Ballston Spa CSD seeking $60M for capital improvement project

BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Ballston Spa Central School District has proposed a $60 million capital improvement project that will bring upgrades and renovations to all of the district’s buildings. If approved by voters, construction could potentially begin in the spring of 2026.

The capital project proposes improved learning environments at the middle and high schools, better arts and athletic spaces, and the replacement of outdated equipment. Below is a breakdown of each school’s proposed improvements.

High School

Health and safety

  • Addition of a student parking lot roadway exit
  • Replace the high school roof, which was last done in 1998
  • Replace the emergency generator
  • Upgrade the fence against the wood line behind the track
  • Add air conditioning to the gym
  • Door repairs
  • Adding an ADA accessible workstation at FACS

Art and classroom improvements

  • Replace the auditorium seating
  • Improve the auditorium lighting
  • Sound system replacements in the band and chorus rooms
  • Improve the auditorium sound and control booth
  • Modify the HVAC on stage so line sets can be used
  • Modifications to the media center
  • CTE storage upgrades

Other improvements

  • Chiller and cooling tower replacements
  • Replace the water heater
  • Add more single-occupant student toilets
  • Repave the faculty parking lot
  • Add more parking near the tennis courts

Middle School

Health and safety upgrades

  • Remove the northside canopies
  • Install new entrance canopies
  • Replace the main entry storefront
  • Add air conditioning to the cafeteria, gym, and special education classrooms
  • Renovate kitchen
  • Provide new kitchen equipment

Other improvements

  • Replace roof
  • Renovate the nurses’ office
  • Renovate the faculty bathrooms in the 400 wing
  • Replace the cafeteria floor
  • Modifications to the media center
  • Improve the orchestra room sound system
  • Improve the middle school pump station

Wood Road Elementary

Health and safety upgrades

  • Upgrade the fence along the wood line behind the school
  • Add air conditioning to the cafeteria, gym, and special education classrooms
  • Replace the basketball court
  • Replace the gas furnace

Other improvements

  • Renovate the Little Theater
  • Renovate the student bathrooms
  • Improve asphalt and paving
  • Restore the Northeast Athletic Field

Gordon Creek Elementary

Health and safety upgrades

  • Upgrade the fence along the wood line behind the school
  • Add air conditioning to the cafeteria, gym, and special education classrooms

Other improvements

  • Replace the stage curtain
  • Finish the computer conference room enclosure
  • Asphalt improvements

Milton Terrace Elementary

Health and safety upgrades

  • Upgrade the fence along the wood line behind the school
  • Fence the northside courtyard
  • Add air conditioning to the cafeteria, gym, and special education classrooms

Infrastructure improvements

  • Replace the cafeteria and stage folding partition
  • Repave the parking lot and playground area

Malta Avenue Elementary

Health and safety upgrades

  • Add air conditioning to the cafeteria, gym, special education classrooms, and auditorium
  • Replace the district office roof

Other improvements

  • Install an additional playground
  • Enclose the front playground with fencing
  • Asphalt improvements
  • Library furniture upgrades
  • Improve the water heater

Athletics and physical education

Fields and sitework upgrades

  • New synthetic turf field and stadium
  • Field entrance
  • New press box
  • New running track with eight lanes and turf field
  • Visitor bleachers
  • Relocate the tennis courts

Gym and fitness improvements

  • Fitness and wellness addition
  • Replace gym light fixtures
  • Expand the aux gym

Transportation, grounds, maintenance, and more

Maintenance and grounds building upgrades

  • Storage and workshop building expansions
  • Replace the fuel island lights and canopy
  • Replace the overhead doors and add swing doors
  • Provide an oil and water separator
  • Replace the grounds building roof

Transportation and other improvements

  • Electrification components
  • Lot paving
  • Expansion of the yard
  • Replace the Eastern Avenue building

The project would be completed in three phases, starting with the replacement of the high school cooling towers. The cooling tower construction is estimated to begin in April and end in August 2026.

The next project would be the Wood Road Elementary, Milton Terrace Elementary, Transportation, and Eastern Ave buildings. Construction is estimated to be from December 2026 to April 2028.

Then the district would begin construction at the middle and high schools, which would take place between December 2027 and November 2029. Finally, the Malta Ave Elementary, Gordon Creek Elementary, Grounds, and Maintenance buildings are the last the capital improvement project, with construction starting in December 2029 and concluding in August 2031.

The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for September 17 at 7 p.m. in the Ballston Spa High School library. The board meetings are also broadcast live on the school district’s YouTube channel.

Want more insights? Join Working Title - our career elevating newsletter and get the future of work delivered weekly.