Princeton school district officials have hired the architectural and planning firm of Fraytak Veisz Hopkins Duthie to provide architectural services for the recently approved $89.1 million bond referendum.
The Ewing Township-based firm was awarded a contract for $4.9 million by the Princeton Public Schools Board of Education.
The firm will provide schematic design, design development, construction documentation, bidding and construction administration. The scope of work also includes consulting for civil, mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering work.
Princeton voters approved a three-part bond referendum totaling $89.1 million for expansions and renovations to four of the six schools in the district in a special bond referendum election Jan. 28.
The first question on the bond referendum asked voters to approve expansions and renovations to the Community Park School and for upgrades to the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems at Princeton High School.
The Community Park School will be expanded to include six new classrooms, four small-group instruction rooms and two flexible learning spaces that could be adjusted for programming needs.
An expansion to the cafeteria will be made, as well as a new, larger gym/multipurpose room. There will be a larger music room and library.
The expansion is needed to maintain the dual language immersion (DLI) program and to also provide a traditional English language-only track.
Students are taught 50/50 in Spanish and English in the DLI program. Math, science, Spanish language arts and culture are taught in Spanish. Language arts, social studies, physical education, music and library are taught in English.
The second question asked for voters to approve expansions and renovations to the Princeton Middle School and renovations to Princeton High School.
At the Princeton Middle School, two new classrooms, three new flex spaces and two new science labs will be added.
The expansion also includes a multi-purpose room with space for assemblies, physical education and indoor recess. It will be available to the community after school hours.
The vocal music and band rooms will be expanded. The cafeteria and the kitchen also will be expanded.
The main office will be expanded, and the school district’s technology department will be relocated to the middle school from Princeton High School.
At Princeton High School, the technology office will be converted into additional student instructional spaces. Upgrades will be made to the Numina Art Gallery, which doubles as instructional and presentation space.
The third question sought voter approval for expansions and renovations to the Littlebrook Elementary School.
Six new classrooms, two small-group instruction rooms, a new vocal music room and renovations to the student support service areas and the kitchen are included.
School district officials said the projects are needed to accommodate increased enrollment.
About 1,000 new housing units are in the pipeline to be built in the near future. They are estimated to generate an additional 220 students in grades K-12 by the time they have been completed and fully occupied in 2026.
