Searching for space at Burbank High
Molly Shore
School district officials are reconsidering a $6.1-million parking
structure planned for Burbank High School, even though money
earmarked for the project is available in the district’s building
fund.
“Because the original cost escalated, staff was trying to be
creative and come up with alternative plans,” school board President
Richard Raad said Friday.
Preliminary reports projected the cost at $5 million.
Savings that might be derived from one of the alternate plans
could be funneled back into the building fund to pay for additional
construction projects within the district, Raad said.
The original plan is a two-level parking facility with some
subterranean parking and rooftop tennis courts at the corner of
Delaware Road and Third Street. It has 281 parking spaces, with 43
more spaces on a lot next to the auto shop.
At Thursday’s school board meeting, two alternatives were
presented. Each could be built for $3.3 million.
The first alternative calls for one floor of parking with 155
spaces and a lot accommodating 125 additional parking spaces. The lot
would encroach on open space, leaving enough room for an expanded
grass field and basketball courts. The tennis courts would remain on
top of the parking structure.
The second alternative keeps two levels of parking, but drops
plans for the tennis courts. With this plan, 265 spaces would be
available in the structure and, like the original plan, another 43
spaces would be in a lot next to the auto shop.
By adopting either one of the two alternatives, the school would
have fewer parking spaces than the original proposal, Chief
Facilities and Development Supt. Ali Kiafar said.
To make up for the loss of parking spaces on campus, some people
would have to use street parking or park across the street in the
Media City Center parking garage or in Chuck E Cheese’s lot, Kiafar
said. Teachers and students parked in those lots during school
construction.
All of the options will provide more spaces than the school
originally had, Kiafar said.
The number of spaces allocated for teachers and students will not
be determined until after officials decide which plan to pursue.
Kiafar said if the board goes with the second option, a possible
solution is to move the school’s tennis program to the Burbank Tennis
Center, which is a few blocks from the school.
Using the city facility would cost $19,000 a year, not including
transportation costs, compared to $11,000 on campus.
Board member Elena Hubbell said she doesn’t want students to
travel to play tennis.