Plans for Bell's new addition were on display Thursday, October 25, at a community meeting held at Bell School. If you missed the meeting, the presentation is now available on the Public Building Commission's page for the Bell project.

Bell School is receiving an addition to the south end of the building. The project is under the direction of the Public Building Commission (PBC).  The current schedule has the project going out for bid in November 2012 and construction starting in Spring 2013 when weather permits. 

The project scope is as follows: a new addition with a cafeteria/multipurpose space, cooking kitchen, new science lab, new art classroom, new music room. The cafeteria/multipurpose room will be a taller volume space that allows for use for athletics. In the existing building, the renovation includes moving the library and nursing office into the current lunchroom; repair and refinishing of the existing gym floor; plumbing upgrades including new distribution piping and bathroom renovations; conversion of the old art room and into classrooms; renovation of the old music room; aisle and emergency lighting in auditorium; and renovation of a third floor science lab.

Project completion, including renovation of the existing building, is expected by February 2014. Once the project is complete, the new ancillary rooms will allow improved space utilization in the existing building. This includes the creation of a second art room in a classroom with a sink and an additional music room. Those moves will take place by the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year.

Here is a list of areas and when they will be complete by phase.

Spring 2013 – Start of addition work

Summer 2013 – No summer school can be held at Bell this year – new plumbing risers, bathroom renovations within the existing building, gym floor refurbishment, aisle and emergency lighting in the auditorium, renovating of music room, boiler room work, MDF/IDF connection work, some intercom work.

January 2014 – Addition opens for winter semester.

January 2014 – Renovation of existing art room, construction of library and nursing office in existing lunchroom will occur during evening hours when students are not present.

February 2014 – Renovation of existing library into a classroom and completion of construction punch list tasks.