With less then a month before the 2005-06 school year, construction in the Clarkston School district is right on schedule and well within the budget.
Bruce Beamer, Director of Business Services, said 70 percent of construction is complete and the bills paid.
Beamer said the original voter approved bond of $83,735,000 increased to $85,266,310 due to $1.5 million in interest revenues. Beamer said the extra money has ‘rolled into the project.?
According to the July 15 financial report, $59,443,602 is paid in expenditures, with a balance of $25,321,062 available to complete the construction.
Supervisor of Operations Patrick Gallagher, with Skanska U.S.A., said the Community Education Center is near completion and furniture is arriving everyday. The Community Education building houses Renaissance High School, Special Education, the Post-High Program for Young Adults with Autism and many enrichment programs
‘It’s amazing the transformation, the windows are phenominal,? said Dr. Al Roberts Superintendant.
Roberts said the board wants to keep the building in its original 1930s art-deco styled splendor.
Gallagher says the following work is completed:
? Phase I, the remodeling of the interior of the Community Education Center has restored the old beauty of the building.
All classrooms are renovated with installation of new windows, new case work and cupboards, new carpet, and offset lighting.
The woodwork through out the building is sanded and refinished. The Terrazzo floors were patched with matching tile, and the old tile and glass jewels around the drinking fountains repaired.
A new power plant was installed, including new switches and gears, a new generator, hot water heaters and a boiler. Gallahger included the building is now connected to city water instead of the old well.
A new kitchen was installed for new life skills classes, a new exercise room, and new mens and women locker rooms.
Final touches are being completed and the school will be ready to open on Sept. 6.
? Gallagher said phase II began in mid-July with the demolition of the front half of Community Education Center. The demolition is complete and the footings for the new front of the building poured.
Construction of the new portion of the Community Ed. include a new atrium with a glass canopy between the old and new buildings, a multi purpose room, new kitchen, media center, and a shipping and receiving area.
Gallahger said the renovations are scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2006
? Upgrades to Clarkston High School are near completion.
Beamer said there is new turf on the all sports field, the track is repaired and there are new bathrooms at the baseball field.
Inside, there is a new spiral stairway going from the first floor gym to the second floor gym.
? Sashabaw Middle School recieved the largest amount of constuction. Almost completed are two floors on the west side of the building which include 28 new classrooms, two LGI rooms, a new media center with computer lab, a music room, a vocal room, instrument lockers, a new gym, a cafetorium, an elevator and new bathrooms.
All lighting in the renovated areas are motion censored, an energy saving feature.
? The biggest change to Clarkston Junior High is the housing of the old arches’they are now located inside a cement block storage area. Beamer said he was told this ends a Clarkston tradition of students climbing the arches to the roof of the school.
Renovation to the front of the junior high include the new auditorium and lecture room, both near completion. New voice and data wires were installed throughout the building for computers and phone systems. A renovated workout room adjourns the newly painted gym which included painting the ceiling white.
? There are three sections to the new Administration building: the administration section, the community section and the early childhood and Funshine Center section. The buildings are near completion with exception of the old administration building that is currently under renovation.
‘We had it built to look like a village. Each classroom is it’s own village, a village makes a community,? said Beamer.
Anita Banach, director of communications and marketing, said that construction is right on schedule and the teachers will report to school on Aug. 30 and students on Sept. 6.