Once postponed indefinitely, bids proceeding for new middle school on Polo Club Boulevard

The Fayette County school board has resumed plans for a new middle school on Lexington’s Polo Club Boulevard and is expected Monday to discuss accepting a bid.

When estimated costs rose to $70.5 from $47.2 million in November, the Fayette County school board postponed indefinitely the long awaited project.

Agenda documents for Monday’s 5:30 p.m. school board planning meeting show that the board will discuss accepting a base bid for a construction contract submitted by Rising Sun Developing for $69.9 million.

The entire project with Rising Sun would cost $82.6 million. A final vote is set for Sept. 26.

The school would include 171,983 square feet and serve 1,200 students. The project is planned to start construction in October. Final completion is planned for May 2025.

The other base bids were from D.W. Wilburn at $70.5 million and Cleveland Construction at $84.8 million.

Also on Sept. 26, the school board is expected to vote on an HVAC testing contract and an inspections contract for the new middle school.

The school district bought the Polo Club property for a middle school as well as a new elementary school in 2020.

Fayette schools chief operating officer Myron Thompson said Monday that a new middle school has been identified as a need in the district for at least eight years.

This story was originally published September 10, 2022 at 3:39 PM.