Construction on the new Vocational Wing at the Knox Community School Corporation is expected to resume in March, weather permitting, according to Superintendent Dr. William Reichhart.
“The next step will be the delivery of steel and they will begin erecting the structure, followed by brick masons coming on site and beginning to lay block. People will be able to see – if you drive past starting in March you’ll be able to see the actual building begin to take form out of the ground.”
The Vocational Wing will feature an agricultural classroom and lab, a welding classroom and lab, and a robotics classroom and lab.
The project will be paid for from leftover bond money, and federal ESSER II and ESSER III funding, with no impact to taxpayers.
Dr. Reichhart was asked if the project will meet the proposed completion date in October of this year, or if it could be delayed.
“Material shortages have been an issue for us on the Vocational Wing. Roofing supplies, in particular, have been the hold up. They promised us that they would have the roofing supplies to us mid-June. So, if they don’t get delivered by mid-June, then, yes, we would have to back off that date.”
Dr. Reichhart said the welding equipment and other accessories will be moved into the new Vocational Wing during Christmas break, as long as the completion date does not get pushed back too late if delays occur.
The welding class is currently stationed in the Knox Community Middle School and while some preliminary plans for that space have been proposed once the transition is complete, no plans have been finalized.
