$4.5M in school renovations underway

By MARY POSANI Wednesday May 28, 2014 9:26 AM

Students have left the buildings and construction crews have moved in.

The Westerville City School District will spend more than $4.5 million on capital improvement work this summer.

"The challenge is we have about 10 weeks to pull this off," said Jeff LeRose, director of facilities and operations for the district.

Westerville South High School, Blendon Middle School and Annehurst Elementary School will receive kitchen renovations this summer. The projects include updated counters and new food service equipment.

"Its design is twofold. It's to help get students through the line quicker as well as providing opportunity for more course offerings," LeRose said.

The work is funded by the food service department's current cash balance and will cost $472,500. The contractor is 2K General Co.

As part of a capital improvements levy approved in 2009, Lepi Enterprises will perform various asbestos abatement work, including: window replacements at South; exterior door replacement at Emerson Elementary School, Hanby Elementary School and South; locker replacement at Westerville North High School and South; and floor replacement at Walnut Springs Middle School, LeRose said.

The abatement work will cost $145,876 -- $7,124 less than the original estimate, he said.

The music wing at South will also be reconfigured, uniting three smaller rooms into one large room that will be used by the orchestra.

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$4.5M in school renovations underway