Vicksburg Warren School District trustees received an update on the school district’s estimated $132 million school district-wide capital improvements project to renovate and expand school facilities.

Gary Bailey, who is managing the school renovations for project architects Dale Bailey Architects, and Jason Stewart, an architect with the firm, discussed the construction projects, including the status of roofing projects at Beechwood Elementary School and Vicksburg Junior High.

The update included artist’s renderings of the remodeled buildings and the new Academy of Innovation.

“We’ve got a lot of busy time coming up during Christmas on the two roofing projects, they’re (the contractor) going to work 24 hours a day if they can,” Stewart said.

He said contractor Thrash Commercial Contractors of Brandon, which has the contract for the remodeling and renovations to Vicksburg High School is installing the access road for the building project. Stewart said other projects will be coming up.

“You see next month on your agenda our request to advertise for bids on Warren Central High School, so we’re hoping to get that (the bids) the first of March,” he said.

Construction to begin in 2019

The Warren Central renovations and remodeling project is estimated at $26.35 million. According to a project timeline presented to the trustees in October, construction is expected to begin in early 2019 and be completed in the third quarter of 2020. The improvements to the Warren Central and Vicksburg High athletic facilities are also set to begin in early 2019.

“We’re hopefully going to ask for a special board meeting in early in January to award the turf and track project (for new turf fields and track surfaces at both high schools),” Stewart said.

Stewart and Bailey presented diagrams and floor plans to show the relocation of the dining area and administrative areas at Warren Central during the discussion.

The architects also showed an artist’s rendering on the new Academy of Innovation, which will be built near the junior high schools. Work on the estimated $15.47 million building is set to begin in early 2019.

The capital improvements are a $132 million project funded in part by an $83 million facilities bond referendum approved by voters March 27, and includes projects at each of the district’s 13 schools.