SCS Huge Building Project in the Homestretch

SCHOHARIE — Schoharie Central School's $25.9 million building project is entering its final stages.

Superintendent David Blanchard gave school board members an update on the project that is transforming the elementary school at their June 18 meeting.

"There's a lot of work left to complete," Mr. Blanchard said.

The contractors are not concerned with getting the work done on time, he added.

"I’m not concerned about it being completed this fall," Mr. Blanchard said. "As expected in the contractors schedules, everything is on schedule. We’ve pushed hard to have everything done by the first week in September, ahead of schedule, when students return and we may be a week or two into the school year."

Work in several areas continue this summer, he said.

"The weight room, kitchen,  cafeteria  elevator, handicap ramp, and windows in the 1999 wing are finished or will be finished this week," he said in late June. "The gym flooring will need time to acclimate and appears to be on track for the end of August when the fall sports season starts. Elementary classroom windows will all be replaced starting this week. We are told they will be done at the end of August." The window replacement will take about a day and a half per classroom.

Huge cranes were brought on site to place the air handlers on the new gym roof, an important step for temperature control in August when the floor is being put down, Mr. Blanchard said.

Despite the amount of work to be done, he is confident it will be completed this fall.

"There is a lot of work in a short time, but I believe there will be a large punch list this fall. The project will be significantly complete by September."

Mr. Blanchard also noted that the project is "financially in good shape and within budget."

When completed, the construction would combine the current "1976" gym and elementary school cafeteria into a much larger gym with a stage at one end, move the cafeteria into the current elementary school library, and move the library to the current "1952" gym.  In addition, classrooms will be facelifted and painted, bathrooms will be upgraded and there will be plumbing upgrades in the 1952 wing.

The transformation of the elementary school began late last summer and has continued through the rest of the fall, the winter, the spring and now the summer. 

Though many parts of the elementary school have been altered, the teachers and students were "extremely cooperative" and there have been "minimal interruptions," Mr. Blanchard said earlier this year.

Concrete work was done in December as the concrete truck poured floors in several areas including the rebuilt gym, the cafeteria, and the kitchen in the elementary school. The walls then went up.

The project has had a major impact on the elementary school installing a new gym and relocating the cafeteria and library, among other work.

The bids were awarded in August and work began in the beginning of September. Construction and break down areas were installed around September 15,

In addition to the work in the elementary school, other areas are seeing upgrades including the high school gym locker room, the training rooms, and the fitness center. 

Last year, board members approved four bids for the project. The district received four bids for general construction and approved a bid from Murnane Building Contractors for $9.1 million. There were six bids for mechanical work, and board members approved a bid from Crisafulli Mechanical for $1.5 million. There were five bids for the electrical work and board members approved a bid from SW Burke Electric for $1.4 million. The district received five bids for the plumbing work and board members approved a quote from Tri-Valley Plumbing and Heating for $631,000.

The lights for the tennis courts and softball fields were completed in mid-October.

The $25.9 million project was approved by voters in May 2022. The project does not require any new local taxpayer funds as state aid and the current building reserve will cover the costs.