Construction and renovation work is moving into high gear this summer at Riverside-Brookfield High School.
Two construction trailers are parked along First Avenue and a 350-ton crane is sitting in a fenced in area on the school’s front lawn as work begins in earnest on RB’s nearly $64 million renovation and addition project.
Workers are busy ripping out ceilings and drywall in classrooms that will be renovated and tossing it into the inner courtyard that will eventually be filled in to become the home for RB’s music programs. Other work starting this summer include the construction of a new auto shop across from the school, the new mechanical plant, remodeling 20 second floor classrooms and installing new mechanical systems for the East Gym and the gymnastics area.
Two web cams have been set up to provide streaming video of some of the construction activity to the high school’s website so that interested observers can watch some of the work as it takes place. The website can be found at www.rbhs208.org.
“We thought it would be a fun way to communicate with the public,” said Pat Sumrow, RB’s owner’s representative for the project. “It’s a safe way of visiting a construction site and it’s not disruptive to workers.”
The inner courtyard will be excavated this week. Next week concrete will be poured to begin to fill in the courtyard. The crane will be used to haul the dirt up and out of the courtyard and to bring in equipment and concrete to the courtyard, according to project manager Andy Totten of the James McHugh Construction Company, which is managing the entire project.
Totten said that approximately 25 tradespeople are currently working at RB. They include electricians, plumbers, pipe fitters, carpenters and demolition workers.
The foundation of the auto shop is expected to be completely laid by the end of this week, Totten said.
The workers are working around summer school at RB. No second summer session will be held this summer in order to give the workers greater access to the building.
Construction trailers, workmen and dust will be regular sights at RB over the next two years. Construction and renovation work will continue throughout the school year for the next two years. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by September of 2009.
When the project is complete RB will have, if everything goes according to plan, a new northwest entry area to the school, new science labs, 10 new classrooms, a field house, and a renovated and expanded swimming pool. In addition, the existing building will be completely renovated.
The project is being financed by a $58.9 million bond referendum that was approved by voters in March 2006 by a 55 percent to 45 percent margin.
Summer school classes are currently being held in the midst of all the construction activity and school officials vow that the construction will have as little impact as possible on students.