High School renovation update

The New Richmond High School renovation project remains on schedule for an August 19 or earlier completion in time for the start of the 2010-2011 school year.

Retiring superintendent Tom Durbin inspects a third-floor classroom Thursday, July 22. The boxes contain ceiling tiles which should be installed by the end of this week following an electrical inspection.

"The asbestos people are finished and have moved out (July 22)and everything is on schedule," said retiring superintendent Tom Durbin, who is overseeing the completion of the project before his retirement Aug. 31. "The only concern we have is the new cabinets which were special ordered because of the space they must fit."

The second and third floors of the original high school building (built in 1965) are getting a complete facelift in this first phase of the $977,000 project. The bottom floor will be renovated during the summer break in 2011. The project includes the removal of all asbestos, new wiring, lighting, floors and ceilings.

An electrician does some last minute checks before the July 22 electrical inspection on the third floor. The new lighting system includes energy saving sensors which will automatically turn lights on when someone enters a classroom and turn lights off when everyone leaves the room.

Work on the third floor should be completed by the end of July.

"The painters are almost done on the third floor and they are ready to start re-hanging the refinished doors," said Durbin. "They will start installing the ceiling tiles after an electrical inspection (July 22) and then wax the new floors."


Workers from Central Insulation Systems completed asbestos removal from the high school and moved out July 22.