Urbana’s new school buildings progressing

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Urbana City Schools’ two new school buildings are moving along, with construction ongoing of the new high school and dirt being moved for the new elementary/middle school.

The high school, being built next to the current high school, is getting closer to being completely enclosed. Steel for roofs is being delivered, Superintendent Charles Thiel told the Urbana school board Tuesday. New water lines and storm sewer lines were recently installed to serve the new school.

Earthwork has begun at the pre-kindergarten to eighth grade building on South U.S. Route 68, Thiel said. As part of that project, there will be a little widening of the entry to Campground Road for a second, emergency-only access point to the school. That additional entrance from Campground Road was required by the Urbana Fire Department, Thiel said.

The district is still finalizing the purchase of a neighboring three-acre parcel next to where the elementary/middle school will be built, Treasurer Mandy Hildebrand said. Once that is purchased, district administrators will combine it with the 68.9-acre parcel where the school will be built. The three-acre parcel will be the location of the main entrance to the school site. And once that property is purchased and combined, annexation of the entire property into the Urbana city limits can begin.

Bids have been received for the elementary/middle school, and the construction manager is working through finalizing the contracts for those services, Thiel said. The bids came in below estimates, so Thiel said the hope is to add more features to the buildings with the savings.

Currently, the construction manager estimates the high school can be occupied by students in spring 2018. The elementary/middle school could potentially be occupied by students in January 2019, Thiel said.

“A year from now, we’ll really know where that building will end up at,” he said.

By Casey S. Elliott

[email protected]

Casey S. Elliott may be reached at 937-652-1331 ext. 1772 or on Twitter @UDCElliott.

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