Online edition serving Jacksonville, TX Wednesday, July 27, 2005  Local Sections Online Sections Services Circulation News Officials explain costs in school construction By Micah Bateman - Progress News Writer While residential construction in the East Texas area can be quoted as low as $40-$50 per square foot, architectural firms are giving local schools estimates more in the ballpark of $110 per square foot. What accounts for the disparity between the building costs between residential homes and educational facilities? Troup Independent School District Superintendent Marvin Beaty said it's due to the amount of traffic flowing through a school building. Beaty is currently working on a bond project package for Troup schools, including many classroom additions. The quote he said architects gave him for adding on to the pre-existing facilit

more...