$2.2 Million Contract Awarded for Pinnacles Prep Improvements

The City of Wenatchee will pay a local construction company over $2 million for upgrades and renovations to the Pinnacles Prep Charter School campus.

The campus at 504 S. Chelan Avenue, which is owned by the City, was formerly the Wenatchee Community Center. The City of Wenatchee now leases the property to Pinnacles Prep.

Much of the improvements to the campus were made possible by a grant for $2.45 million from the Washington Department of Commerce last year.

Facilities Manager Elisa Schafer said, "The improvements include the creation of additional instructional space, a new campus entrance, and the construction of a commercial kitchen, cafeteria and a new makerspace lab."

Schafer said that the work was split up into two phases; 1.5A and 1.5B.

Phase 1.5A's scope includes the added instructional space, a new campus entrance and money to furnish a new reception area. The Department of Commerce grant will essentially pay for Phase 1.5A.

Pinnacles Prep will pay for Phase 1.5B, which is set to include the new kitchen, cafeteria and makerspace lab.

Any added costs are also likely to be paid for by Pinnacles Prep. According to the City of Wenatchee, little budget remains in reserve for contingency planning. Therefore Pinnacles Prep is securing a loan of up to $180,000 from Washington Charter School Development, Inc. The money is intended to cover any possible cost overruns.

No bids for construction were received after the project was initially put out to bid in April of this year. City staff claim the lack of bids were a result of supply chain and schedule concerns.

After the project was revised and put back out to bid in early June, the City received three bids in total.

Cascade Central Construction LLC out of Wenatchee had the best bid, coming in almost $300,000 under the grant amount.

Construction is scheduled to be complete by late summer 2023.