Preliminary figures show Anderson School District One underbudget on upcoming building projects

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Anderson School District One Superintendent Robbie Binnicker updated the District One Board on the building program during their meeting Tuesday. He said Harper Corporation is beginning work on design and development projects for Cedar Grove Elementary, Spearman Elementary, Powdersville Elementary, Powdersville Middle and Powdersville High Additions. The Cedar Grove and Spearman projects are coming in under the District One budget by $1,294,650 on Cedar Grove and $621,378 on Spearman.
Powdersville Elementary is $28,289 over the original District One budget. Powdersville Middle has some issues and is $2,262,357 over the original budget. Binnicker told the Board that the original plan called for the office and library to stay and created a new ten room addition. Harper advised that some of that plan wouldn’t work and suggested the office be moved to beside the gym facing Roe Road, and leaving the library. The old office space could be converted into classrooms and they recommended an increase to the size of the cafeteria. The changes allow a new ten room addition as planned and allow for a ten room addition when it is needed in the future.
Powdersville High addition is $1,158,355 over budget. The plan addition includes a science wing and enlarged band room.
The weight room, which was going to remain where it is, is now being moved to the athletic building, causing some of the increase in expense, Binnicker said. Those projects currently result in expense over budget of $1,532,973.

However, savings on Wren Middle and Palmetto Middle are resulting in savings of $2,081,963. At present the overall building budget for the District is $548,990 under the original projected budget.

Binnicker said Phase 1 of the two middle schools, which is the largest portion, should be completed by the end of July 2020 allowing the new buildings to be in use by the next school year. At that time, in Phase 2, some of the old buildings at both Palmetto and Wren Middle will be torn down.

Pictured above – Work on the new portion of Palmetto Middle is progressing with steel framing for the two story structure.

At Palmetto Middle, the auditorium, library, eighth grade wing and arts wing will be used next year. At Wren, the old gym and lunch room will be used next year and then torn down, he said.

District One Financial Director Travis Thomas told the Board that building projects underway include the two middle schools, secure vestibules for four schools, architectural design for upcoming projects including work at Powdersville High School which includes a new multi purpose room and press box renovations. Security updates are also being done at all schools he said. The practice field at Wren Middle has been completed along with roof work at West Pelzer elementary.
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