Granite District reports progress on Cypress, Skyline, Taylorsville and other capital projects

At a Granite School District board meeting on Oct. 7, district capital and construction staff provided updates on multiple school construction and maintenance projects, saying Cypress High is occupied and most athletic and academic spaces are operating while crews finish punch‑list and finishing work.

The updates matter because several projects involve occupied school buildings, upcoming school performances and environmental abatement that will close parts of a campus. District staff gave timelines for final work and for an asbestos abatement and subsequent demolition at Skyline High.

Justin Nagley, district capital staff, opened the update by citing recent ribbon cuttings at “Magna Steam Academy, Brockbank STEM and Cypress High” and reported that work on security upgrades is just beginning after the board approved designers last month. He said the Hunter track is “almost done” with only a few small punch‑list items remaining and that a recent storm showed new site drainage work has kept water out of the building. “The auditorium house lighting in Taylorsville is underway. We're waiting for a few more pieces to come from overseas and then they can finish that up,” Nagley said.

Chris Kartcher, who shared details about Cypress and Skyline, said Cypress High is occupied and in use: the pool, dance room and most athletic spaces are operating and the kitchen is in full use. He said two of the three elevators are operating and the third is expected to be inspected by the end of the week. “The performing arts has been the greatest area that's that's lagging,” Kartcher said, adding that stage rigging and lighting work are scheduled to finish within a week or so and that staff are coordinating to allow the school musical to proceed even if final items are not fully complete.

Kartcher listed remaining work at Cypress as primarily punch‑list items and equipment hookups in the CTE (career and technical education) spaces; he said some shop equipment moved from the previous school required adjustments. He said billing and final payment processing are still ongoing and “it will probably go into next year before we get the final everything kind of sorted out on the bills.”

On Skyline High, Nagley and Kartcher said the district has put the remaining abatement for the auditorium out to bid so abatement work can begin around Christmas, with asbestos abatement anticipated December through about February. District staff said demolition of the external auditorium panels and related work would follow, with demolition expected in March through April and some work possibly continuing into May. Kartcher said the auditorium building is expected to be complete in the April–May timeframe, and that a final performance is planned before a fence is erected: “If you really wanna get up and touch the building, it would be prior to December 15,” he said, referring to the last scheduled production before the fence and demolition staging.

Other district projects noted: Magna Steam Academy still needs solar panels installed, which staff said should finish by mid‑November; Brockbank (also referenced as Broadbank in the meeting) has a fire alarm and small punch‑list items expected to wrap up over fall break; transportation and maintenance compound fueling stations are in use though a few punch items remain; and crews have planted trees along the Mountain View Corridor and are near completion of that landscaping.

Staff also reported two large boiler replacements — at Bacchus and Hillside Elementary — are scheduled to come online in the next week or so and be finished by the end of the month, and that an air‑handling unit at the GEC is expected to be finished by mid‑October. Nagley said ongoing commissioning work is taking place across several buildings, including Walker and Cypress.

Board members asked clarifying questions about demolition timing, safety for the school musical and the final payment process for Cypress. Julie Jackson asked when final payment will occur; staff replied billing and final accounting are still in process and likely will be carried into next year. Nagley and Kartcher repeatedly framed the remaining tasks as punch‑list items and commissioning work.

District staff said they had no changes to bring forward to the board at this time and that they are focused on completing the listed projects and ensuring occupied schools can operate safely while finishing work.

Looking ahead, staff listed the abatement bid process, remaining theatrical rigging and lighting at Cypress, final elevator inspection and the Bacchus/Hillside boiler work as near‑term items. Several items — notably the Skyline abatement and subsequent demolition — have defined seasonal windows and will affect site access and scheduling into spring 2026.