WVHS renovation on track
The gaping hole in the side of the West Valley High School building along Buckeye Avenue is a good thing.
It means the school’s $29 million renovation is moving along as planned.
“They are actually ahead of schedule,” said Dave Smith, the district’s project manager and former school district superintendent.
West Valley voters approved a $35 million construction bond in May 2004 for the two-year renovation of the high school, and for additions to the district’s four elementary schools. About 50,000 square feet will be added to the high school, home to about 800 students.
Crews have been working since October on the construction of the new gym, locker rooms and concessions at the north end of the high school. The outline of the building is taking shape among the ladders and cranes.
This month, crews started tearing down the walls at the southeast end of the 45-year-old building to make way for a new entrance and business offices. The library space was gutted to make way for the grand entrance, which will feature a two-story marble and granite archway that once stood at the original West Valley High School at Trent and Argonne.
“They’ve really busted into the building,” Smith said. “There’s a lot of work to be done there.”
As the work progresses, students will be shifted to portable classrooms, which have already been placed on the school grounds. Work is set to begin on 13 new classrooms on the first floor facing Buckeye in February.
The library moved to its temporary home in the school’s metal shop, waiting for a permanent home where the cafeteria sits now. Work will begin there in November.
“We’ve set up a pretty nice facility” for the temporary library, Smith said.
Garco Construction of Spokane was awarded the bid in September for the renovation. The entire project is expected to be completed in the fall of 2007.
Smith said that one setback so far has been wind ripping through sheeting that was placed over the new gym to let crews do concrete work without moisture seeping in.
“The wind is blowing that out, and they can’t get in and do the kind of work they want to do,” Smith said.
Smith also said that a $35,000 wrestling floor for the new wrestling room at the high school, which was left out of the original contract bid, will now be included.
The state Legislature originally agreed to contribute $13 million in state matching funds for the project, but $4 million was added due to changes in that allocation.
Most of that money is being spent on cost increases, including helping offset the total contract price for the high school, which came in $1.8 million higher than expected.