Demolition continues on North Mercer campus

A construction worker uses a steel beam with his excavator to sweep through rubbles of concrete at the North Mercer campus. Demolition and abatement work is expected to be completed by February.

image credit: Joseph Livarchik/Mercer Island Reporter

As the Mercer Island School District prepares to send Elementary #4 out for bid next week, construction crews continue demolition and abatement work on the North Mercer campus.

Project manager Brandy Fox said crews are continuing abatement in the main gym and theater building while the classroom building, with interior abatement complete, is well into demolition, with crews removing roofing materials and sorting the scraps of concrete from metal.

"It's like peeling an onion, you're peeling layer after layer off," Fox said of the demolition work. "It's more of a process than it was 20 years ago, but it's something we anticipated in our schedule and everybody anticipates that now."

Most of the demolition materials, which are sorted as concrete, steel, and general debris, are recyclable. One worker on-site noted crews were able to recycle "everything but wood" and roofing insulation.

"It's the only cost-effective way to do it," Fox said. "Ten years ago, we used to require recycling to be done. Now the market creates an environment where there's no reasonable way to do it without recycling."

At the high school, crews continue work on the extensions of the 100, 200 and 300 halls. Ten classrooms will be added, with four being science classrooms and six general purpose rooms. Fox said the big work going on inside the school recently has been the addition of men's and women's restrooms, with crew members taking advantage of working in an empty school over winter break.

Fox said the intent is to finish the construction projects at the high school this summer and be ready for the beginning of the 2015 school year. At the North Mercer campus, abatement and demolition work will finish in February, with plans to award the contract and begin construction in March. The district plans for the school to be ready for the 2016 school year.

"It's a huge milestone for us," Fox said of Elementary #4 going out to bid. "We're excited and feel really fortunate to be at the spot we're at with the current bidding climate."

Originally posted here:
Demolition continues on North Mercer campus