MT. VERNON — Mt. Vernon Township High School claims the new maintenance building could cost less than previously estimated.

Early numbers projected the potential cost of the new building to be in the range of $900,000 to $1 million. These numbers are not outdated as they pertained to a larger project.

Original plans included a possible building to be used for maintenance storage, athletic storage, and activities storage as well as for football stadium concessions and restrooms. It is unclear if the new building would still be designed for all of those features.

It is the cost of the proposed structure that was debated at the MVTHS Building Committee meeting on Monday. Members of the audience who spoke claimed that $1 million was a high estimate for a building the size of 15,000 square-feet.

Currently plans indicate that a maintenance building would be a pre-engineered metal structure with concrete flooring. The building would also have plumbing, electrical, security and technology capabilities. The board expects proposals from up to 8 architecture firms and will narrow those to three finalists. Actual bids for construction would not be solicited until later in the process.