Officials hire new firm to design GUSD’s aquatic center

After the death of an architect who was hired to design Glendale Unified’s new aquatic center, another architectural firm will take over the project, and school officials agreed this week to spend nearly $500,000 for the work.

In 2013, the Glendale school board approved a preliminary design of the pool, which at 54 meters by 24 yards, is three times the size of the current pool at Glendale High School, where the new aquatic center also will be located.

The design was created by KPI Architects, whose owner passed away the following year.

Glendale Unified officials halted their plans for the aquatic center, and in October 2014, the Glendale school board voted to terminate all contracts with KPI Architects.

Now, more than a year later, the school board voted on Tuesday to hire tBP/Architecture to take over the design of the pool, observation deck and accompanying locker facilities for home and visiting teams, as well as new restrooms, showers and storage for pool equipment.

The Newport Beach-based firm was the same one that designed College View School, a campus in the school district that serves severely disabled students. That school was torn down and built from the ground up. It opened its doors earlier this year.

“Following on that success, we feel very comfortable recommending the award of this project authorization to tBP,” said Alan Reising, director of facilities for Glendale Unified.

The $11 million aquatic project will be paid for with $9.4 million in state funds and $1.6 million in Measure S bond funds.

Construction is expected to begin in November 2016 and finish by December 2017, according to a district report.

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Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @kellymcorrigan