Bids due Thursday will unveil how much a new elementary school in the Edgewood area of Charleston could cost the taxpayer.
"I hope the numbers come in where we expect them to or better," said Chuck Wilson, the facilities director for Kanawha County Schools.
The property spans 20 acres and would serve about 400 students who now attend other West Side elementary schools, such as Watts or Robbins. Officials initially set the project at $12 million, but as building costs increased, so did the bill. Now they estimate the project to exceed $21 million. But some think it's worth every penny.
"The $21 million is staggering for sure, but if they cut back on the costs, I'd be afraid something would be cut out," said Anne Miller, who lives in the Edgewood area.
Miller's great-granddaughter will be old enough for kindergarten when the school opens in the fall of 2014. Miller said she's excited for a newer alternative to the outdated facilities that already exist on the West Side.
"I just think it will set the standards higher and it will be better for the children," Miller said.
Wilson said innovation comes at a price.
"This will be a state-of-the-art facility with technology, and playgrounds, and it can be a place for the community to center around in Edgewood," Wilson said.
But others feel less enthusiastic. Wanda Leach has lived in the area for more than 70 kids. She said she feels annoyed she has to pay taxes for a school that bears little effect on her life.
"We're senior citizens on a fixed income, it's hard enough as it is," Leach said. "Why is a school that expensive?"
Officials could choose a contractor as early as Friday. Wilson said more than 30 contractors applied for the building job.
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