Students returning to three York County schools in September will come back to upgraded buildings.
More than $4.4 million renovation projects at Grafton Bethel and Magruder elementary schools, the Grafton middle and high school complex are on pace to wrap up before the first day of classes in the York County School Division on Sept. 8.
Grafton Bethel and Magruder both received upgrades to building heating and air conditioning systems, along with partial roof replacements. A key part of the Magruder project was the addition of air conditioning in the gymnasium, along with the replacement of the roof above it.
The total cost of the work at Magruder was $3.1 million, slightly up from earlier estimates of about $3 million.
This was the fourth year of summer construction at Grafton Bethel, and YCSD Associate Director of Capital Plans and Projects Mark Tschirhart said it would be the last. In addition to the heating, air conditioning and roof upgrades, the school also underwent a refurbishment, which included restroom renovations, the replacement of original caseworks and fixtures, and repainting.
The total cost of the work at Grafton Bethel amounted to $650,828.
The Grafton complex received a partial roof replacement and interior repairs. Tschirhart said the building had experienced problems with draining and leaking on the building’s roof. The work performed this summer sealed the building’s windows and reconfigured portions of the roof to allow for easier drainage.
The high school side of the building is scheduled to receive a full roof replacement in fiscal year 2018, which begins July 1, 2017. The middle school will receive a roof replacement the next year. The repairs made this summer could push back the need for those new roofs, Tschirhart said.
The cost of this year’s work on the complex totaled about $697,000.
Two other projects of smaller scale in the division included rubberizing the track surface at Tabb and Grafton high schools, and replacing kitchen equipment throughout the school division. The total cost of those projects was about $500,000.
Tschirhart said the school division had relatively few projects going on this summer.
“Next summer is going to be busier,” he said Monday night in a construction update to the school board.
The major project next summer will be the beginning of work to expand Waller Mill Elementary School. The school division is preparing for a two-year expansion and renovation of the school. Preliminary preparation began this summer, and major work is expected to begin in the summer of 2016.
YCSD has pointed to existing capacity issues at Waller Mill as a major reason for building a new elementary school. Last year, Waller Mill exceeded its maximum instructional capacity of 235, but was within the maximum building capacity of 235.
Tschirhart said the school division had received 10 bids for the work, with a low bid of about $6.4 million. Once the contract is signed, Tschirhart said work would begin on putting in a stormwater retention pond.
“You won’t see anything above the ground for a while [construction-wise],” Tschirhart said Monday.
The project is expected to be completed in January 2017.
Related Coverage:
- York County School Division Begins Summer Construction Program
- Two Sites in Play for New York County Elementary School
- YCSD Capital Plan Includes $30 Million for New Elementary School
- York County School Board, Supervisors Look for Elementary Capacity Solution
- Grafton Complex Gym Completed, Open to Students Soon
