New school project shifting to interior work

BEATRICE - Construction at a new prekindergarten to fifth grade facility in east Beatrice is transitioning to interior work, well in time for colder weather.
School Superintendent Jason Alexander, in a status update to the District 15 Board Monday night, said the wellfield for the geothermal heating and cooling should be fully installed by the end of September.

Expected to be completed this week is the pouring of interior slabs at the school site. "It's finally dry enough on the inside that they could hopefully get those slabs poured this week, and then the exterior paving, will also start this week. You'll start to see the paving go in at the front main entry area, on the south loop."

Second story metal framing is being completed, with work moving to the main level. Alexander says the goal is to have drywall work completed soon in the preschool area of the building…then followed by upper-level drywall work next week.

This summer, workers have had to fight off periodic bouts with rain, causing some delays on the project. But recent drier conditions have allowed work to pick up pace. Hausmann Construction is the general contractor for the project.

The new facility, which will bring all elementary students to a single location, rather than four separate elementary buildings through the city....is expected to be ready for use, by the start of the 2024 school year. it will replace structures that date back to the 1950s.