Renovating and enlarging Goochland Elementary School would cost an estimated $23 million, almost as much as a new school, representatives from Moseley Architects told the Goochland County School Board.

The board yesterday passed a resolution endorsing the project and requesting that supervisors issue bonds to fund it.

Board members originally wanted supervisors to approve building a 700-student elementary school for the central part of the county for $24 million. A majority of supervisors said voters would have to approve such a plan through a referendum.

Enrollment has been approaching capacity at the county's three elementary schools.

Supervisors have agreed to issue bonds to expand Byrd and Randolph elementary schools at a cost of $8.7 million. But the board put off issuing the bonds until the School Board looked into the cost of expanding Goochland Elementary School, for which county government leaders agreed to borrow money without a referendum.

Renovations at the 50-year-old school would accommodate 700 students and increase space from 44,000 to more than 100,000 square feet, Moseley architects said at last night's School Board workshop.

The architects are to present the plan to supervisors at their regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday.

Contact Calvin R. Trice at (540) 932-3674 or ctrice@timesdispatch.com.