Construction Update Archive - 2006

Current updates are on our construction page. 
Visit our 2005 archive for previous updates.

December 18, 2006 - Excellent Progress Despite the Weather! 
If you have driven by the new high school site lately, you will notice that the steel framing on the front half of the building is now underway. Another large slab pour is scheduled for December 20. This will allow the steel workers to continue uninterrupted. Even with the adverse weather conditions, the contractor continues to make excellent progress. The architect, the contractor and the school district have formed an efficient team that is working well together to deliver an outstanding school. The project remains within budget.

December 12, 2006 - New Photos Added to Construction Gallery 
Want to see the latest progress? We've added new close-up progress photos, along with December aerial photos to our photo gallery page! 

November 16, 2006 - Construction Continues On Schedule and Within Budget! 
Construction continues to move on schedule and within budget on the new high school. The general contractor, Berschauer Phillips, continues to make excellent progress despite adverse weather conditions. Footings and stem walls continue to be poured, with slabs scheduled to be poured beginning November 22. All electrical and plumbing runs under the slab are in place. Assembly of the steel framing will begin November 29. This will be incredibly exciting as the building begins to rise out of the ground. Currently there are about 30 workers on site. At the height of the project, 200-250 workers will be on-site daily.

Nov. 5 and Oct. 20, 2006 - New Photos Added to Construction Gallery 
Want to see the latest progress? We've added new aerial photos to our photo gallery page! 

October 12, 2006 - Construction Slightly Ahead of Schedule
As of the construction meeting held October 11th, the general contractor, Berschauer Phillips, reports that they are slightly ahead of schedule. Footings have been poured in two of the four sections into which the building is divided. Those footings (approximately six feet underground) that will hold the brace frames are incredibly large. Most of the work will continue to be at ground level for the next month and a half, which makes the progress difficult to see as you drive by the site. The first of the structural steel is scheduled to arrive November 29 and assembly of the brace frames will begin shortly thereafter – that will be quite a sight and fun to watch. Currently there are about 24 workers on site.

September 21, 2006 - Progress Continues
Berschauer Phillips Construction Company has been on-site for almost a month. Digging has started for the footings, rebar and lumber has been delivered, and 250 yards of concrete is expected to be poured next week for the footings in zone A (the project has been divided into four zones). Structural steel will be delivered to the site in November. The project continues to be on-time and within budget. 

September 1, 2006 - Architectural Artistic Rendering
We've posted a sneak peak at the new school's design on our Photo Gallery Page!

August 17, 2006 - HS Bid Awarded
The bid for the new high school has been awarded to Berschauer Phillips Construction Company at the August 16 School Board meeting. The bid was approximately 10% above estimates, and while the budget will be very tight, the school will be built without any changes to the original design. With neighboring school districts making cuts and reductions to projects due to high bids, we feel fortunate our bid was within the scope of our budget. Berschauer will begin work on the school by the end of August and the project is scheduled to be completed December 2007. Also, the end of July, the district received the state’s contribution (“matching funds”) of over $11 million dollars. 

July 12, 2006 - Work Update and New Aerial Photos
Site work on the new high school site is complete. The work was completed on time and within budget. The early steel package bids were opened June 29th. The structural steel component was awarded to Monroe Welding Inc of Monroe. The steel decking component was awarded to SEI Northwest Inc. of Seattle. Together, these two bids were approximately 10% above our estimate, but still within the parameters of the budget. The bids for the general contract will be opened August 8th, with workers on site by the middle of the month. It remains a volatile bidding climate yet we believe we have positioned ourselves to get the best possible bids. See our Photo Gallery Page.  

April 24, 2006 - Site work for the new high school is on time and within budget. 
The site work bid was awarded to Interwest Construction March 1 (the bid was $50,000 lower than the estimated bid of $1.2 million) and the company began work March 16. Heavy rains the middle of April slowed the project slightly (cut and fill work was postponed for three days) but the trench work continued. Water and sewer agreements with PUD are in place and the bid for the steel package is expected to be awarded early July. Due to the state funding schedule, the bid for the building will not be awarded until early August (rather than June) with construction scheduled to begin mid to late August.

March 28, 2006 - L.S. Journal reports on Granite Falls HS Groundbreaking Event: Stinging, sideways rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of close to 100 people at groundbreaking ceremonies for the new GFHS last Wednesday, March 15. “For you to all come out, even in this weather, shows how much this project means,” said Supt Joel Thaut. “It’s a big thing to build a new high school in a one high school town.” Read More --> You can also visit www.lakestevensjournal.com. Click Archives; March 22.

March 2, 2006 - Bid Awarded
The Granite Falls School Board of Directors awarded the bid for the new high school site work at its March 1, 2006 board meeting. The site work includes grading, utilities, water/sewer, asphalt and under drainage. The bid was awarded to Interwest Construction with a bid of $1,143,487.00, which is approximately $50,000 lower than the estimated bid of $1.2 million. Interwest will be on site within the next two weeks to begin work. The bid for the construction of the building will be out in June.

January 18, 2006 - Design development phase approved
The design development phase for the new high school was approved by the Board of Directors at its regular Board Meeting January 4, 2006. The Granite Falls City Planning Commission has provided preliminary approval for the conditional use permit and the archeology investigation shows “a negative cultural impact”. Construction documents (blue prints/specifications) are in the beginning stages. The site work bid (which will include grading, utilities, water/sewer, asphalt and under drainage) is scheduled for mid-February with groundbreaking as soon as possible after the bid is awarded.