Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 25, 1994 TAG: 9410010021
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHARLES STEBBINS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
This will represent new construction and renovations at almost two dozen schools in Roanoke, Roanoke County, Salem and Botetourt County.
Craig County, with an almost new high school and an elementary school in good condition, does not have any current construction projects. Last year, the Craig school division spent several thousand dollars to add four classrooms in two modular units to help create space for a middle school program being started this coming term.
More spending may be on the way.
Most of the school divisions have several million dollars' work in the planning stage that may get under way during the 1994-95 school term.
Of the construction dollars, Salem is spending $6.7 million, Roanoke County about $4 million, Roanoke City about $2.4 million and Botetourt just less than $300,000. Some of this was spent in the past year or will be in the near future.
Botetourt has a $20 million dollar bond referendum in the fall. If that passes, the schools will get about $13.6 million more to build a middle school at Cloverdale and do major renovations at Botetourt Intermediate School.
Other work in Botetourt includes about $200,000 for roof repair at James River and Lord Botetourt high schools and at Colonial and Cloverdale elementaries; about $70,000 for parking lot repair and an addition at Cloverdale Elementary and Lord Botetourt High.
Also in Botetourt, Rod Dilman, assistant superintendent, said about $25,000 in renovations are scheduled for the Botetourt Technical Education Center at Fincastle to make space for a nursing program being started this fall.
In Roanoke, one of the major projects will be the reopening of Morningside Elementary School which was closed for renovations.
Richard Kelley, assistant superintendent for operations for Roanoke schools, said about $2.3 million was spent to upgrade the building.
Also in Roanoke, Kelley said, modular units are being added to three elementary schools to add a total of nine classrooms at Fallon Park, Garden City and Westside at a total cost of about $175,000.
Another major change in Roanoke will be the closing of Wasena Elementary for renovation.
Another of the major expenditures coming up will be in Salem where G.W. Carver Elementary School is due for $5.5 million in renovations. This project is now on the drawing board and is expected to be put up for bids about January 1996.
Another large project in Salem was the addition of six classrooms and replacement of the roof at West Salem Elementary. Michael Bryant, Salem's assistant superintendent of schools, said the classroom addition cost about $503,000 and the roof replacement about $165,000.
$464,620 was spent to add four classrooms to South Salem Elementary and $102,103 was spent to convert boilers to gas at South Salem, East Salem and West Salem elementary schools.
In Roanoke County, one of the major changes will be renovation of Fort Lewis Elementary School for about $1.5 million. The school board considered replacing the building but decided to renovate. Renovations also are being done at Burlington Elementary.
Within the next year, Roanoke County will begin work on a middle school in Glenvar at a cost of about $2.5 million.
Within the next two years, a $3 million expansion of William Byrd High School in Vinton will begin.
by CNB