Construction on the new Carrollton schools is on schedule with an official dedication date set for Aug. 3.
That is the latest update given by Carrollton school officials regarding the $42 million plus complex for grades 6-12 being constructed on board-owned property on state Route 332, south of Carrollton. The complex for middle school and high school students in grades 6-12 will officially open in August when classes resume for the 2019-20 school year.
According to Ed Robinson, director of programs for the Carrollton Exempted Village School District, the owner occupancy (school district) is set for mid-June for the new Carrollton High School-Middle School and for mid-July for the new Field House being constructed on the site of the former barn.
A dedication for the new state of the art facility, along with building tours, will be held Saturday, Aug. 3, at 10 a.m. with guided tours from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the school’s new site on state Route 332, just south of town.
A moving date for teachers and school employees is tentatively set for the last week of June, Robinson said.
The total cost of the complex being constructed on ground purchased in 1989 by the Board of Education is $42,752,000.
Of that amount, Carroll County Energy, located on SR 9, just north of Carrollton, is providing $1.3 million for 30 years – totaling $39 million through an Enterprise Zone Agreement.
The remaining 41% of the total is provided by the Ohio Facility Construction Commission, which amounts to approximately $16,071.036.
Building Overview
The new 1,033 student Carrollton High School – Middle School is Phase I of a two-phase PK-12 project designed by Lesko Architecture and built by Shook-Touchstone Construction.
The Carrollton Exempted Village School District has partnered with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) to share the total cost of the project and has added LFI’s (locally funded initiatives) for a new Performing Arts Center and Field House.
The building plan is organized around a central core that includes a cafeteria and dining hall, Performing Arts Center, music and band classrooms, a high school gymnasium and Middle School gymnasium along with multiple locker rooms.
The two academic wings, with the Middle School on the west side and High School on the east side of the building, are oriented facing north and south to provide optimal natural daylight to each classroom.
The academic wings are intended to support 21st Century learning and instruction. The first and second floor wings are each designed with classrooms surrounding flexible and adaptable Extended Learning Studios that can accommodate group activities of every size.
The new building has four Extended Learning Studios that are 2,835 square foot each and have four adjacent classrooms with operable partitions that can be opened between classrooms as well as the Studios in order to provide maximum flexibility with a total area of over 6,000 square feet.
The new building also has Career-Technical space including a 1,782 square foot shop and adjacent classroom.
The new school Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system is engineered and constructed with a forced air system that utilizes boilers to heat hydronic piping and a chiller to cool hydronic piping for air conditioning.
Performing Arts Center
The Performing Arts Center in the new Carrollton High School-Middle School is a state-of-the-art, theatre-style auditorium. This theatre house has seating for 513 and includes an accessible orchestra pit for musical productions. The stage has 2,891 square feet behind the proscenium (curtain) and there will be additional square footage in front of the proscenium when the orchestra pit filler is in place.
Backstage spaces include a 400 square foot scene shop with overhead door access from the driveway to backstage and for construction of stage sets that leads directly to the stage. This backstage area includes a 370 square foot drama storage room for props and costumes, and separate boys and girls dressing rooms connected to a common makeup room.
This Performing Arts Center also includes a sound system designed for stage productions and recordings, a video system to allow recording of rehearsals and productions and a large screen projector with an electrically operated screen for video presentations.
The sound and lighting control can be operated from the control room during productions, as well as a house position to allow flexibility for performances and rehearsals. The stage has a fully rigged fly-loft to allow stage sets, acoustical shells, and lighting to be flown out overhead and a catwalk to access the auditorium lighting positions for productions.
Field House Facilities
The Field House – being constructed on the site of the former barn, which was sold and dismantled – is a 22,500 square foot physical education and physical fitness “stand alone” classroom facility at the front of the new campus along State Route 332.
This facility will house a full-court basketball and volleyball playing area with painted court lines that will be finished with a rubberized playing surface surrounded by a painted, 2-lane indoor track.
The main court area is designed to include two full-length batting cages that consist solely of beam clamps, pulleys, cable, galvanized steel cage frame, net and electric winch. The 7,272 square foot gymnasium area has ample space for overall baseball and softball training.
This area could also house a limited indoor football or soccer practice in inclement weather.
The field house will also include a fitness center/weight room and a varsity wrestling room that are both approximately 2,000 square feet, an auxiliary program/classroom, a complete varsity locker room with 70 lockers and a complete junior varsity locker room with 67 lockers.
The facility will also house a training room, restrooms, shower rooms, laundry and storage areas, along with three offices for various staffing.
Other Information
Drop-off location and parking area: The middle school parent drop-off is at the west end of the building and high school drop-off is at the east end. The north student parking lot has 168 spaces and the teacher/visitor lots have 95 spaces, of which 7 are handicapped. Some will also be marked for carpool and fuel-efficient vehicles to comply with the Leadership in Energy and Environment requirements.
Kitchen-Cafeteria: The middle school and high school will use the same dining area that has seating for 356. Plans are for three separate lunches. The kitchen has been designed and built to accommodate the entire K-12 building. The future elementary is designed with a separate dining hall.
Furnishings: All furnishings in the building are new and included in the budget.
Auctions for old items: Furnishings not being used in the new, unified Carrollton elementary school will be auctioned online beginning May 24. Details will follow soon.
Disposition of old buildings: The budget for construction also includes the abatement and demolition of Bell-Herron Middle School (not including the gymnasium), Augusta Elementary and Dellroy Elementary Schools. These buildings are scheduled for demolition by the end of October.
The Free Press Standard expresses its appreciation to Supt. Dr. David Quattrochi, Director of Programs Ed Robinson, Shook Construction Project Manager Andrew Lowther and Lesko Architects Moh Ayat and David Andreano for providing the above information.
Also to Mackenzie Kaser, a Shook Construction Project Engineer who conducted a recent private tour for The FPS Editor Kimberly Lewis and a staff member.
