SAUK RAPIDS -- It has been nine months since the voters in the Sauk Rapids-Rice school district approved a bond referendum to replace Pleasantview Elementary. Since that time district officials have been busy working on design plans.

Building and Grounds Director Brad Berghuis says they are now getting close to moving into the construction phase. The district is planning to go out for bids next month and a construction fence should be up by October. The first step will be to relocate the utilities yet this fall.

Berghuis says a lot of thought has gone into making sure the new building fits into the established neighborhood.

Our architects drove around the area of Pleasantview in a few block radius and really looked at how the housing looked so that the new building didn't stick out.  We wanted it to fit into the community because it's a really big community building.

Berghuis says the new building will be built in the northwest corner of the property. A creek that is there now can be removed because it's been determined that it is not a wetland.

He says the plan is to finish the new school in May or June of 2022.

Once the school year has ended any contents we're going to take from the current Pleasantview move them over to the new Pleasantview in a week or two time, and then we'll demolish the building, remove the portable classrooms, and start our site work which will include the new playground, parking lot, bus loop, and grass field.

 

New Pleasantview Design
New Pleasantview Design
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The new school will be about 121,000 square feet compared to about 81,000 square feet for the existing school.  The proposed parking lot will have about 40 more stalls.  It will be a two-story building, 30 feet high in most locations.  The gym will be 134 feet high and there is a penthouse feature that is 48 feet high.

In November of last year, the voters in the Sauk Rapids-Rice school district approved a $37.1 million bond referendum to build a new elementary.

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