Builder Works Through Weather Delays on Middle School Construction Project

Hurricanes and endless rainy days can do a number on the timetable for any outdoor project.

For construction of the new, 200,000-square foot Phoenixville Area Middle School, that number is about 20, as in that’s how many days behind the project currently stands.

However, Phoenixville Area School District executive director of operations Stanley Johnson said the $56 million project is still on schedule for the three-story structure to be “closed-in by about Thanksgiving,” with nearly three-fourths of the roof currently completed and masonry work well on its way. Now it’s a race to beat the winter elements.

“It’s critical now to complete the interior utility work and drywall,” he said. “Most of the drywall work has proceeded, despite the weather.”

Work on the upper two floors of the middle school is slightly ahead of progress on the first floor due to at the site that were addressed this past spring.

Ground tests by engineers revealed a situation that required “grouting” to be done on the first floor, a process that involves digging holes, inserting tubes and then filling those tubes with a mixture of dense concrete and sand. The objective was to ensure that the foundation stays secure. Johnson said the work was completed successfully.

“That’s all behind us now,” he said.

While the grouting was underway, workers with Reynolds Construction Management, builder for the project, were able to move ahead with installing drywall on the second and third floors.

Progress at the site is monitored on a weekly basis, with a walk-through conducted by Johnson, Reynolds on-site construction superintendent Jerry Brandt and Reynolds project manager Jason Amrich. Various personnel from the district, including middle school staff, complete with hardhats, join project leaders as they review progress made throughout the site. During a recent tour, Johnson pointed out that workers were installing data lines and an HVAC system that includes heat and air conditioning throughout the building.

“Getting all the utilities activated means we can heat the building and begin work on interior details,” Johnson said. “Outside work will pick up in the spring. We can make fast progress once the weather’s warm.”

The new middle school will have three official entrances—a main entrance that leads to a central lobby and the school library, an auditorium entrance that faces City Line Avenue and a gymnasium entrance that faces the high school. Plans call for the auditorium and gym spaces to be available for district-wide use. In addition, the district can realize revenue from renting the auditorium for community events, or the gymnasium and athletic fields for hosting tournaments for various sports.

While navigating the three-story structure it’s easy to see certain spaces taking shape. The 9,600 square-foot auditorium, complete with orchestra pit; a spacious cafeteria; and the 10,000 square-foot gymnasium, with soundproofed walls, require little explanation. Hallways on the second and third floors reveal classrooms that measure between 800- and 900-square feet, with wide windows that take advantage of natural light.

According to middle school principal Dr. Troy Czukoski, who is a regular on the weekly walk-through, classrooms in the existing middle school are approximately 600-square feet. He said the larger size is in keeping with state standards for classroom size.

Czukoski said he has been working with district officials on plans for the new middle school for 3½ years. Research for what was needed at the new site included tours of new buildings in other area school districts.

“We looked at new buildings in the Radnor, Upper Merion and Daniel Boone school districts,” he said. “We borrowed concepts that we liked from each of the sites and incorporated them into our plans.”

Phoenixville’s new middle school is designed to hold 1,200 students, although only 900 sixth- through eighth-graders are expected to pass through the doors on opening day of the 2012-2013 school year.

“The new school will be less crowded as a result of the increased capacity,” Johnson said.

When it comes to the high school/middle school campus, Johnson said completion of the bridge linking traffic between the existing middle school and the high school was an important milestone reached in time for the start of the 2011-2012 school year. Other prominent project markers include:

• May 2010 – Construction begins on new middle school and administrative wing
• June 2011 – Installation of artificial turf at Washington Field and resurfacing of existing track complete
• June 2011 – Administrative staff takes occupancy of new administrative wing
• August 2011 – Construction of bridge linking traffic between existing middle school and high school complete

The remainder of the construction project timeline includes the following checkpoints:

• October 2011 – Demolition of former administrative building
• June 2012 – Completion of middle school construction
• July/August 2012 – Move furniture/supplies into new middle school
• Opening day 2012/2013 School Year – Students and staff take occupancy of new middle school
• September/October 2012 – Demolition of old middle school
• September/October 2012 – Construction of multi-purpose artificial turf field and other athletic fields at the site of the former middle school
• December 2012 – Completion of entire project