For those wondering if work is progressing well enough for the new Johnson Elementary could possibly meet the August 2018 opening date that Harrison County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Manchin has repeatedly said will happen, right now it appears such will be the case.
As work continues in earnest by City Construction, Assistant Superintendent of Schools Anthony Fratto says the site is progressing nicely. And for now, on schedule.
“I’ve talked with (Clerk of the Works) Neil Quinn and (Director of Maintenance) Joe Ammons (Wednesday) and they both said that things are going very well. There have been a few snafus and issues that have arisen, which is to be expected on a project of this scale,” said Fratto. “The good news is that there is nothing major that has arisen and things are moving right along.”
While much of the work is visible from Johnson Avenue, a lot of work that is being done is likely not visible to most. And it’s involving the first piece of the $17 million project that will be completed.
“The contractors are anxious to get the new restrooms done. Neil is focusing a lot on that right now with the contractor to make sure the restrooms are out of the flood plain and they’re ready when they need to be ready,” said Fratto.
The restrooms in question aren’t those that will be situated inside the new school for those who may have believed Fratto’s comment to be a bit unusual. Instead, they’re the restrooms that will serve Wayne Jamison Field. The old restroom facility was demolished due to it being in the footprint of the new school.
“We want, and need, those done by the first part of August,” said Fratto. “Obviously, once teams start practicing there and you have scrimmages that will be taking there will be members of the community coming to watch and you’ll need restrooms. There’s a lot of particular items that need to be addressed with restrooms and we have faith the contractor will not only address those needs, but will have them finished on time.”
Fratto said the contractor, City Construction, is good about providing accurate details on the status of projects. Because of that, he feels good about where everything is at right now.
“They’re straight shooters and have been in past projects. If there’s something that would jeopardize the timeline they would let us know. It’s still early, but so far so good,” said Fratto.
Fratto also said that the traffic plan for the first day of school, which is August 15 for students, is primarily in place. He said the plan, which was worked out last spring and involved the stakeholders, can be modified if problems arise.
“It’s flexible and we will make changes if necessary,” said Fratto. “We’re confident it will work, but we’re also pretty sure it’s going to be an inconvenience to some people because it’s going to be slower. We recommend that if someone lives on a bus route that the student take the bus. That’s only a recommendation as how the child gets to school is a family decision.”
The plan will be released publicly prior to the start of school. Although in place,changes could be made based on the progress of the construction.
Editor's Note: Top aerial photo of the construction site is by Ben Queen of www.benqueenphotography.com. Bottom photo shows Assistant Superintendent of Schools Anthony Fratto. In the link below are several additional aerial photos from the work.
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