Spokane Public Schools says T.W. Clark Construction LLC, of Spokane Valley, is the apparent low bidder for the planned Jefferson Elementary School replacement project, with a bid of $12.3 million.

The district's board of trustees is expected to award the bid on June 13, says Greg Brown, Spokane Public Schools' director of capital projects. The school district had estimated the construction cost at $12.5 million.

T.W. Clark was among nine contractors—seven of which were from the Spokane area—that bid on the project, Brown says.

"It was really tight," Brown says. "There was only a $600,000, or 5 percent, spread between the high and low bids."

Walker Construction Inc. and Leone & Keeble Inc., both of Spokane, were the second and third lowest bidders, respectively, Brown says.

The city of Spokane approved the building permit for the project last month, and the bid award likely will direct the contractor to start work this summer on replacing the current Jefferson Elementary School with a new 60,000-square-foot, single-story structure, which will be located at the northeast corner of 37th Avenue and Manito Boulevard. The new school site is on the west edge of the Hart Field athletic complex, a few blocks west of Jefferson's current location, at the northwest corner of 37th and Grand Boulevard.

The project, which Spokane-based Madsen Mitchell Evenson & Conrad PLLC designed, is expected to be completed in August 2013.

Jefferson Elementary currently has a total of 58,000 square feet of floor space, including 16,800 square feet of portable classroom space. The school was built in 1908 and expanded in 1948. Portable classrooms were added in 1955 and 1956, the school district says. The district tentatively plans to convert the historic structure into administrative office space.

Separately, the school district also is planning a $2.5 million project to improve the Hart Field complex, which is used for outdoor sports and activities by Jefferson Elementary, Sacajawea Middle School, Lewis and Clark High School, and others. The district says that 32.5-acre project will include renovating the athletic fields and amenities to match districtwide standards, as well as upgrading locker rooms, restrooms, and concessions facilities. Sidewalks, trees, and parking spaces also will be added. The district likely will seek bids for that project to allow for construction to start in the spring or summer of 2013, Brown says.

The Jefferson project is the second of four elementary school projects similar in scope that will be funded through a $288 million bond voters approved in 2009.

The Westview Elementary replacement project, which is under way, is scheduled to be completed later this year. Leone & Keeble Inc. is the contractor on that project, and ALSC Architects PS, of Spokane, designed it.

The other major elementary school construction projects—Finch and Hutton—are scheduled to go to bid in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

The largest bond project is the Ferris High School renovation. It has an estimated construction cost of $59 million and is to be completed by the fall of 2013. Garco Construction Inc., of Spokane, is the contractor on that project, and Spokane-based NAC|Architecture Inc., designed it.