High School Construction Connects Old, New

The warm, dry weather of recent days have created a small problem at the construction site.

Dust. Lots and lots of dust.

The perimiter path around the construction is regularly hosed down, said David Puffer, the supervisor for construction projects for Westlake City Schools. But the actual construction site can't be.

Despite the dust, the new high school, part of an $84 million project that also includes a new middle school and refurbishing the existing Lee Burneson Middle School into a school for fifth- and sixth-graders, is proceeding on schedule, Puffer said.

This is a contrast to last year, when record wet weather forced the district to to keep the project on track.

Just about all of the foundation has been poured, said Jeff Johnson of Turner Construction. The focus now turns to the masonry walls, underground mechanicals such as plumbing and electric, and pouring the concrete for the floors.

Workers are also building the wall that will connect the new high school with the existing performing arts center.

Some walls for the gymnasium and the auxiliary gym are close to their full height, and you can see the curve of the walls in the auxiliary gym where the indoor track will be.

The original plan called for terrazzo flooring in the rotunda-style entry and hallways, Puffer said. But the costs for terrazzo have gone up, so the district will likely use polished concrete with aggregate added to mimic terrazzo.

"What's great about polished concrete is that you can clean it with just water, and you don't have to wax it," Puffer said.

Polished concrete will also be used in some of the arts rooms. The classrooms will be floored in VCT tile.

The new high school, which will be 265,000 square feet (not including the Performing Arts Center), is slated to open at the start of the 2013-14 school year.