Trustees of the Tamalpais Union High School District have taken the first steps toward major renovations and new construction at two campuses.

Board members voted 5-0 Tuesday in favor of two agreements for architectural services on projects at Redwood High School in Larkspur and at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley. The agreements cover design planning for what are called the “signature” projects at each high school.

Karen Loebbaka, the board president, said district staff recommended approval of the contracts. They were awarded to Quattrocchi Kwok Architects of Santa Rosa.

Corbett Elsen, the district’s fiscal services director, said the signature projects were identified during a yearlong facilities master plan process. The plan was approved in April.

“While we are only at the planning stage, both of the proposed large projects at Redwood High School and Tamalpais High School will replace aging classroom buildings that are over 100 years old or portable classrooms 40 years beyond their lifespan in some cases,” Elsen said. “They would be replaced with modern classroom buildings supporting our science, music, art, math and auto shop programs.”

The project for Tamalpais High School is the demolition of four buildings in the rear of the campus that house math, auto shop, music and photography classes. The buildings, nearly a century old, would be replaced with a three-story math and science building.

At Redwood, the project is to renovate the cafeteria area adjacent to the district office into a large conference area and gathering space for students.

“Students at present don’t have any space to gather,” Elsen said. “The current Redwood cafeteria would be renovated and become a student commons building for students to gather centrally to build community. “

A new cafeteria is planned at the site of the art and music building.

“Given statewide universal free meals to all students, we would have a modern and larger kitchen and cafeteria that would serve the significantly higher volume of healthy, safe meals than what we are now serving,” Elsen said.

Each project is estimated to cost about $42 million, with a potential bond measure going to voters in March 2024 or November 2024. The agreements approved Tuesday only cover about $2.25 million each for planning.

Elsen said the $2.25 million architecture design planning fees for each of the two projects will be paid for out of a special district facilities fund known as the capital outlay reserve.

“If the board fulfills a bond measure later on, the facilities fund could be reimbursed for the cost of the architectural services from the bond measure proceeds,” Elsen said.

The trustees also unanimously approved a $422,000 agreement with Sage Energy Consulting in San Rafael to advise on the installation of solar energy panels, battery backups and electric vehicle charging stations at Redwood, Tam High and Archie Williams High School in San Anselmo.

Elsen said the energy improvements were recommended in the facilities master plan and will also be paid from the capital outlay reserve fund.

“The solar panels will pay for themselves in eight to 10 years,” Elsen said. After that, the district will be saving money on electricity costs, and the savings can be applied to the general fund for regular classroom operations, he said.

The Tam Union district has hired Mike Woolard, former executive director of facilities at Novato Unified School District, as senior facilities planning director to help oversee the new projects.