Renovations and additions have begun at Seymour schools

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We Two of three projects have begun for the $52.45 million construction work at Seymour Community Schools.

Talmadge Reasoner, assistant superintendent of operations, said the construction will be tackled in phases, beginning with the Seymour Ag-Science and Research Farm and Seymour Middle School Sixth Grade Center.

If all goes as planned, he said the Class of 2031, which is the current third grade students, will be the first to occupy the sixth grade center building as it becomes an intermediate school containing fifth- and sixth-graders in August 2023.

“Much of this project is focused on adding additional classrooms, improved band and choir areas, a new cafeteria with adequate seating as well as a gymnasium that is designed with enough space to allow athletic competitions with spectators and student body assemblies,” Reasoner said.

On July 29, bids for the additions and renovations to the fifth and sixth grade center and ag-science addition were received.

According to a contract bid recommendation letter from The Skillman Corporation, 136 bidders were solicited to generate interest in the project. Of that total, 59 contractors picked up the bidding documents, and 37 contractors submitted bids.

After review of the contractor bids, TSC made the recommendation for the award of contracts from 14 contractors with the roofing project to be rebid. The total amount for the fifth and sixth grade center and ag-science construction, minus the roofing, was $19,234,622.

Following the approval of the school board and award of bids, work on the fifth and sixth grade building started approximately two weeks ago with site work and construction material staging, Reasoner said.

“If you drive by the school, along Poplar and Lynn Streets, you will see construction fencing that makes certain portions of the school campus off limits to everyone,” he said. “Inside, they have begun demolition of interior spaces on the west side of the building to prepare for Phase 1 construction, which includes the construction of seven new classrooms, followed immediately by the remodel of several more interior spaces.”

Also, some of the groundwork will be beginning for the new gymnasium to be located on the northwest side of the current building. Much of that work is scheduled to be completed at various points in time throughout 2022.

The ag-science center addition started approximately three weeks ago with site work and construction material staging, Reasoner said.

“If you drive by there, along F Avenue, you will see the addition of a temporary parking lot for visitors and staff, footers and foundation work underway and some integration work along the western wall of the current building,” he said.

The work at the Ag-Science and Research Farm is technically the first phase of the planned expansion at Seymour High School.

Located in the Freeman Field Industrial Park, the facility has become a satellite campus for SHS and allowed the district to offer additional graduation pathways and expand career and technical education opportunities.

This project is proposed to be completed prior to the fall of 2022.

During October’s school board meeting, Reasoner said two letters of contract bid recommendations had been received from The Skillman Corporation pertaining to additions and renovations to Seymour High School, where work is expected to begin sometime early in 2022 dependent upon when the weather breaks from the winter.

The corporation uploaded information to its website that allows community members to view the architectural renderings and floor plans for the upcoming expansion and renovations of the three school facilities.

Those plans can be viewed at scsc.k12.in.us/community/construction-projects-and-renovations.

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