Construction begins on new Central Office for school system
Construction on the new Homewood City Schools Central Office at the former Magnolia Park Apartments property on Valley Ave. began in early November.
The construction, anticipated to be complete by July 30, 2014, is part of a master plan for the property that was first presented in March.
“In our current location, the Central Office staff does not have adequate office space,” HCS Superintendent Bill Cleveland said. “Our current building was designed as a house, and we have 15 people working here. We have employees sharing open offices, which can be difficult when meeting with teachers and new employees or when holding interviews.”
The new one-story, approximately 15,000-square-foot Central Office building will also offer more space for professional development and storage that the current building on Oxmoor Road lacks, and the layout will be more accessible for visitors. The building will be constructed on the southeastern corner of the property adjacent to the existing Community Garden so that the main entrance to the building will be a patio or porch that serves as an entrance to the garden.
Other future plans for the property include a greenway along Valley Avenue, a cross-country course, a 200-meter track, athletic and maintenance storage buildings, and parking for baseball fields and tennis courts. As the Central Office looks ahead to future solutions for school growth, a new school on the property has also been discussed.
For the current construction period, Brasfield & Gorrie has placed three trailers in the lower parking lot at the end of Dale Avenue next to the community garden. A gate now prevents parking in that area.
Phases for the construction of the new building are as follows, as outlined in a letter Dr. Bill Cleveland sent to parents of Homewood City Schools students:
Phase I: A portion of the track will be demolished where the new Central Office will be located. The building pad was anticipated to be completed by the end of November. Installation of a sidewalk along Valley Avenue will begin by the first of December. It will run the entire length of the property to the middle school.
Phase II: The existing road to the tennis courts and the remainder of the track will be removed next. At this time, underground utilities will be installed. Also at this time, the Valley Avenue demolition will begin.
Valley Avenue Side Demolition: The concrete slabs from the apartments will be removed. Only the slabs that are visible from Valley Avenue will be removed.
Phase III: The remainder of the parking lot where Brasfield & Gorrie trailers are located will be removed and replaced with grass. This is anticipated to be complete in June.
In addition to Brasfield & Gorrie, William Blackstock Architects, Holcombe Norton Partners landscape architects, LBYD Civil and Structural Engineers and Skipper Consulting are working on the project.