Middle school moving along

By Sandy James
Review Staff Writer

Published: June 26, 2008

The site design review is near completion and a building permit review is underway for the new county middle school on Route 601.
Moseley Architects updated the school board at the May 27 work session.
The current schedule calls for advertisement for bids August 15 and receiving of bids September 16.
Substantial completion is expected by May 24, 2010, and the school is slated for opening August 23, 2010.
According to Moseley’s estimates, with the currently volatile construction market and big increases in steel, plastics, diesel and asphalt, the project could cost between $42.4 million and $50.9 million, which still falls within the original estimate of $41 million to $51 million.
School Superintendent Dr. William Crawford said there were no changes other than the time line for bids and construction. Crawford said the information has been passed on to the Orange County Board of Supervisors.
District 5 School Board Member Jim Hopkins had concerns about the lunch room design.
A planned stage in the lunch room area will take up more space than he deems necessary.
“I’m concerned that we are building a school for three grades, and you can’t have one grade to eat at the same time,” said Hopkins.
Hopkins said there are only enough seats for 300 people and each grade will have 400 students.
“There are ways to work around it,” he said.
“Some of that can be taken care of by staggering lunch periods,” said Crawford.
Hopkins said whatever has to be done with the lunch schedule tends to control the schedule for the rest of the school day.
Crawford suggested this concern and others be relayed to the architects for feedback.
The plans currently call for a 1,200 student, two-story, 170,000 square foot school.
The site consists of approximately 49 acres and will accommodate the middle school and several parks and rec amenities.
The school amenities will include a football/soccer playfield, a baseball field, a softball field, a bus loop for 20 buses and 150 parking spaces.
Parks and Rec amenities will include a football/soccer playfield, a baseball field, two tennis courts, a playground and a volleyball court.
The exterior of the building will utilize two colors of utility brick, a metal roof, pre-finished metal soffit, a membrane roof at slope areas, aluminum storefront windows and curtain walls.
The majority of the floors will be vinyl composition tile, with carpet in the library, offices and guidance areas.
Restrooms will be tiled with ceramic and the kitchen and serving line with quarry tile. The main gym will have a wood floor and the auxiliary gym will have a synthetic floor.
Storage, mechanical, janitorial synergistic and art rooms will have sealed concrete floors.
Walls will be painted concrete masonry unit (CMU) with ceramic wainscot in corridors, commons area and group rest rooms.
Ceilings will consist of acoustic ceiling tile with open structure with cellular deck in commons and gyms.
Leadership in environmental design or “green” building practices are being incorporated into the design.