BLUE & GOLD NEWSPAPER: Construction

Page Under Construction: News About Construction at CCHS

Welcome to our construction update page! Here is where you will find pictures of the work going on at Chamblee, news about the building project, and updates on life in Chamblee's Instructional Village.

Thank you to parent David Tench (Construction Project Communication chairperson for the Governance Council) for sharing the above images from the construction team.

Construction Update from May 3rd Governance Council Meeting
(The following excerpted notes concerning construction were provided by parent David Tench and can be viewed in full here: https://sites.google.com/site/cchsconstruction/.)

Academic Building (anticipated opening winter break 2013):

The wall of windows along the entrance to the school adjacent to Chamblee Dunwoody Road is nearing completion. The combination of clear energy efficient glass with the horizontal panels of the opaque glass are complementing the tan brick and white cast stone colors on the outside of the facility. The final Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing trim-outs are almost complete on all floors. The ceiling grid is starting to be installed with the interior paint finishes following closely behind. The internal vertical circulation (stairs) are being finalized and closed-in from the outside with walls of glass. The front yard hardscape (landscaping and sidewalks) are continuing with most the work in this area to be completed this summer. Other items to be completed this summer will be the interior casework, lockers, floor finish, interior doors, ceiling tile and window blinds.

Pool/Gym (anticipated opening winter break 2013):

The roof and roof coping is anticipated to be complete this summer on both areas. The pool will be cast and made ready for coping and final finishes roughly at the beginning of the school year August 2013. The gymnasium competition wood floor will be started around the same time in August and completed roughly 4 weeks later in September 2013. The acoustical panels, and wall padding will also be completed in this same time period. The final Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing rough-in continues. The exterior skin of brick and curtain wall (windows) will be finished this summer.

Arts/Drama/Auditorium (anticipated opening fall 2014):

These spaces can only be partially completed until the old school is demolished. So the majority of the construction work in these areas will commence roughly around winter break 2014 allowing for the demolition of the old school and contractor mobilization.

Parking:

The existing parking out in front of the existing school will shut down over the summer break. All parking for the summer activities will have to park in the gravel parking lot behind the existing school. The bus drop-off and pick-up will be available at all times. If the new parking lots are not ready for new school year August 2013 other provisions will be have to be considered.
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New Milestone Reached in Chamblee Construction

by Mollie Simon

Nearly ten months after ground was finally broken for the new Chamblee High School building, representatives from the contracting company Turner Construction, Chamblee administrators and high-ranking representatives from the DeKalb County School District (DCSD) gathered to celebrate a “topping-out” ceremony on February 22.

“The party they are having is called a ‘topping out, and it is when they finish putting the final roof on the building,” said parent and Construction Project Communication chairperson for the Governance Council, David Tench, at the event. “This is what I do already as I am an architect too, and it is always fun because it is celebrating something that is a relatively big process with hundreds of people involved and millions of dollars invested. For it all to come together is an amazing process.”

At the event, the new interim superintendent for DCSD, Michael Thurmond, principal Dr. Rochelle Lowery, newly elected Board of Education chairmen Dr. Melvin Johnson, DCSD Chief Operating Officer Stephen Wilkins and others had the opportunity to sign the final beam that will complete the roof of the building.

“It is definitely a milestone for the school, the school system and the neighborhood,” said Tench. “As a parent and a community member who lives down the street, I know this is going to be a beautiful building.”

After weeks of tough news for the county, including Governor Nathan Deal’s February 25 decision to remove of six DCSD board members and a lawsuit over the constitutionality of the matter, many were happy for the chance to highlight a positive event.

“There are a lot of positive things that are coming out of the county, but they are not always communicated,” said Johnson. “This event demonstrates that the citizens of this great county do believe in quality education as they voted to approve the SPLOST [Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax] funds to build this facility.”

This event was Johnson’s first as chairman of the Board of Education, and he hopes the long-term outcome—a new school building—will give students a strong environment in which to learn.

“I want the students to know that citizens of this county, including their parents, have provided this facility to them and for them for the purpose of learning, and we want them to reach for the skies,” said Johnson who is also a former deputy superintendent from DeKalb.

The construction project is currently on schedule, and phase one (encompassing the academic wing) is set to be complete by December of 2013, which is coincidentally the same month the fate of DCSD’s accreditation status will be decided.

“I am pleased to hear that the project is on schedule,” said Assistant Principal of Discipline Rick Blitz, who attended the topping out celebration and also toured the building with Lowery in November. “I was impressed by the length of the new hallways, which are about a block long, and I liked all the large glass windows.”