KEARNY –
The Kearny Board of Education is “on target” with the ongoing construction project at Kearny High School.
So said Mark Bruscino, director of plant operations for the school district, last week and predicted that by year’s end, “we should be up and running” with a revamped school structure.
Bruscino briefed members of the Superintendent’s Advisory Council on the progress being made when the council last convened on March 21.
He also presented renderings of how the school should look after the improvements, including a new two-story atrium, 19 new classrooms, science and computer labs, more office space, and a new cafeteria, are completed.
After the project had clumped along since its start in 2012, the council had to be pleased to hear Bruscino report that the job was now moving at a brisk pace and, in fact, was “ahead of schedule.”
As a reflection of that pace, in February, the district bade farewell to Epic Management, the Piscataway-based firm that has served as construction advisor on the job. Bruscino said the company has been paid for its work. From now on, the district will be relying on its former interim business administrator Richard Rosenberg and himself to help guide the remainder of the task ahead, Bruscino said.
Bruscino said the general contractor, the Bennett Co. of Kearny, and several sub-contractors have completed work on new HVAC systems on the east side of the high school’s North Building.
During the Easter break, he said, workers will be undertaking what is projected as the final phase of the job on the North Building’s south side facing the breezeway connecting to the gym.
“They hope to finish as much as they can before the summer, and then, clear up whatever work remains unfinished,” he added.
Bruscino said plans call for the roof of the atrium to reach the bottom floor of the third level, so it will be two stories, abutting the cafeteria, faculty lounge and the walls of the new classroom addition.
On the average, about 25 workers are occupied with the project on any typical day, he said.
Still undetermined is when the temporary outdoor classroom trailers will be removed since they may be needed as construction moves through the high school building, Bruscino told the council.
The solar panels will stay: the school district owns that equipment which generates revenue through the sale of solar renewable energy certificates, he said.
– Ron Leir
