By Aliza Zaidi
Town Crier Editorial Intern
Los Altos High
“I think what the students missed the most were not having a quad and the general disruption of classes,” Perez said in regard to the all the time the construction went on at Los Altos High School.
The construction has resulted in new structures, remodeling and upgrades to the high school.
Construction of the Central Quad began from scratch whereas the tiered quad received improved landscaping. It is intended to facilitate its use as the main gathering place.
Other areas of renovation are the 600 Wing, computer technology labs, culinary arts room, auto shop area and administrative offices.
“I am looking forward to students using high quality facilities that will support high-quality education,” Fischer said.
“The new Los Altos Art and Science building received the Merit Award from American Institute of Architecture in Santa Clara,” Mirsaidi said.
Mountain View High
Monday marks the start of a new year at Mountain View, Los Altos and Alta Vista high schools. It also marks the end of major additions and remodeling at the high school district.
For the first time in six years, there will no fences, tools and construction workers on school premises. For students tired and agitated by the redirected classrooms and deafening noise of bulldozers, this is welcome news.
Rich Fischer, superintendent of the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District, said it’s nice to see that the last fences have been removed from the high school premises.
“The campus will be theirs again,” said Mountain View High School Principal Pat Hyland.
After three attempts at having the bond measure passed in 1995, the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District finally succeeded the same year. This came only after costs had been cut by $10 million.
In 1996, Vanir Construction Management was selected to take on the $58 million project.
“We have been able to secure State matching funds and other sources to increase the program budget to approximately $81 million,” Javad Mirsaidi of Vanir Construction Management said. “This represents an increase of approximately 40 percent in the program budget.”
The large portion of the construction was provided by the bond and public donations, according to George Perez, principal of Los Altos High School.
The district recorded a larger surplus than the anticipated $1.5 million balance. “The contingency reserve during the period was not consumed, but rather increased to over $6 million,” Mirsaidi said.
A multiuse building has been introduced at both sites. This will bring the 200 seating capacity cafeteria and the 350-seat tiered theater under the same roof.
According to Robyn Phillips, associate superintendent of business services, “the new theater will support and strengthen the educational program and enhance community events and performances.”
The Los Altos Cultural Association has also provided funding support for the theaters. One feature is a storage room large enough to fit a grand piano
The performing arts buildings have been given the finishing touches with a new electrical systems, new sprinklers, new alarm systems and the additions of wheelchair ramps.
“Every single area of the high school has undergone some remodeling and in four cases new facilities have been built,” said Principal Pat Hyland. “The new facilities over the course of the remodel have been the art (building), the science (building), the library and the theater.”
Students at Mountain View High School will reap the benefits of a 14,000-square-foot library.
“Students will now be able to move around freely and use the great new facilities, especially the library,” Fischer said.
The Central Quad will serve as the main stage for school functions.
“I think one of the things I can hardly wait to see is that for the first time in six years, I will see the students on campus without the fences and the trucks,” Hyland said
In the multiuse building special safety features have been installed. To promote fire safety the theater features heat and smoke dampers.
Vanir’s classroom renovation projects were aimed to update the classroom to meet current standards. “All new and renovated classrooms have Internet connection via copper and fiber optic cables, television connection, telephone, clocks, bells and intercom,” Mirsaidi said. “They are also equipped with heating and air conditioners that are connected to an Energy Management System (EMS) network that controls the temperature throughout campus,” he added.
Renovation projects include remodeling and upgrading of the 300 Wing, girls locker rooms and the administration building, which are all already complete.
Other projects include seismic upgrade of gymnasiums, renovation of tennis courts and resurfacing of the parking lots.
With a surplus at hand, the district has already chalked out a plan. It has been mutually decided the money will be invested in multiuse fields. “We have enough money to redo the fields and it has always been at the back of our minds,” Fischer said.
