A pared-down Columbia Falls High School remodeling proposal is estimated to cost $75.9 million and take about four years to complete if approved, engineers and architects told school officials and community members in a meeting on March 18.

The project cost is $8.5 million less than what was initially proposed last fall and ultimately rejected by voters.

But with this effort there appears to be more community energy in getting something done at the school and a remodel is about 44% less than a new school, which engineers have estimated would cost $135 million and not give the district any additional space.

The projected tax impact on a $600,000 home would be about $423 annually a year, at least initially, but with a host of housing and other  developments either breaking ground or in the planning stages, the tax burden should flatten out a bit in the coming years as the debt service doesn’t change on an annual basis. In other words, the more the growth the district sees, the tax burden for the project lowers for each homeowner.

The actual tax impact compared to this year for a $600,000 home, would be about $311 annually, as district taxpayers are paying off a bond to repair the classroom wing roof.

“It’s as high as it’s going to get (right now),” noted school board member Justin Cheff. He noted the tax impact comes out to about $35 a month.

The expected interest rate on a 25-year bond is 4.38%.

After the last bond failed in November the school continued to pursue the remodel, as the needs are still very much there. As an example, the gym floor is down to the nails, the locker rooms and bathrooms are vile with old plumbing and worn-out fixtures, the family sciences room has cupboards that are as old as the school and the walls of the entire school leak heat like a sieve.

It also does not have secure entrances and the gym is too small to even host divisional tourneys. When it comes time to have a divisional tournament, the school has to team up with a nearby district, or not host the event.

But getting that word out to the voters was paramount, community members noted. They suggested a dedicated website to explain all the parameters of the project, a social media campaign, in-person outreach at various meetings and functions, like the community market, and yard signs promoting the remodel.

The new remodel adds about 30,000 square feet to the school for instructional space, including two new shop classes (machining and automotive), an expanded Little Theater and the move of art classes into the main building. The old art annex would be moved south of the bus garage and used for offices.

Here’s a look at some of the highlights of the project as previously discussed:

The school would get new heating and ventilation, sprinkler systems, secure entrances, wiring and the walls and windows of the 65-year-old building, which leak heat like a sieve, would be replaced. Right now the school has about 32 entranceways. The new plan would cut that number down to less than 10 and still meet fire codes.

The Little Theater would be gutted and rebuilt to accommodate 650 people. Right now current seating is 415 and with some concerts, parents have to stand in the hallway or outside entirely. The theater can’t simply be expanded, because its exterior walls are structural, noted Shane Jackola, of Jackola Engineering and Architecture, the firm designing the project.

Jackola went over a line-item budget of the project for about 30 community members that attended the meeting.

The gym and locker rooms would be remodeled and gym seating capacity would be risen to 2,900-plus seats, making it large enough for divisional tournaments. The gym, with some reconfiguration, can accommodate more seating without a great expense.

A track will go around the upper part of the gym and classrooms would be added to the north and locker rooms on the west side. The gym would also have exterior hallways, making it far more secure than it is now, as the doors are often left propped open as in some cases, it’s the only way to get into the west side of the school.

An access road from Talbott Road to the school was scrapped and unpopular. Another access road to Fifth Avenue West from the east parking lot was also scrapped, though may be a temporary dirt route for construction traffic. The parking lots would all be rebuilt, however, as they are falling apart.

The library would be moved from the south end of the classroom wing and rebuilt in what is now the south courtyard, tying it in better with the rest of school. The library space would then be used for technology classrooms. There would be a commons area near the library with an open cafeteria design off the kitchen.

A second floor that was proposed for the main foyer area was scrapped entirely.

The music, band and art classrooms would all be revamped. Art classes would no longer be in the annex, but a classroom in the north side of the school, with plenty of window light.

The school would add an automotive shop classroom and a machining classroom that would tie into the metal shop. All of the school’s shops would be reconfigured.

The district would add science lab classrooms separate from general science classes, so that lab materials aren’t in the same class.

The bathrooms would be remodeled, as they have equipment and fixtures dating back to the 1960s.

The gym floor would be replaced.

The school would get a new roof, except for the classroom wing, which already had its roof replaced. The remodel of the classroom wing would be rather light, except for the exterior wall replacements.

The consumer science class would get a commercial kitchen. Right now it has cupboards and fixtures from the 1960s.