Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – Gulf Shores City Schools is looking to add a change order to the contract for construction of the new high school at the southwest intersection of the Foley Beach Express and Coastal Gateway Boulevard.

This change will add $6.8 million, pushing the overall cost to $137.3 million up from the original estimate of $131 million. At its June 27 meeting, the school board approved the change order and it will be taken up by the city council at its July 1 work session.

The school board wants to add an 80,000-square-foot covered practice facility to be used by all sports, including football, baseball, softball, soccer and the rest of the 23 sports offered by the school.

“It will be outdoor, it will be covered, it will be turfed with synthetic turf, so there are opportunities for several sports to participate and or get out of the sun and still have a covered practice,” School Board President Kevin Corcoran said.

Corcoran said work is progressing smoothly with the first stage being driving pilings to support all the buildings planned on the site.

“Just to give you an idea of the magnitude, right now, we have more than 1,800 pilings going under the high school itself,” Corcoran said. “We will have 173 pilings to support this (practice) facility as well, which will be on the southeast corner of the current site.”

During the meeting, the council will also discuss:

• Awarding a bid to PL Russell for $160,000 for drainage improvements on Shady Woods Court including underdrains on the west side of the street and removal and replacement of sidewalks and driveways needed to install the drains. Shady Woods Court is west of the Gulf Shores Cultural Center on Oak Road East.
• Replacing long-time and now retired city clerk Wanda Parris with the new clerk, Tobi Waters, as the signatory on various bank accounts.
• A conditional use permit for Crystal Village to build a 17-cottage subdivision with beach access on the property line of the Ocean House at 957 W. Beach Blvd. Staff is recommending approval with several conditions, including building a sidewalk along West Beach Boulevard and improving the beach access before a certificate of occupancy can be issued.
• An agreement between the city and the American Volleyball Coaches Association to bring 29 small college beach volleyball teams to town for a championship competition on April 17-19.