Escalating construction costs in the region have pressed Seattle Public Schools to accelerate by one year its plans to build a shared Denny Middle School and Sealth High School campus.

The $125 million project is part of the district's Building Excellence III program, which was included in a $490 million capital bond initiative approved in February by voters. It funds the replacement and renovation of seven schools.

But due to hikes in construction costs, the projects are now pricier than what was originally projected in the bond, so the six-year program will be condensed into just four years, said Eleanor Trainor, capital projects community liaison for Seattle schools.

"Even though we made conservative predictions with construction inflation, it's still not enough," Trainor said last week.

"We're moving more quickly than Seattle is used to moving," said Trainor. "If we start slowing down we start losing scope. Every year we wait, we lose 12 percent to 24 percent of (the project)."

District analysts found construction costs have risen historically at about 3 percent to 4 percent a year. But that number is expected to triple in the next few years. Faced with this, the district can either reduce the scope or number of projects or speed up the pace, Trainor said.

The capital project team is also asking the district to allow some program reserves to be transferred to several projects, including an extra $3 million for Denny/Sealth, in order to cover higher than expected costs.

Under a new schedule, Sealth High will move to a temporary home at the Louisa Boren interim site in fall 2008. The newly remodeled Sealth is now scheduled to open back up for the 2010-2011 school year.

Construction on a new Denny will begin next summer, to open in 2011-2012. Denny students will remain in their current building for the duration.

The district plans to apply for a land use permit next month and an environmental review will follow. Though bids have not yet gone out, Trainor said she also expects it to be a challenge to secure a contractor in the current rampant development market.

During a public meeting last week at Sealth High, Trainor told a crowd of about 30 that updated fliers would be sent out quarterly and a Web site was being built to keep the public informed on the project status.

Representatives from Bassetti Architects, the same firm that designed West Seattle High, presented tentative plans for the new shared campus. The current models are based on several meetings with school design teams comprised of staff and parents, said Nancy Callery, an associate with Bassetti.

"This is a really good time to be having a meeting for the project," said Callery. "This is the very beginning of the design process."

Although the schools will share a physical campus and some facilities, they will not be combining. Each will retain separate entrances as well as eating and common areas.

The preliminary design has the new Denny rebuilt facing north with its own entrance on Southwest Kenyon Street. Chief Sealth would continue to face south on Southwest Thistle.

Sealth will be on the west side of the campus. It's the younger of the two buildings, opening in 1957. Denny, which opened in 1952, will occupy the east half.

Existing parking lots will be retained and improved with about 100 parking spots. Landscaping will also be added. Buses will enter off Kenyon and be routed along the east side of the campus and exit onto Thistle.

A transportation plan is in the works to analyze parking needs and traffic patterns, especially during busy events like Homecoming, said Trainor.

"We have to conduct a very thorough study as part of our environmental review and those studies are currently underway," she said.

The north parking lot will be compressed and graded down for better entry access to Denny. An administration area will sit slightly above the middle school commons and parking areas to keep "adult eyes" on the students, said Callery.

Sealth levels will stagger by a half a floor from Denny to "provide separation and distinction from the two schools."

There will be one grade per floor in Denny. Sixth grade classrooms will be on the first floor. Seventh graders will be on the second floor, as well as a bridge that will connect to the main level of the high school.

A middle school library, art rooms and eighth-grade classrooms are located on the third floor in the preliminary design. Also on the third floor of Denny will be world language classrooms, a shared health center and the upper level of a two-story galleria overlooking the commons below.

The schools will interface through the galleria that will serve as a "conduit" to facilities, such as gyms, cafeterias, language labs and counseling offices.

Improvements to Sealth include, seismic upgrades, fire sprinklers (there are none now) and improvements to mechanical systems, such as a new boiler and ventilators.

"We've really gotten to know this school," said Callery. "There are life safety challenges in this school."

Three new science labs for a total of eight will be added to the high school, bringing it up to equity with other schools in the district, said Callery.

The current lunch room and a common area will be converted into classrooms, music labs and a performing arts center that will be shared by both schools.

Whether the separation between the middle and high school common areas will be a physical barrier or just a space is yet to be determined. A few parents said they would only feel comfortable with a solid barricade between the younger and older students.

"You don't want your 6th-grade child eating lunch with a 12th-grader," said one parent.

To get involved call Eleanor Trainor, 252-0655 or visit www.buildingexcellence.org.

Rebekah Schilperoort may be reached at 783.1244 or rebekahs@robinsonnews.com