Project will link two school buildings

Work will begin next year, the day after school ends.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
POLAND -- Two school buildings here will become one large campus in 2004.
Village council has agreed to vacate the portion of Elm Street that sits between Poland Middle School and McKinley Elementary, making way for a cafetorium that will connect the two buildings with enclosed ramps. Work will be done to the outside to give the impression of one structure.
The school board needed the village to vacate at least the portion of the road between the buildings before construction work could be done.
Village council decided not to vacate the entire street because of legal concerns -- the street would become private property.
The end of Elm Street closest to College Street will be blocked to vehicles and used as a walkway to the cafetorium. The opposite end of Elm Street will be made into a cul-de-sac.
Cost of project
Superintendent Dr. Robert Zorn said the project will cost about $3.1 million, including inside construction on both buildings. Once the cafetorium -- a cafeteria-auditorium combination -- is built, cafeterias in both schools will be converted and used for other purposes.
Zorn said school officials had hoped to get the project under way this year, but that will not be possible because the street was vacated too late in the year. He said the project will be bid next school year with construction to begin the day after school ends next year.
"You just can't start a construction project in July and expect to get it done before school starts," he said. "I am certainly grateful they did it [vacated the street] but you can't get the work done before the kids come back."
Zorn said that once the work begins, it will take six to nine months. He said minor construction will be in progress when pupils return.
Worked out concerns
Some residents living close to the school had concerns about the new layout, but Zorn said officials have worked out a plan with those homeowners. A natural fence will be added along the property line of 1 Elm St. -- the only house at the end of Elm Street closest to College Street -- to help deter pupils from cutting through that resident's yard.
Some residents were concerned about busing drop-off and pickup.
Zorn has said a safety issue arises at the end of each school day when children pour out onto Elm Street and must cross between buses and cars while trying to make their way to a waiting bus or parent.
Buses now line up on Lee Street and Elm Street.
After the cafetorium is complete, buses will park on Lee Street and Cortland Street, while parents waiting to pick up their kids will be directed to park on College Street.
Zorn said pupils will be released from a central door in front of the cafetorium with enough room to safely board school buses and wait for parents.
jgoodwin@vindy.com