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November 2019 - Posts

Hello,

Below is a construction update so everyone is up to date on what is happening. Attached are some pictures of construction progress. 

·       NS

o   Preschool Space – steel is erected.  Crews are putting on roof decking and walls are being built.  Steel crew is expected to be completed this week and then move to the cafeteria.  Roofing company will be starting to construct curbs and blocking and then get started with roof material. 

o   Cafeteria/Kitchen – Masonry crew is making progress on block walls. Once completed with the block walls they plan to start on brick work. Steel construction for the roof is scheduled to begin next week. 

o   Overall – the plan is to have both the preschool space and cafeteria space enclosed before Christmas. Once enclosed and detail work completed, the floors will be poured. Construction crews plan to set the connecting steel beam between the kitchen and new space over holiday break. Plumbing lines have been run from the boiler room to the new space across the roof.  Plumbing work in the boiler room is progressing. Plumbers are working on preparing the system to run both steam and hot water. The NS kitchen is scheduled to be closed beginning March 2nd. Plans are being made to make this a seamless transition.  A crew will be doing some abatement work over Thanksgiving.  Fortunately most all of the underground utility lines were able to be dug in before frost came so early. Discovery Kids is working on getting things lined up to move playground equipment and fencing to the NS location.

·       BHS

o   North classrooms/collab space - All site preparation, utility work  has been completed.  Footings and foundation walls have been poured and back filled. As shown in the picture with enclosed plastic, masonry walls are being built.  Next is getting the steel on site to begin setting steel. 

o   Secure Entrance:  Footings and foundation walls have been poured and back filled. The next step is setting steel for the entrance.  Construction crews are planning to begin demo work and construction in the ITV room in the next 3-4 weeks.  This work needs to be done so hopefully community ed can move into that space over the summer, instead of having to move to a temporary location over the summer and then move again. (The current community education space will be remodeled this summer to be one larger space for a teacher work room).  

o   Performing Arts Center:  Crews are working on pouring footings.  Next week a sanitary line will be dug in connecting to the receiving room.  Once footings are poured, the next step will be setting the pre-cast walls, toward the end of January.  There is other detail work that will be completed before pre-cast are set. 

o   Overall:  The plan is to have the north area enclosed in January. Work will continue on the secure entrance.  The receiving room will be dug up for the sanitary line next week.

·       It is wonderful to see progress on these projects and to watch the spaces really take shape. The NS entrances should be consistent now for a long time.  Thank you to everyone for the patience and understanding as utility work was being completed and entrances were changed!  While it is not easy, especially with our younger students, your patience was amazing.  The Design Team spent over 13 hours last week going through the different spaces and all of the design details, and hours during other meetings. They are doing a great job pulling the overall project together in terms of design. Also attached are some of the most current renderings of the different spaces.

Please contact me with any questions. 

Sincerely,

Dennis

Construction NS 11-21-19 01

Construction NS 11-21-19 02

Construction HS 11-21-19 01

Construction Renderings 11-21-19
Posted by Guest  On Nov 21, 2019 at 2:53 PM
  
Below is a construction update.  Despite the unseasonable cold weather, good progress continues on the construction projects at both buildings.

·       Crews have completed digging utility lines north of BHS.  The schools buses will return to loading and unloading north of BHS today (Friday).

·       The sanitary line running out of the front entrance at BHS has been dug and connected to the city line.  The sanitary line from the receiving room is scheduled to be dug in next week.  Part of the concrete floor in the receiving room will be removed to make the connection.  There is also a collapsed pipe in the receiving room that needs to be replaced at the same time. The good news is that the line can run under the hallway floor. 

·       Footings, footing walls and backfilling has been completed on the north BHS classrooms and collaborative space.  Plumbing crews have mostly completed plumbing work for those spaces.

·       Concrete crews are pouring footings for the performing arts entrance and along the BHS cafeteria today (Friday). Next week they will pour the footing walls for that smaller area.

·       At some point next week BHS door #1 will be reopened and door #2 will be closed. We are making every effort to minimize the amount of jumping back and forth between entrance doors.  

·       Starting later next week digging will begin at BHS door #2 for the secure entrance and footings will be poured.

·       Once the secure entrance area is poured, crews will move back to complete the footings for the performing arts center.  

·       Once all of that work is done, the BHS areas will be a little more quiet for about 2-3 weeks until the steel arrives. 

·       The performing art center walls will all be precast and those walls should arrive later in January. 

·       At NS the main utility lines have been dug in.  There is some tile to dig in the front of NS as well as some drain work around the preschool playground.  The early freezing temperatures are not helping as crews try to dig through frost. That is why there are frost blankets being placed over concrete and dirt piles. 

·       NS preschool space is taking shape.  Steel is being constructed. Most of the steel should be up in the next 2 weeks, but crews will be installing roof decking and other details which takes a little longer. 

·       Next week carpenters will be on site to start building walls in the preschool space. 

·       Masonry walls are going up in the cafeteria space at NS. The main wall has been completed and crews have moved to building the west wall.  There are many utilities that run through the main wall so that wall took more time to construct.

·       Steel contractors will be moving to the NS cafeteria in the next 2 weeks to put up the roof structure. 

·       Looking forward:

o   Both spaces at NS are scheduled to be enclosed by the end of December. 

o   Crews plan to install the required support beam in the NS kitchen wall over the holiday break.  The kitchen will still be usable. This way crews can continue to make the connection to the old building.

o   The kitchen at NS will be closed starting March 2nd.  All of the demo work and new construction in the NS kitchen will not get completed in time for the next school year if it is not closed early to allow for more construction time. There have been meetings with Food Service and plans are being made on preparing and serving meals during this transition.   

·       The Design Team has been meeting to pick out colors that are coordinated throughout the District.  In addition to wall colors, window tints, window and door frame colors, exterior metal, etc. are being selected. The Design Team traveled to the Wells Concrete plant in Albany to look at precast wall textures and colors for the performing arts center. The Design Team is also reaching out to users to get details for certain areas.  Thank you to the Design Team for the many hours they are dedicating to this process

·       Furniture:  Work is also being done on  furniture. This is mostly for furniture in the entrances to buildings, cafeteria tables at NS, seating outside of the performing arts center, and collaborative space.  Work is being done with two separate companies to get different ideas for furniture and competitive prices.

·       I want to thank the bus drivers, van drivers, staff, students, and parents for their flexibility as drop off and pick locations at both buildings have changed! Great job.    

 

Thank you to everyone for your patience during this process. It is exciting to see spaces taking shape.  Construction is on schedule.  Please contact me should you have any questions. 

Sincerely,

Dennis  

Dennis Laumeyer
Superintendent
Benson Public Schools
320-843-2710

NS Construction - Kitchen area
 

NS Construction - Preschool area
Posted by Guest  On Nov 08, 2019 at 1:53 PM
  

 Monday and Tuesday, November 4 and 5, crews will be digging in a utility line on Elizabeth avenue, north of the auxiliary gym. There will not be any parking on Elizabeth Avenue Monday and Tuesday. School buses will be dropping students off before school in front of the Junior High and picking students up on the east side of Benson High School where there Trades House is built.  There should be no parking in the area around the storage shed and by the receiving room entrance after school on Monday and Tuesday so the buses can get through that area. 

·       NS

o   Street utility work is completed so Nevada Avenue in front of NS is back open. One tile line still needs to be dug in along the front of the school. 

o   Masonry crews are laying blocks in the cafeteria area.   

o   Underground lines have been put in for the preschool space and steel is scheduled to start being put up on Monday. 

o   Demo work has been done on the Bathrooms and entrance. 

o   The plan is to close down the NS kitchen starting March 2nd.  Plans are being made for this transition.  There is much demo work and construction to be done in the kitchen so it is ready for the 20-21 school year.

o   Hopefully the spaces are enclosed in December

·       BHS

o   Footings and footing walls have been poured for the new classrooms and collaborative space.  They have completed backfilling the space.  Next plumbers will be running pipes in the area. 

o   Next week some time, most likely Thursday, door #2 will be closed as crews dig footings for the new secure entrance.  They will then move to the performing arts center to dig footings. 

o   The new sanitary line on the south side of BHS has been completed out to the street.  The plumbers will be connecting the line from the school out to the manhole in the front of the school, most likely next week.  So there will be a brief time when door #1 is closed off for this work.   

Posted by Guest  On Nov 07, 2019 at 11:01 AM
  
 
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