SCS Building Project Almost Done

By David Avitabile

SCHOHARIE - The ongoing Schoharie school building project should be virtually complete by the end of the month.

The capital project will have punch list items to be completed, but everything else should be done in October, SCS Superintendent David Blanchard told school board member at their September meeting.

At their September 18 meeting, he told members that the project was "moving along, not moving along as fast as I'd like." He noted that windows were going in up to the first days of school.

Superintendent Blanchard

He said that the work, which transformed the elementary school, will be showcased in a celebration.

When students returned to Schoharie elementary school in September, they were greeted by an almost new school as crews of construction workers put the finishing touches on the media center/library, cafeteria, gym, and many classrooms.

When completed, its marks about four years since Schoharie officials began planning for the $25.9 million building project that was approved by voters in the spring of 2022.

The project has transformed many areas of the elementary school.

The former "1952" gym with its wooden walls and floors and a vestige of a stage has been transformed into a modern media center.

The formerly overly large library has become a new cafeteria with a sparkling kitchen and large eating area. The kitchen includes new storage areas and equipment. The eating area has new tables and additional tables and seats in the wall which fold out "Murphy bed-style" if needed. There is also an indoor recess area in the cafeteria which can be used during inclement weather.

Students found a new gym at the elementary school. The gym is actually a "gymnatorium" with a stage on the front end. The gym, which is the same size as the high school gym, was transformed out of the former kitchen and cafeteria and the old and much smaller "1976" gym.

The gym was not ready until around October 1. Students had outdoor physical education classes until that time.

In addition to those three areas, every classroom in the elementary school got new windows. Windows in the 1999 wing of the high school were also replaced as they were not replaced during the previous project.

Older students have not been forgotten as a new weight room and lockers rooms welcomed secondary students. Team rooms, coach's offices, and new bathrooms have also been completed.

The elementary school and high school work completes the project which began with turf fields, lights for the athletic fields, and tennis courts two years ago.

The transformation of the elementary school began late last summer and has continued through the rest of the fall, the winter, the spring and now the summer.

Last year, board members approved four bids for the project. The district received four bids for general construction and approved a bid from Murnane Building Contractors for $9.1 million. There were six bids for mechanical work, and board members approved a bid from Crisafulli Mechanical for $1.5 million. There were five bids for the electrical work and board members approved a bid from SW Burke Electric for $1.4 million. The district received five bids for the plumbing work and board members approved a quote from Tri-Valley Plumbing and Heating for $631,000.

The $25.9 million project was approved by voters in May 2022. The project does not require any new local taxpayer funds as state aid and the current building reserve will cover the costs.