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Construction for new Pine Bluff school moves vertical as steel arrives; on schedule and on budget, architect says
Summary
Contractor updates described masonry, utility work and upcoming steel erection; the auditorium slab is expected by March and new HVAC and building locks have been installed at several campuses.
Contractor and architect representatives updated the Pine Bluff School District board on the district’s major building project, saying site work and masonry are complete enough to begin steel erection and that the project is progressing on schedule and on budget.
Sean, a construction representative for East Harding, told the board crews have installed much of the storm and sanitary sewer work on the north side of the site, finished masonry in classroom areas and prepared foundations and footings for the auditorium and other building components. He said a 200-ton crane was scheduled to arrive and crews expected to begin lifting structural steel the following day.
Clayton, the project architect, described the checks-and-balances process the team uses: twice-monthly owner-architect-contractor (OAC) meetings, weekly field reports, and an approved-pay-application workflow that includes cross-checks of job reports and field conditions before the district signs monthly pay applications. “We’re on schedule and we’re on budget,” Clayton told the board, and he credited the contractor’s extra weekend work to make up for weather delays.
Additional facilities work reported to the board included: - Districtwide lock replacements and installations; board members were told all building locks have been installed and Jack Road received locks as part of a recent order. - New HVAC systems installed at James Matthews Junior High and additional systems to be commissioned in a couple of weeks.
Why it matters: district staff said getting the project vertical now will increase visible progress for the community, allow interior trades to proceed and reduce schedule risk. The board was also briefed on the administrative controls (OAC meetings, field reports and pay-application oversight) intended to limit cost overruns and ensure transparency.
Board members were invited to visit the site as steel goes up; architect and contractor representatives said they will continue to provide regular progress reports.
