The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
‘CERTAINLY CONCERNING’
Construction of new school running behind schedule
The construction of a new pre-kindergarten through 12thgrade school in the Fairport Harbor School District is proceeding slower than anticipated.
In fact, the project is 17 working days behind the estimated construction schedule that was established prior to the May 26 groundbreaking for the new school. An update on the construction project was provided this week by Fairport Harbor Schools Superintendent William Billington.
“I want to assure you that we are taking proactive steps to address the delays and mitigate their impact on the project,” Billington said. “We are working closely with our (project management) team to identify areas where we can make up for lost time and implement measures to improve efficiency.”
Billington posted this construction project update on the Fairport Harbor School District Facebook page.
The new school is being built on the current property of Harding Middle and High School at 329 Vine St. in Fairport Harbor Village. Plans call for the building to be situated on the green space and parking lot that is adjacent to Harding — along New Fourth Street, near the intersection of Vine — rather than within the footprint of the current building.
The new school is targeted to open at the start of the 2025-26 academic year.
Once it becomes operational, the district will demolish Harding, as well as McKinley Elementary School. Both buildings are more than 100 years old.
Billington said the fact that construction has fallen 17 working days behind schedule is “certainly concerning.”
However, he also noted that project manager C.T. Taylor Construction is confident about making up the difference between actual and desired progress during the summer months.
“Additionally, we plan to utilize the mild spring weather to
our advantage, maximizing our productivity during this time,” Billington said.
C.T. Taylor President John Hitchcock said construction schedules are “kind of living, breathing documents that are subject to acceleration and deceleration.”
“I think we’ve got plenty of time to do some creative things to get back on track,” he said, in a March 26 telephone interview. “We are fully expecting to have the project completed on time.”
Fairport Harbor School Board chose C.T. Taylor, which is based in Hudson, to serve as construction manager for the project. The board also selected ThenDesign Architecture of Willoughby to design the school.
The new 116,000-squarefoot school building will feature advanced technology; modern systems for building operations and safety and security; a central courtyard; and a new Fairport Harbor Public Library.
Billington, in his construction update, also reported on other aspects of the building endeavor, including:
• Masonry work: Progress continues on the masonry work, with a focus on bringing it up to the first floor bearing elevation on the north side of the building.
• Concrete Slab: Area 1 concrete slab on grade has been successfully poured, marking an important milestone in the construction process.
• Structural Steel: The structural steel for Area 1 (locker rooms and mechanical areas) was erected promptly to support the building’s framework.
• Precast Floor Plank: The precast floor plank for the first floor Area 2-A is expected to arrive on April 1, contributing to the progression of construction activities.
Fairport Harbor Schools secured more than $50 million for the school construction project through several sources. District voters approved a $5 million bond issue for the endeavor in the November 2021 election, and about $47 million in additional funding was allocated by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission in 2022.