Buchanan County breaks ground on Southern Gap High School; Corps and contractor outline construction progress

Officials and community leaders on hand at the Southern Gap High School groundbreaking described steady construction progress and emphasized the project’s federal funding and local partnership.

Sherry Fletcher, division superintendent and emcee, said the consolidated high school grew from years of planning and federal disaster recovery work, noting that Section 202 of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act of 1981 and later supplemental appropriations under the Disaster Relief Act of 2019 enabled flood‑risk mitigation work tied to the project. “This supplemental appropriation authorized the government to complete implementation of the project at full federal expense,” Fletcher said.

Colonel Jason Putman, commander of the Huntington District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, described the program’s origin in the 1977 flood and framed the Corps’ involvement as part of broader disaster response and community investment. “Section 202, unfortunately, came out of the 77 flood,” Putman said, adding that projects like this can yield long‑term benefits for education and local resilience.

Curtis Saleswick, project manager for Skanska, provided a construction update: stormwater piping and the main water line are installed (pending vault and main meter completion), second‑floor slab‑on‑deck is complete in classroom wings identified as areas B, C and D, masonry walls are rising around the auditorium and gym, and mechanical, electrical and plumbing rough‑ins are underway in the gym and locker‑room areas. Saleswick said the team will finish the water‑meter installation, complete steel erection in classroom wings, begin above‑ceiling ductwork and continue metal‑stud framing that will later receive brick exterior finishes. He also introduced the design/build and consultant team on site, including Branch Builds, BMDO Architects and Terra Tech.

CTE students captured drone photos and video of the campus for the presentation; Saleswick noted the CTE program’s contribution to outreach and public documentation of progress. Representatives of the federal and state delegation — including a presenter from U.S. Senator Mark Warner’s office who read a congratulatory letter and presented an American flag flown over the U.S. Capitol — praised local staff and partners for advancing the project.

Fletcher and other speakers reiterated the project goal: consolidate multiple high school functions — including a tech center and Hurley High School programming — at a new Southern Gap site to reduce operational risk and deliver expanded academic, vocational and athletic opportunities. The Corps’ technical review modified earlier protective options for some sites, leading to a recommendation of floodplain acquisition for Hurley High School and relocation of facilities to the Southern Gap site.

Next steps spelled out by the contractor include finishing the main water connection, continuing stormwater work, completing steel erection and advancing interior mechanical and electrical work; officials said the project will continue to be coordinated with local, state and federal partners as construction advances.