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The School Board of Lee County last week received an update about the capital projects taking place throughout the district, with many taking place in the East Zone.

The update included information about Gateway High School; G. Weaver Hipps Pre-K addition; “MM” Middle School; “J” Elementary School; Transportation East New Dispatch Building; Harns Marsh Elementary School and Varsity Middle School.

The first update pertained to Gateway High School, which had a ribbon cutting on May 19 to celebrate the completion of the project.

“About 20 months ago I made a guarantee to Board member (Betsy) Vaughn to not ask for another penny for this project,” said district Construction Director Scott Reichenbacher, adding he did not.

The total cost was $98,193,950.

There is also a carpentry canopy under way, which is being donated by BSSW & Suffolk Construction.

A pre-K addition was also shared for G. Weaver Hipps, as the requests for quotes process began for the architect and construction manager.

“MM” Middle School, which has a total approved project cost estimate of $54,244,892, began construction on Feb. 10.  There is a substantial completion date of July 15. Reichenbacher said they will start loading furniture into the building in June with a substantial completion more likely to happen then.

The presentation included such key highlights of MM Middle School as completion of paving; white boards completed in buildings one and two; HVAC test and balance and commissioning is under way and the contractor has started a punch list. There is currently work being down through the utility process with FGUA.

With “J” Elementary School, Reichenbacher said they have already engaged with the previous architect. Contract negotiations are taking place for the architect and construction management services.

Over the summer they will stabilize the soil, due to it being heavy, and loud work, something best done when they will not disrupt the existing school.

Sixty percent of the drawings for the Transportation East New Dispatch Building, which is located in Buckingham, have been completed by RG Architects. When Vantage Construction and the building official completes 100 percent of the drawings, the building official will provide proposals for the total project cost estimate.

Reichenbacher said the portables are rotted out and aluminum and steel prices have gone up.

“The drawings are out to bid,” he said, adding that it has a substantial completion date of Dec. 1.

There were also updates about canopy installation, which included one school in the East Zone, Harns Marsh Elementary School. Reichenbacher said the installation of the canopys for portables will be completed by Aug. 1.

Varsity Middle School also was a topic of discussion as the district is spending $182,000 to address foundation issues of portables, as well as refreshing the inside. The work will be completed by July 29.

Board member Gwyn Gittens made a suggestion of adding an addition onto Varsity in the next school year using the portables of Gateway High School that are located behind Lehigh Senior High School.

“I really wonder if we could look at something like that as an immediate relief for some of the things. It bothers me that we keep pouring money into something that we really need to put at the top of our list,” she said.

Reichenbacher said staff is looking at resources to try to eliminate and bring down the number of portables in the East Zone. He said one of the areas they are looking at is facilities, possibly purchasing existing buildings and turning them into schools.