SARANAC LAKE — The school district held its first building tour and informational meeting for its $18.8 million capital project at the Saranac Lake High School Tuesday night.

The meeting focused on the high school improvements, which will include replacing original 1969 windows, doors and air conditioners as well as electrical service and distribution panels.

“All of these windows are original,” Director of Facilities Vernon James said. “They’re not very energy-efficient as you can well see and feel. Actually if you spill any liquid on them in the wintertime on the frames inside they’ll freeze. These windows are pretty typical of what is in the classrooms and all throughout the original building, so it’s a huge chunk of change.”

The school will also renovate its library media center, add receptacles in classrooms, upgrade wiring to support a VoIP system and replace the fire alarm system, the PA system and a generator.

“The generator we have for the building is not big enough to power this entire building,” James said. “It does not power a lot. Basically all it powers is a few lights and the boilers.”

“Right behind the generator is where all the electric service comes into the building with all our transformers and the switch gear. That is original to when the building was built. I keep my fingers crossed every day that the lights come on and stay on all day long. That is one of the big major upgrades were doing here.”

One of the district’s main concerns is replacing the gym floors and the failing bleachers.

“We’re looking at replacing the hardwood floor because it has been sanded so many times that it can’t be sanded anymore,” James said. “It’s very dark, dull and needs to be repainted to begin with. Same thing with our bleachers, they’re very old and we’re constantly repairing them. We also don’t really meet the current standards for accessibility.”

The district is also seeking to replace deteriorated asphalt pavement, track areas and retaining walls as well as to connect the Industrial Arts Building to the high school, install new video surveillance and create a secure vestibule at the main entry.

“One of the major things we’ll be doing is safety and security upgrades,” James said. “We’re looking at upgrading the video cameras, the building access and the swipe-card systems. The way it works now, anybody that comes in pushes the button outside and Mrs. Plumb buzzes them in, lets them in, and once they’re in, they’re in.

“What we’re looking at trying to do in all the schools is to get a double entry, so once they come in the first door, they’re kind of locked in and can’t get access to the school until we know for sure they’re clear.”

The total project cost for the high school will cost $791,486 in Phase 1A, which officials anticipate will start in the summer, $6.3 million in Phase 1 which is expected to start in 2018 upon state approval, and $2.2 million in in Phase 2, which is anticipated in 2023.

The capital project will also include infrastructure, power and security upgrades to Bloomingdale Elementary School, the former Lake Colby Elementary School, which now offers day care services, Petrova Elementary and Saranac Lake Middle School and the bus garage.

School officials expect to tackle the project in three phases: a $2 million Phase 1A focused on Petrova and the high school, a $10.4 million Phase 1, and a $6.4 million Phase 2. The school will make general, electrical and plumbing updates to all schools in phases 1 and 2.

The district will also be holding meetings at the Petrova school library on Dec. 20 and at the Bloomingdale Elementary library on Jan. 5. Both meetings will take place at 6:30 p.m.

The capital project vote will take place from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Jan. 10 at the high school district office on Canaras Avenue.