By Tim Gardner
It has taken much longer than originally planned, but construction of the new wing and renovations to old sections of Avery County High School are nearly complete, according to Schools Superintendent Dr. Dan Brigman.
“All our students, faculty, staff, school and county officials and county citizens are elated about the new construction and renovations at Avery County High School and are eagerly awaiting completion of the project,” he said. “The school will feature some of the best facilities found on any school campus. This project has made everyone involved with the school in any capacity as proud as ever to be an Avery High Viking.”
The construction/renovations project began in 2019 and was originally planned to be finished by Spring/Summer of 2020, then the closing time was moved to late 2020 to various times in 2021 and finally to March 31, 2022. Brigman said the latter closing date should be met.
The new and renovate facilities includes utility improvements and many new classrooms and offices. All will have Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.
School and County Government officials have set a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the project’s completion for Sunday, May 1 at 2:00 p.m. at Avery High, located at 401 High School Road in Newland. School and county officials, including Board of Education members, county commissioners, Brigman, County Manager Phillip Barrier, Jr. and various other school, county government, community leaders and students will have featured roles in the ribbon cutting ceremony.
The project consists of 56,468 square-foot additions and 19,974-square-foot of renovations.
Students, faculty and other staff members have been using parts of the newly constructed and renovated sections already finished.
“Basically, it will be a totally new school in many aspects and right now, it’s just getting the remaining work finished,” Brigman noted.
Avery County High School first opened for the 1968-69 school year following the consolidation of Cranberry, Crossnore and Newland High Schools.
Brigman said finishing touches are still being done inside the school on the new constructed and renovated parts and that there is still grading, back and side parking lot paving and related work to be completed on the school’s exterior.
Boomerang Design of Charlotte, NC is the project’s architect and Branch Builds, Inc. of Roanoke, VA and Charlotte submitted the lowest bid of $17,225,279.00 for all aspects, including general work, alternates and contingencies involved in completing the construction and renovations.
Barrier, Jr. said additional costs not included in that $17,225,279.00 added up to the approximate $20-plus million project total and included various miscellaneous costs such as attorney’s fees, furniture, engineering fees, insurance and permits surveys.
The county set aside $20,296,000.00 for the project, according to Barrier, Jr.
He said that despite the project delays, the final product will be one in which the school system, all county residents and especially the high school students and staff can take pride.
Barrier, Jr. added that he is “most proud that the county financed the Avery High Construction and Renovations Project without raising taxes.”
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