Demolition, site work, renovation and addition to an educational facility in Ephrata, Washington. Conceptual plans call for the addition of a educational facility; for the demolition of a educational facility; for site work for a educational facility; and for the renovation of a educational facility.

As of August 20 2025 the project is abandoned. However, the renovation of Ephrata High School's Performing Arts Center (PAC) and PAC gymnasium will be placed on hold due to budgetary constraints. These projects were initially intended to proceed simultaneously but have been affected by increased costs and limited funds. The projects are part of a $27.89 million dollar bond passed by the Ephrata community in 2019, which was matched with state funds, bringing the total project revenues to $79.5 million dollars. Tim Payne, Ephrata School District Superintendent, acknowledged the unforeseen challenges faced by the district, stating, "The world has changed in many ways since Ephrata initially approved the 2019 bond. We could not have anticipated the pandemic-related cost increases we've experienced at projects currently underway at Columbia Ridge Elementary and Ephrata Middle School. These increased expenses made a huge dent in the budgets we'd forecasted for all the projects associated with the bond. Unfortunately, we don't have enough money left to complete everything we'd originally planned. We prioritized what we could afford to do with remaining funds. Ultimately, in light of our mission to exist for kids and learning, we decided that completing the full renovation of Grant Elementary was in the best interest of kids and our community." The Grant Elementary construction project will be put out to bid in late summer 2023, and it is anticipated that the bids will be 55 percent higher than the budgeted amount in 2019. The district previously bid on this project in the summer of 2022 but had to shelve it when the bids came back 40 percent higher than anticipated. To bridge the funding gap between remaining bond dollars and the bid price, the district will utilize its savings account or reserve funds. As of June 2023, $7.83 million remains in local dollars from the original bond. The district estimates that $25.8 million will be required to complete the remodel of Grant Elementary. To finance the project, Ephrata Schools will use all $7.83 million in local funds and $10.03 million in state match School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP) funding. To address the remaining $8.4 million deficit: Approximately $4.7 million will be obtained from the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services (DES). The DES will provide a long-term loan to fund the installation of HVAC systems at Grant Elementary, with the loan amount being repaid through energy savings realized from the new equipment. The district will utilize $186,448 of government E-Rate Funds to purchase telecommunications cabling for the school. Around $3.5 million will be funded through the Ephrata School District's reserve account or fund balance. Bill Correll, long-time Ephrata School Board Director, expressed the district's commitment to financial responsibility, saying, "We've always worked hard to be good stewards of the dollars entrusted to us by this community. We've built a strong cash reserve that we could use on a rainy day, and it looks to me like it's raining. We are able to make the Grant project work because of our efforts to save. We have the money to do this, and it's the right thing to do." Upon completion of the construction at Grant Elementary, the district will have three fully remodeled facilities that are expected to meet the community's needs for the next 30 to 40 years. While the renovation of the PAC and PAC Gym will be delayed, the district remains committed to making improvements to these facilities in the future. With the 2019 bond funds expended following the completion of Grant Elementary's construction, these projects are likely to be included in the district's next bond. Jim Adams, Ephrata School Board Chair, emphasized the importance of the arts programs and the district's commitment to them, stating, "Though we're disappointed that we don't have the funds to renovate the PAC at this time, we are committed to doing so in the future. The 2019 bond called for basic changes to these facilities. As part of the next bond, we plan to renovate the PAC from the ground up and provide a state-of-the-art facility for our community." The district anticipates presenting a bond to Ephrata's voters in either 2026 or 2027 to fund necessary renovations at Ephrata High School. Although in the early planning stages, the proposed bond aims to cater to the school's growing student population with an expanded campus, a new state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center, and upgrades to gymnasiums that maintain or potentially increase the existing space. In 2018, Ephrata Schools made a commitment to keep school bond and levy taxes close to $4.70 per $1,000 of assessed value. The district intends to uphold this commitment even with the addition of a new high school bond. Moreover, future bond rates are expected to be lower than originally forecasted in 2018. The complete renovation of Columbia Ridge, Ephrata Middle School, and Grant Elementary eliminated the need for piecemeal work that would have been necessary if the schools had not been entirely remodeled. "The Ephrata School District is building facilities that will last the next 30 to 40 years," affirmed Payne. "We're committed to doing what's right for our kids, schools, and the community of Ephrata. Though we're disappointed that we can't fund everything as planned, we're confident that we will deliver a fantastic Grant Elementary soon. Though it may take a bit longer, a new PAC is coming. I can't wait to see what it will look like." Facebook Twitter Email Print ________________________________________________________________ All bids have been rejected for this project due to exceeding the owner’s available funding. This project plans to re-bid summer 2023. For more information, please contact Ephrata School District. General Contract for construction in the City of Ephrata, WA for the construction of the Grant Elementary School Modernization and Addition. The project consists of a renovation of the existing elementary school of approximately 31,400 SF, with approximately 8,300 SF of new construction. The work includes Site Work, Structures, Finishes, Fire Protection, Mechanical, and Electrical work. Bid security amounting to five percent (5%) of the total Base Bid must accompany each Bidder's proposal in accordance with Instructions to Bidders. No bidder may withdraw his proposal after the date and time set for opening thereof or before Award of Contract, unless said award is delayed beyond 30 days. Substantial Completion shall be achieved in compliance with Section 01 10 00 of the project specifications. The project requires compliance with prevailing wage under RCW 39.12 and apprenticeship participation of 15% under RCW 39.04.320. The District reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals, and in particular, to reject a proposal not accompanied by the required bid security or data required. The process shall comply with WAC 180- 29-105, RCW 28A.335.190 and RCW 43.19.1906. The work for this project shall be executed under a construction contract and include technology documents for E-Rate scope of work. To warrant consideration for an award to contract resulting from this Invitation to Bid, vendors must agree to participate in the Universal Service Schools and Libraries program (commonly known as E-Rate) and have a general knowledge of the E-rate program and have a valid Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN). A "Unit Price" is an amount stated in the Bid as a price per unit of measurement for materials, equipment or services as described in the Bidding Documents or in the Contract Documents. The Ephrata School District reserves the right to reject at any time, without impairing the balance of the proposal, any or all such predetermined unit prices. Complete resumes, including all past and current projects, for the project manager, the project engineer and the superintendent. The Owner intends to review the resumes and verify references, and it reserves the right to reject personnel reasonably believed to be unsuitable or incompatible for the Project. The Contractor shall replace any rejected personnel with an agreeable replacement at no increase in the Contract Sum or Contract Time. No acceptance by the Owner of any Work shall be construed to result from any inspections, tests or failures to inspect or test by the Owner, the Owner's representatives, the Architect or any other person. No inspection, test, failure to inspect or test, or failure to discover any defect or nonconformity by the Owner, the Owner's representatives, the Architect or any other person shall relieve the Contractor of its responsibility for meeting the requirements of the Contract Documents or impair the Owner's right to reject defective or nonconforming items or right to avail itself of any other remedy to which the Owner may be entitled, notwithstanding the Owner's knowledge of the defect or nonconformity, its substantiality or the ease of its discovery. Entities performing inspections and/or testing do not have the authority to direct the Contractor's means and methods and are not agents or representatives of the Owner or Architect. Inspections which meet the requirements of code shall not override the requirements of the Contract Documents, which may be more stringent. Repair architectural precast concrete units if permitted by Architect. The Architect reserves the right to reject repaired units that do not comply with requirements. The Bidder has carefully examined and understands the Bidding Documents, the Contract Documents (including, without limitation, any liquidated damages and insurance provisions), and the Project site, including any existing buildings, it has familiarized itself with the local conditions under which the Work is to be performed and has correlated its observations with the requirements of the Contract Documents and it has satisfied itself as to the nature, location, character, quality and quantity of the Work, the labor, materials, equipment, goods, supplies, work, services and other items to be furnished, and all other requirements of the Contract Documents. The Bidder has also satisfied itself as to the conditions and other matters that may be encountered at the Project site or affect performance of the Work or the cost or difficulty thereof, including but not limited to those conditions and matters affecting: transportation, access, disposal, handling and storage of materials, equipment and other items; availability and quality of labor, water, electric power and utilities; availability and condition of roads; climatic conditions and seasons; physical conditions at the Project site and the surrounding locality; topography and ground surface conditions; and equipment and facilities needed preliminary to and at all times during the performance of the Work. The failure of the Bidder fully to acquaint itself with any applicable condition or matter shall not in any way relieve the Bidder from the responsibility for performing the Work in accordance with, and for the Contract Sum and within the Contract Time provided for in, the Contract Documents.