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Catching up on construction |
The flurry of activity at Mabel Rush
and Ewing Young elementaries, as well as NHS, on schedule |
By Schellene
Clendenin, Newberg
Graphic reporter
E-mail Schellene at
sclendenin@eaglenewspapers.com
|
Not long after kids moved out of their classrooms at Mabel Rush and
Ewing Young elementary schools in June, construction crews went to
work. At first the schools looked like they were part of a
demolition exercise rather than a renovation effort.
In a scene reminiscent of the destruction wrought by a tornado,
walls and ceilings, floor tiles and entire sections of Mabel Rush
were pulled down, said Paul Frankenburger, director of physical and
plant services for the school district.
“It’ll be a while before it gets healed,” he said.
Renovation on the 45-year-old 53,700 square foot school will
include adding classrooms, a cafeteria and media center; adding
space for kindergarten and music classrooms and an expanded parking
and parent pick-up area.
Included in the renovations inherent in Bid Package 3, Mabel Rush
and Ewing Young elementary schools and Mountain View Middle School
is the installation of security systems, according to Claudia
Stewart, communications specialist for the school district.
Construction crews are in the midst of demolition and underground
work and plumbing at Mabel Rush, Frankenburger said. “They’ve formed
and poured the foundation for an addition and excavated and placed
the base rock for the driveway.”
Corridor ceilings were removed in order to raise them and
accommodate duct work and plumbing, as well as opening up the area
to allow more daylight into the building.
“The ceilings were too low with no place for mechanical chase duct
work and plumbing, so we created one,” Frankenburger said, adding
that asbestos removal is nearly complete, although there may be some
incidental asbestos found in pockets of the building.
Licensed environmental contractors removed and are still removing
floor tiles containing asbestos at Mabel Rush, Stewart said in an
e-mail. Some of this work was done last summer in anticipation of
construction start. The contractor should be done with the asbestos
removal in approximately one week.
Adding to the appearance of destruction to Mabel Rush is the
removal of bathrooms, the cafeteria, the front entryway, windows,
some of the walls and big pieces of the roof, Frankenburger said.
“There were a lot of things wrong with (the building),” he said.
The plumbing in the building was in poor shape, he maintained: much
of it was underground and had deteriorated to the degree that it had
to replaced. Insulation will also be installed. Prior to the
renovation there was little insulation except for in the roof.
There will be some fairly large additions to the school, including
a new media center placed in an area that formerly was the
courtyard, and enlarging the cafeteria.
Construction is on schedule, Stewart said, and should be completed
by April 2005.
The amount meted to Mabel Rush from a $46.3 million bond passed by
voters in 2002 is more than $5.6 million. Bid Package 3, which
includes improvements to Ewing Young Elementary and Mountain View
Middle schools totals slightly more than $8 million.
The dust has yet to settle at Ewing Young Elementary.
“Contractors are cutting skylights in the roof and have demolished
big portions of the office,” Frankenburger said.
The foundation and slabs except for the main entry have also been
poured, he added. Crews are focusing on the interior renovation
portion of the project. The district set aside more than $1.8
million for the renovation in the bond.
Contractors will renovate the 22,557-square-foot school, add
kindergarten and music classrooms, replace flooring, construct a new
well, modify or expand the existing sand filter and septic systems,
add parking and revise the bus pick-up area, Stewart said.
Renovation is on schedule, she added, and should be completed in
August. The addition is slated to be in place by January 2005.
Also a part of Bid Package 3, MVMS is on schedule and doing well,
Frankenburger said. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning
modules (HVAC) are the most complicated aspect of renovation at the
school and the work is well underway.
Currently contractors are working on the mechanical system, framing
and flooring at the school. Work will include interior renovation
for additional storage, a staff work area and student health room,
installation of a chiller and addition of chilled water coils to
existing fans, cleaning and resealing the brick exterior and new
floor finishes included in the more than $600,000 bid price.
Construction should be complete at the middle school this
month, Stewart added, and mechanical improvements in September. |
|
From
Aug. 7,
2004, Newberg Graphic
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