Backers of the agricultural bio-science school estimate it will cost $3 million to $9 million to renovate South High School, significantly lower than the state’s price tag of up to $23 million.

But one of the local estimates doesn’t address asbestos removal — which the state estimates could cost $1.75 million — nor does it call for complying with the state’s school renovation standards.

Science, technology, engineering and math schools like the new Global Impact STEM Academy are eligible for matching funds for construction through the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission after three years of enrollment figures are available, said Rick Savors, OFCC media relations manager.

To receive that money, schools renovating buildings have to be as compliant “as practical” with the agency’s design manual, a several thousand-page document detailing its standards on everything from acceptable construction materials to classroom size.

“STEM schools are compliant with the design manual ‘as practical,’ which in this case means working with the project team on specific applications of the standards and any necessary changes,” Savors said.

A state assessment this summer determined the cost of renovating a 70,000-square-foot section of South — less than a third of the building — to completely comply with the design manual at $23 million, more than double the Global Impact backers’ highest estimate of $9.6 million, according to documents obtained by the Springfield News-Sun.

That estimate could drop if the facilities commission determines some standards aren’t practical for the school’s purpose.

It doesn’t make sense to require a school that serves a different purpose and has different needs to adhere to the manual, said Springfield City School District Superintendent David Estrop, a STEM school board member.

For example, a STEM school can save money because it doesn’t need specialty rooms for music, lockers, special education, home economics or art.

“We’re talking about a STEM school with very different educational needs,” he said. “And we are not bound by all of the requirements in their design manual as a result of being a STEM school. Those two things make a world of difference in terms of the cost.”

The Dayton Regional STEM School is using $4.27 million of facilities commission money for an upcoming renovation, spokeswoman Laurie McFarlin said.

“We’re using those standards as a guideline in places, and in places where it makes sense to be in total adherence or compliance, that’s what we’re doing,” she said.

Global Impact has had two renovation estimates done for South, which closed as a school in 2008. One estimated the costs at between $6 million and $9.6 million and the second came in at about $3.1 million.

One potential requirement that could increase costs is the abatement of asbestos in the building. The OFCC estimate includes $1.75 million for asbestos abatement on a 2002 environmental assessment that determined that South High has more than 280,000 square feet of asbestos-containing wall and ceiling plaster and 21,000 square feet of asbestos-containing flooring that would need to be removed, according to documents obtained by the Springfield News-Sun in a public records request to the OFCC.

The $3 million estimate of the building’s renovation needs includes $750,000 for “minimal” abatement. The second estimate doesn’t include abatement costs.

Estrop disputed the need to remove asbestos because he believes it was already removed in 1980s and he doesn’t anticipate a major abatement.

Using the same building firm as the Dayton STEM School — Synergy Building Systems of Beavercreek — and the different needs of STEM schools gives Global Impact backers confidence in their figures, Estrop said.

“Those two things lead me to believe that Synergy’s probably very close to being on target with it,” he said. “If you look at this as a comprehensive high school and meet all the requirements of the OFCC manual, then their estimate is probably correct. But – and it’s a big but – this isn’t a comprehensive high school, so there are some things that they would call for in their design manual that the STEM school won’t need.”

The school’s financial plans include $4.5 million for the first wave of renovations necessary to launch the school, with the state’s matching $4.5 million to be used to complete the renovations after the required three years.

There is no timeline for the determination of how much OFCC funding the school will be eligible for, Savors said.

Ohio Sen. Chris Widener, who first proposed the school based on the growing agricultural science industry in Ohio, declined to be interviewed for this article or to answer questions emailed to him. He issued a statement lauding the Global Impact STEM Academy’s assets that he says will contribute to its success.

“Our community is committed and has donated a building and funds for renovation,” he said in the email. “METRO (STEM School in Columbus) or Dayton had neither when they started, and yet they have graduated 100 percent and give students an average of one-year free college credit while attending high school.”