Metal doorframes are leaned up against the block walls inside the new combined Ironton Elementary and Middle School, ready to be installed as soon as the block work is completed. There are stacks of block almost everywhere and sticking out of the concrete floors are pipes and other utility necessities. What was an open field at the end of the last school year is now very definitely a building-in-the-making. Work at the new school is on schedule, Ironton City Schools Superintendent Dean Nance said Thursday. Work at the high school is also on track.

K-8

Nearly all of the block work for the elementary/middle school has been completed and much of the combined

structure is under roof. The roof on the academic area of the building will be 30-year dimensional shingles but the gyms will have a sloped PVC roof and its supposed to last for the life of the building.

The heating and air conditioning systems are being installed.

Once the interior block work is complete, workers will begin adding the block veneer, doors and windows.

Nance said thus far into the project, the work has gone smoothly, with few problems.

“I can’t praise the architects and contractors enough,” Nance said. “I don’t have figures but this building has the least number of change orders of any school designed and built in the state of Ohio.”

Nance said the exterior of the facility should be completed by the time school starts in the fall. Work on the interior will begin after that and should take a year to complete.

The high school

A ground breaking for the new high school will be scheduled sometime after school starts in the fall, to allow students a chance to participate as they did at the ground breaking for the lower grades facility, Nance said.

But the work on the project is underway in spite of the lack of formalities. Footers are in place for the new gymnasium, locker room and band/music area. The footer for the new auditorium is being constructed now. Block is being delivered today and Monday and once that material is on site, workers will begin with block work.

“The gym and auditorium will be well out of the ground by the first football game and by the end of football season, the high school should be at the stage this (lower grades) building is now,” Nance said.

Keeping watch

The multi-million-dollar facilities have a security staff in place, particularly after-hours, to guard against thievery and trespassers.

The timeline

Both buildings are slated for completion by the fall of 2009. The total cost of the construction project is in excess of $48 million.