A scaled-back version of the Richholt expansion was approved Monday.

The project shrank to put it under budget before it goes to bid in the next four to five weeks. A parking lot, office space and some cabinetry were removed from the original plan, bringing the cost from $1.4 million to about $967,800.

The Bismarck School Board approved the smaller project at its meeting Monday.

About $1 million was budgeted for the project. The budget increased about $300,000 because of the proceeds from the sale of property on Front Street. The project will be funded by a $335,000 grant from Head Start, a pre-kindergarten program for low-income families, $300,000 in the district's general fund, $363,419 in the district's building fund, and from some of the proceeds from the sales of the property on Park Avenue and Front Street.

The project expanded beyond its original $675,000 budget because the building needed to have fire sprinklers to meet fire code.

A parking lot will be built on existing playground to compensate for the lost parking lot. Office space could be put into some space that will be along a diagonal hallway leading to the addition that will be in the north courtyard.

The hallway is diagonal to avoid moving a column, said project architect Jeff Welch of Jiran Architects.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@;bismarcktribune.com.)