modernized.
The existing attendance office will be converted into a studio lab with the ceramics building being modernized at the same time.
A new ticket booth and stadium entrance would also be put in place.
The fourth phase and beyond would include north parking lot improvements. It also will allow the creation of a new athletic entrance and drop off zone entering from Northgate Drive and exiting on North Union Road where the south parking lot is located.
Two tennis courts would be removed to accommodate the work.
The pool and track upgrades also would occur in later phases.
Manteca High facilities
The plan at Manteca High is to replace 48 existing classrooms and ultimately add 20 classrooms to bring the classroom count to 82 to accommodate 2,200 students at the state recommended 27 students per classroom.
At the heart of the masterplan is the removal of a series of aging classrooms that have structural, safety and security issues. In its place will be an expansive student quad flanked ultimately by a set of two-story classroom buildings.
A curvy pathway across the quad will lead from a new administration building to the athletic facilities — the Winter Gym as well as the new gym and swimming pool under construction — plus a new student drop-off zone. It will include a Manteca High timeline in the pavement.
It is designed to create open spaces for student murals as well as architectural references to the old Manteca High tower.
The first phase will consist of:
*undergrounding utilities on roofs of existing classroom wings along the main corridor.
*demolishing 29 classrooms with the option to keep Wing 20 during the phase for an additional four useable classrooms.
*adult transition program moves offsite freeing up six portables for interim housing.
*additional interim housing (portables) will be added south of the JROTC classroom.
*construction of a new 2-story building along Sherman Avenue with 32 classrooms connected with a new media center.
*demolishing remaining classroom wings when the new 2-story classroom building is completed.
The second phase entails converting the existing library into four visual and performing arts classrooms, expanding the cafeteria an adding an adjacent stage, modernizing the ag lab, construction of a new administration building, a new parking lot at the corner of Sherman and Yosemite avenues, and demolition of the JROTC portables.
The third phase involves constructing career technical education shops, removing the east portables for a new stadium parking lot along Mikesell Avenue, an all-weather track, and visitor side bleacher replacement and associated access upgrades at the football stadium.
The fourth phase and beyond includes future career technical education expansion, and a “T” building north of Winter Gym for 24 classrooms to allow the campus to serve up to 2,200 students.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
