Construction on Three Piqua Schools Nears Completion

PIQUA, Ohio — Construction on both new Springcreek and Washington primary schools (K-3) in Piqua is almost 87 percent complete, while construction on the new Piqua Central Intermediate School (4-6) is about 53 percent complete. The consolidation of Piqua City School District schools into the three facilities will help save the district money in electrical, plumbing, heat and air-conditioning costs.

A dedication for both primary schools is scheduled for Dec. 7, and students will start to occupy the schools in January. Both of the primary schools’ new construction will provide about double the space of the old locations. The new construction at Springcreek is being built behind the current school, while the new construction for Washington school was built after the construction team demolished the former building.

Wapakoneta, Ohio-based Peterson Construction is serving as the general trades contractor on the primary school projects. The contractor, along with several subcontractors, is finishing up major construction items such as flooring installment in October and November, said Rick Hanes, superintendent for the Piqua City School District said in an editorial he wrote for DailyCall.com. Site work around the buildings including top soil distribution, grass seeding, sidewalks, asphalt and concrete driveways, and parking lots will be finished this fall. Final commissioning work for all of the mechanical systems will also be taking place during the next several months.

As construction enters the completion stages, the primary school buildings are starting to be filled with furniture, while loose furnishings such as desks, chairs, tables and cafeteria furniture will be delivered by November. Technology including telephones, classroom computers and pen-touch sensitive interactive projectors are being installed.

At the same time, Gilbane Building Companies, with offices in Columbus, Ohio, is constructing the new Piqua Central Intermediate School, which will have enough space to house about 850 students. Roofing installation is almost complete and will be finished by the end of September. Brick masonry will continue through October and into November with the goal of having window installation completed before the winter. Once enclosed, the interior work will progress, and the building is scheduled for completion in time for the 2015-2016 school year.

The Ohio School Facilities Commission is funding 47 percent (more than $25 million) of the three-school project, while the remainder will be matched locally by a bond issue passed in November 2011.