Update: Construction projects move forward during the winter
March 20, 2017
The Moorhead School Board accepted construction bids for the three elementary school remodeling projects and heard updates on the construction of the district’s new schools at the Feb. 27 board meeting.
Steve Gehrtz, Gehrtz Construction Services, explained that bids were received for the interior renovations that will be done this summer at Robert Asp, Ellen Hopkins and S.G. Reinertsen Elementary Schools. By bidding the projects separately, more contractors are involved, which allows for more people to work on the projects and meet timelines, Gehrtz said.
The board approved the base bid of $4,051,086 for the renovation work at the three elementary schools. This is 2.5 percent below estimates. An additional $794,890 will be spent on some scheduled deferred maintenance projects to create some efficiency in having the work completed in conjunction with the renovations.
With the awarding of the bids, materials can be ordered to be on site prior to construction starting. The work will begin the day after staff is done for the summer, Gehrtz said. Detailed schedules will allow these projects to be completed over the summer months.
At Dorothy Dodds Elementary School, only a small area by the commons and gymnasium still needed to be roofed in late February. By early March all the roofing was scheduled to be completed with temporary heat going in the entire building, Gehrtz said.
In the north classroom wing, drywall is being taped, and in the south classroom wing drywall is being installed. Heat and water piping were being completed by early March.
In March, interior framing will be done in the media center, kindergarten wing and administration area, and electrical and mechanical rough-in work will begin in those areas. It is anticipated that painting and ceiling grid work in the north classroom wing will begin by the middle of March.
Gehrtz said a revised schedule was developed, and they are staying on that schedule.
“We feel pretty good about where we’re at right now and where we need to be,” Gehrtz said.
Dan Kleist, Gehrtz Construction Services, provided the update for construction of the grades 5-6 Horizon Middle School West Campus.
“We’ve been really busy the last few months,” Kleist said.
The gymnasium, music and kitchen areas are all heated, and they are working on plumbing and electrical work before moving on to finishing work. In the commons, the curtainwall framing is going in.
“It’s an entire wall of glass on the side of the school,” Kleist said.
The south classroom wing is enclosed. The first floor has stud walls up, and mechanical and electrical contractors are working on installation of the plumbing, HVAC and electrical rough-in work.
In the media center and administration area that connects the two classroom wings, the first floor is enclosed and heated with ductwork and electrical work continuing. The masonry walls are going up for the second classroom wing.
Kleist said they worked hard to not lose time over the winter, with work continuing on the weekends.
“When we revised the schedule we hoped to be painting in March, and that’s where we’re going to be,” Kleist said of work on the first classroom wing.
Work will then progress into the second classroom wing. Site work around the outside of the building will happen this summer.
Photo: The south academic wing is enclosed as construction of the grades 5-6 school addition to Horizon Middle School progressed over the winter.
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