Aug. 27, 2001 — The Turnbull administration is planning to have the burned-out music suite at Charlotte Amalie High School completed in time for the new school year.
In a release, Property and Procurement Commissioner Marc Biggs said work on the music suite, which was heavily damaged by fire in March of 2000, should be completed by the time students return to school. This Friday will be the first full day of classes.
Biggs' comment came after Education Commissioner Ruby Simmonds said on Thursday that work was expected to be completed and the room reopened shortly after school started.
"The music suite should be ready for occupancy after Labor Day," said Keith Richards, the governor’s assistant for capital improvement projects. Labor Day is next Monday.
Meanwhile, on St. Croix, work was scheduled to begin Monday on the east wing of the Elena Christian Junior High School, more than a year and a half after Hurricane Lenny damaged it in November of 1999.
Biggs said $1.4 million will be expended in Phase III of the renovations at the school. He said Phase I consisted of temporary measures to get one wing of the school ready for the 2000-01 academic year after Hurricane Lenny hit. He said Phase II defined the scope of work that had to be done to repair and rehabilitate the school properly.
"The initial estimate for the repair of Buildings D and E, including electrical, mechanical and plumbing, is approximately $2 million," Biggs said in a release Friday. "It should be noted, however, that the scope of work involves the replacement of the roof and the demolition of existing wall structures and rebuilding it with concrete blocks."
With about $1.4 million currently available for Elena Christian repairs, Biggs said he has scheduled the work to be contracted and completed in two phases. Phase III-A will include the repair and renovation of Building D, which at present is not being used. Once it's ready for use, staff and students now using Building E will move to Building D, and the renovation work will proceed to Phase III-B.
