The Brookings School District Board of Education on Wednesday hired a Sioux Falls architectural firm to design the Phase III reconstruction project at Brookings High School.

Superintendent Roger DeGroot announced, after discussions with the Board and Phase III committee, that of the four firms that gave presentations, Koch Hazard Architects was the one that best met the district's needs. Four firms competed

Koch Hazard competed against Architecture Incorporated, a Sioux Falls company; Banner Associates, Inc., Brookings; and designArc, also of Brookings. According to the superintendent, there were several reasons the Board chose to go with Koch Hazard.

DeGroot said that the board and members of the Phase III committee liked that the firm showed creativity , that its resources and reputation were "outstanding ," and that the board and committee appreciated the fact that the firm presented multiple, thorough plans for the project.

"One of the things the committee said, was that they felt 'wowed' beyond expectation by this firm," said DeGroot. "They presented a complete proposal and did exactly what the board requested they do." Three concepts proposed

Koch Hazard presented the board with three different concepts for the project, the highest estimated at $7,217,000 and the lowest, $6,845,000.

The architects' fee for the project will be 5.6 percent of the final project cost.

Founded in 1961, Koch Hazard Architects is a professional service firm of 27 architects, planners and interior designers . The firm practices on a regional basis with clients in South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa.

According to DeGroot, the next step in the project sequence takes place Tuesday. He and BHS Principal Paul von Fischer will meet with representatives from the architectural firm to approve a timeline for the project and decided when to start meetings with the public and others involved with the project .

DeGroot said the board's goal of letting bids for a general contractor for the project by the first part of February still remains. He said the group hopes to get a good start on the project in late spring or early summer of 2010.

In other matters, the board hired a music teacher for Mickelson Middle School, DeGroot said. The teacher is a Volga resident, Jessica Enderson. The board also approved a long-term (1 year) absence without compensation for Linda Johnson, K - 3 guidance counselor for Medary Elementary for personal reasons .

Contact Amanda Palluck at apalluck @brookingsregister.com.