photo by Robert Schumacher
The traditional symbol of Plains ISD overlooks the future as the sun rises.Continual Construction Update and Photos
Now that dirt is being turned and construction is underway for the projects from money approved in the 2010 Bond program, a great way to keep the community informed about the progress of everything is a continual blog and pictures of significant items as they occur. While you may not see daily entries, we hope to keep you updated on those items that really show what is going on around the site.
The Board of Trustees also wants to thank Yoakum County and the City of Plains for their assistance and willingness to work with the District in coordinating these projects. Their help has been invaluable. The District also hopes that the projects offer some side benefits to the community's economy through the contractor's hiring of some local employees and a boost to our local businesses who may see some sales growth due to the increased activity over the next two and a half years. The community's support has been tremendous in this undertaking and we hope that these projects, in some way, help revitalize a thriving rural town that deeply cares for the education of its students. Future generations thank you, as you have thanked the previous leaders of Plains.
Rendering courtesy of Hunter-Corral Associates.
A Birdseye view looking across the highway to the northwest showing the new campus.May 2011
27th The Board awards the utility relocation project to Deerwood Construction.
June 20101
28th Equipment starts showing up to begin trenching for the utility relocation on the South side of the current school buildings.
29th The Board approves the Guaranteed Maximum Price and selects the subcontractors for the construction of the PK-12 Grade campus.
30th Notice to Proceed on the building construction is given to Lee Lewis Construction, Inc. Digging begins to move water, sewer, and gas lines.
July 2011
11th Demolition crew from Robles Construction begins work on tearing down the "old WPA" building, which has been used for years as a supply warehouse and computer lab. The oldest part - built in 1941 as a public works project by the National Youth Administration - was at one time the wood shop for the District.
18th Demolition crew from Robles Construction begins to separate covered walkway in front of the Middle School/Resource Center (the walkway was built in 1976) away from the building and tear it down. This space is needed in order to have enough space to build the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade classrooms in the first phase of construction.
26th Dirt work begins as the crew from Presage Environmental prepare the foundation and footprint of the new building. Approximately 6,000 cubic yards of material will be brought in.
August 2011
8th Boring crew begins work on creating six 10" diameter tunnels that run from the north side of the current High School under that building to the location of the power closet of the new building. AMD Engineering begins the layout of the new Administrative section.
10th Presage Environment finishes work on the building pad for section 1. By the time they are finished with the first 5 sections, they will have prepared 6,000 cubic yards of material. Trenching for mechanical systems and grade beams begin.
29th Concrete subcontractors show up and pour the grade beams (footings) for the first section. 300 yards of concrete are poured today.
September 2011
1st New Radio tower is set in the ground. The crew digs a 26 foot hole that is about 4 feet in diameter and sets the four sections of the tower in less than 6 hours.
13/14th Over 400 cubic yards of concrete are poured and finished for the slab of the administrative area.
27th Grade beams for the new high school are poured. Again, over 400 cubic yards of concrete are used.
October 2011
3rd The crane used to place structural items in the construction process shows up and gets set.
6th The first structural steel beams are placed in the administrative area. Crews begin building a "mock up" wall to show what the exterior of the building will look like.
10-13th The concrete subcontractors pour and finish the slab for the new high school.
17th The first structural steel beams are put up at the high school. Everything stood up to the nasty "dust bowl" storm that kicked up with 60mph winds.
19th The footings for the middle school are poured.
31st The slab for the middle school is poured and finished.
November 2011
9th The concrete grade beams are poured for the elementary school.
21st The slab is poured for the elementary school.
22nd The first structural steel goes up for the middle school.
December 2012
5th Metal studs begin to shape the walls of the high school building.
10th The giant Bennett Crane is moved from the NE side of the new school to the SW to begin placing steel for the new library and the Elementary campus.
12th The concrete grade beams for the library are poured.
13th The first burnished CMU blocks are laid by masons in the high school corridors and the slab is poured for the elementary gym.
