Architect: $10.9 Mil Needed to Modernize Viejo Elementary

Viejo Elementary School could use $10.9 million worth of upgrades and modernization, with about $5 million of that going to replace half of the portable classrooms with permanent structures.

In addition, the number includes $781,000 in routine maintenance the district has deferred in recent years, including floor covering, heating and roofing.

That’s the finding of an architect the Capistrano Unified School District commissioned to intensely study of all of its facilities in 2009. The report was recently been updated with 2013 pricing. The district is facing $822 million worth of needs and only has about $44 million on hand to address them.

The updated total also includes $558,000 to purchase new technology for students.

Viejo has several issues. Firefighters don’t have access to 13,139 square feet of building space. In addition, students have to evacuate through other rooms, which is a code violation.

It also has one or more classrooms smaller than 960 square feet, the minimum state law allows.

Below is an easier-to-read legend for the photo above. New construction, which originally included replacing all the portables, is in peach, remodels in yellow.  

1.    New administration expansion

2.    New multipurpose room expansion

3.    New library expansion

4.    New school entry

5.    New kindergarten play area equipment

6.    New play surface

7.    New turf area

8.    New building (11 classrooms)

9.    New kindergarten (four classrooms)

10.  Revised play area

11.  New play equipment

12.  New parking (24 stalls)

13.  Fire truck turn around

14.  New Americans with Disabilities Act access

15.  New toilets

Find out the needs at other nearby schools:

• Bathgate Elementary
• Capistrano Valley High School
• Castille Elementary
• Carl Hankey K-8
• Newhart Middle School
• Reilly Elementary