The Fulton school district’s $23.6 million construction project is back on track.
After a minor delay caused by the accidental destruction of asbestos-laden floor tiles in the auditorium of the Education Center building, the pace of work has picked up and Jerry Seguin, the district’s point man on the big project, told the Board of Education Tuesday night that things are generally “right on schedule”.
And a piece of bad news turned into good news. The district’s experts undercounted by 38 the number of windows to be replaced at the high school. But changing to a different type of window will save $73,000, enough to pay for the extra windows with some money left over.
Voters in 2007 approved the project, which will make repairs to every district building except the Erie St. School. A big chunk of the work will be done this summer, with some work continuing into the new school year. The rest of the major work takes place next summer.
At G. Ray Bodley High School, where an addition and new entrance will be built, the girls locker room and music rooms will be rebuilt, windows will be replaced and wiring and cabling will be improved, work is moving on schedule. Seguin said that the removal of asbestos from the girls locker room is complete and the demolition of the locker room is underway. Asbestos removal from the home and careers area is done and the district is waiting for final results of air tests. Several trees have been removed from the front entrance area to prepare for the construction of the new rooms and new entrance. Asbestos removal for the front entrance area and for the music rooms are yet to come.
A district resident asked the board to protect the remaining trees. Board member Robbin Griffin said that at least one tree is diseased and will have to be taken down and there is concern that the new construction will put stress on the root systems of some of the remaining trees. She said the problem’s being watched closely.
At the high school athletic complex, asbestos removal should be done by Thursday, Seguin said. When it is, contractors can move in to replace the track and install a turf football field. There’s a bit of a delay here, Seguin said, because the state has been slow to get back to the district with a final okay on the asbestos removal.
Work at Laningan elementary is “a little bit ahead of schedule”, Seguin noted. Asbestos removal in the primary wing is done, with removal underway in the secondary hallway and adjacent rooms. Demolition of the open wing is underway.
And at the Education Center, asbestos removal in the auditorium, delayed by the accidentally broken asbestos tiles, is complete as is removal in the elevator control room. The elevator is being demolished so it can be replaced. Work begins this week to tear down walls in the basement gym and to begin building new walls in the auditorium.
Griffin said she was disappointed to learn that the high school gym floor would not be refinished during this project. Superintendent of Schools Bill Lynch indicated that it appears to have been an oversight that the refinishing wasn’t in the project and “we are in discussion” with their experts to find out why.
All photos below courtesy Jerry Seguin/Fulton City School District:
Construction is underway at G. Ray Bodley High School, where trees have been removed from the front entrance area to allow for construction of a new entrance and wing of classrooms.
Asbestos removal underway at the athletic complex.
Another view of asbestos work at the athletic complex.
The front entrance area of Lanigan Elementary.
Farewell messages left behind in one classroom at Lanigan.
Asbestos removal is complete in the “open wing”.
Demolition is underway in the former “open wing” at Lanigan.
At the Education Center, asbestos removal is complete in the area of the old elevator.
The Education Center auditorium, with all seats removed and asbestos floor tile gone, ready for rebuilding.
