Core Construction has set a guaranteed maximum price for the Cherokee Elementary School rebuild project and it is trending lower than staff originally anticipated. The Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board unanimously approved a GMP of $23,040,730 at its Dec. 3 meeting. The original estimate for the entire project was $24,119,290, but savings in several areas such as enclosures and structure brought the overall price down. Cherokee, 8801 N. 56th St., in the Town of Paradise Valley, is part of the district’s ongoing effort to renovate or rebuild certain schools as part of the 2016 voter-approved bond. SUSD Superintendent Dr. John Kriekard called this a “momentous” point in the Cherokee project. “After a full year of planning and a great deal of community input, as well as staff and board members input into this as well, we’re coming forward with the proposal to accept the GMP for Cherokee Elementary School so we can start putting the shovel in the ground,” he said. Of the more than $23 million, Core Construction staff anticipate about $22.2 million to come from the bond while the adjacent ways will cover $852,083. Comparatively, Cherokee costs rank lower than the Hopi Elementary School project but higher than Pima Elementary School, though that is reflected in other categories besides overall cost. With adjusted prices for 2019 costs, Hopi cost the district about $20.7 million while Pima cost about $19.1 million. Both those schools were smaller in size than Cherokee. Hopi’s price worked out to about $307 per square foot for the 67,200-square-foot campus. Pima’s breakdown was $284 per square foot for the 67,359-square-foot campus. Cherokee’s cost will be $294 per square foot and the campus is 78,441 square feet. Along with the finances, Core Construction also presented a more set calendar with phases for the upcoming project. The first phases will run from Dec. 9 to July 17, 2020. Construction crews would work the southern portion of the school, demolishing the overhang and playground equipment and building two classroom structures. In its construction, workers will try to meet specified Paradise Valley setbacks though the school isn’t required to because of its status. As part of a transition phase, construction workers will demolish the existing buildings as soon as school lets out for summer break on May 28, 2020. It is in this portion crews will complete construction of two classroom buildings and the playground while beginning construction on the other two buildings. The second phase will officially run from Aug. 1, 2020 to Jan. 31, 2021. This will include finished work on the remaining classroom buildings and will take place in the middle of the campus. The third and final phase will run from Feb. 1, 2021 until March 19, 2021. Crews will demolish the remaining buildings on the northern part of campus and will build a parking lot.