12/18/2018 0 Comments Building Project UpdateBy: Anderson Prater
The giant grey walls that have replaced our beloved Fine Arts Center parking lot are beginning to look more and more like a part of each building each day. The old parking lot has become a busy construction site where the new addition to the school will stand next year. Set to open in 2019 the addition will be two levels, the lower level will contain a new gym, a new entrance into the High School along with new High School offices. There will be a new concession stand, two competition-sized locker rooms, a new training room, a new room for the refs to change and shower, and additional storage and custodial areas. On the second level, there will be a new office and rooms for the Community Ed programs, new fitness/weight room area that will include two small locker areas and adjoining bathroom/showers. The second-floor area is also the access to the new elevated walking track that will be suspended over the gym floor on 3 walls. With a project this size, problems are inevitable. We asked Head Custodian Joe Frace what the biggest issue the construction crews have faced so far were, he answered, "Space, There are many tradespeople and materials that go into building anything this size. On a daily basis, there can be up to 30 people going in and out of the construction site along with the large materials such as roof trusses that need to be brought in. " The construction site is constantly buzzing with activity, and if thirty people weren't enough the site is also home to some big machinery. "As of right now, this job site alone has had four different [cranes]" Joe France explained, "The largest one was 175 feet tall and could lift 250 tons. Just finding the space for all these things is challenging and every morning at 7:45 am there is a meeting to plan the day's events so the day will run smooth." Despite the number of people and cranes crammed into such a small space, the project remains on schedule. Joe France told us, "[The construction crews] were planning on working in the winter weather from the get-go. They have heaters currently set up in the lower level so that concrete can be poured next week." The workers will continue despite the cold to keep on track. Currently, the plumbers are finishing laying the main sewer lines so that the main concrete floor can be poured, The new main electrical panels should be in this week and will be installed as soon as they get in. And the main power coming to the school is complete except for the wire has to tunnel bored under the railroad tracks to the east of the school where they will be connected to a new power pole. Finally, the roof over the rest of the new addition will be completed in the next few weeks as soon as the gym air handling unit comes in. The workers have plenty to keep them busy over the next few weeks and we at the Jaguar Journal will keep producing updates as the building gets closer to its grand opening.
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