Vestavia Hills City School District

Vestavia Hills City Schools (VHCS) began a process of surveys, town hall meetings and facility assessments about nine months prior to engaging HPM to provide a planning and preconstruction analysis.

During the information gathering, the district also engaged a local architect who had worked with them for many years designing and performing various improvements, additions and renovations. As a result, VHCS and the architect began to formulate a plan that would provide facility solutions to many of the needs identified in the town hall meetings and surveys, and VHCS considered moving forward with a large bond program.

HPM was introduced into the equation to help right-size the bond and determine the phasing plan. To review the proposed facility improvements and to evaluate the cost and phasing of each proposed project, HPM performed facility tours and investigations which uncovered many additional issues not yet anticipated in the original plan. HPM also took a step back to study demographic data and enrollment statistics, and we discovered that some of the proposed projects would only provide temporary solutions.

By combining the growth projections, facility assessments, phasing plans and cost analysis, HPM provided VHCS with six separate studies with variations that included concepts for property acquisition/disposition, grade realignments and alternative facility improvements to address long-term capacity issues.

Across numerous unique projects, HPM saved the owner both time and money, while keeping the program on track.

Cahaba Heights Elementary School

• Two new additions – gym, cafeteria, classrooms and media center• Additional parking and carpool circulation required phased construction and a routing plan

East Elementary School

• Adjacent to a golf course that was also under construction at the time, so HPM met with the team behind that project to develop a joint storm sewer plan• State-of-the-art kitchen and cafeteria

Dolly Ridge Elementary

• HPM recommended that the district purchase the school facility from Jefferson County and developed a plan to construct the addition while the previous owner was still operating and leasing the building• 14 new classrooms, bathrooms, multi-purpose rooms, storage rooms, a calming room, office space and enlarged carpool circulation• Relocated and updated playground equipment

Liberty Park Elementary School

• 14 classroom additions

West Elementary School

• State-of-the-art kitchen, cafeteria and major renovation to existing multi needs classrooms

Pizitz Middle School

• HPM recommended that VHCS purchase a former high school building from neighboring Hoover. Facility was completely renovated to fit the needs of a middle school.• New choir room, band room, gymnasium, baseball and softball fields• Additional parking and carpool circulation space