GREENE – The Greene Central School District is back in construction mode this summer, but school officials say the district’s $36.1 million building project is on schedule and under budget.
“There is a lot in progress,” reported Business Manager Mark Rubitski, explaining that many pieces of the project were 75 to 80 percent complete mid-way through July. The remainder is slated for completion by the time students return in September.
According to Rubitski, construction crews were able to get on site by mid-June, so they were “all ready to roll” when school let out for the summer.
“We really got off to a great start,” he said. “They hit the ground running.”
Approximately $19.6 million of the project’s total budget was allocated for work at the district’s Middle/High School. Rubitski reported that installation of the new turf field and track have been completed, and all drainage issues related to the hillside at the Northwestern edge of the campus have been addressed. This last, he explained, was put to the test this spring.
“Everything worked great,” he said.
Work currently in progress at the Middle/School high school campus includes, perhaps most visibly, the construction of a new corridor connecting the two schools. Located under the “bridge,” where there was once a driveway between buildings, the newly constructed space will serve as the Middle School’s main entrance once it is complete.
In addition, work continues on both the Middle and High School main offices and the business office, which have been relocated temporarily. Contractors are also finishing up installation of the new geothermal heating system, which is due to be online prior to the start of school this fall.
At the Intermediate School, the new gymnasium is nearing completion. The building operated without a gym for the duration of the last school year, with physical education classes making creative use of classrooms and hallways, and taking advantage of every opportunity to be outdoors.
“I give them credit,” Rubitski said, referring to the physical education staff. “They did a nice job.”
Last summer, an addition was put on the school, creating four classrooms which will serve as a fine arts suite, with music and art all in one location.
“When school opens ... they will all be in their permanent home,” the business manager reported.
In the Primary Building, Rubitski said they are “finishing up” installation of the new heating system. A third was done last summer, he explained, with the remaining two wings slated for completion by September.
Not only is the project keeping to its timeline, but it is also significantly under budget: Roughly $6 million under budget, Rubitski told school board members in early July.
Since the money was authorized by voters for a capital project, the district is limited to either putting it back into a secondary, phase II project or applying it to debt service, he explained. According to the business manager, the district started looking at its options in that regard in December, drawing up a “wish list.” At most, he said, they will look at applying half of the available funds to a second project, based on the board of education’s approval. And as they have already spent all it can at the Middle and High School, they will need to look at the Bus Garage and Primary School, he added. One of those options being additional work on the school’s baseball field.
“Now we’re looking to put a contract in place with our architects and engineers,” Rubitski said, referring to Tetra Tech.
The possibility of a secondary project will be discussed further at the next meeting of the Greene school board, scheduled for 7 tonight in the High School Library.