Ocracoke School Construction Plans Approved
During Hurricane Dorian on September 6, 2019, every classroom and in Ocracoke School was flooded, except for the 4 second floor classrooms of the elementary wing.
The existing 2-story elementary building will be elevated and repaired, as will the existing library. The existing gym will be waterproofed and repaired.
Everything in between – the classrooms, commons, art room, science rooms, offices, and multi-purpose room will be demolished and replaced with new construction.
Back in May, Basnight and Cahoon held an open house at Ocracoke Community Center to present preliminary plans for the new building, offering a choice between 1- or 2-story designs and seeking feedback from the community.
The new design is meant to harken back to the original school building and also incorporates a tower that echoes the Coast Guard tower as a focal point.
After feedback and consideration, Basnight and Cahoon chose the 1-story design for both aesthetic and expense/engineering reasons (e.g., a second story building needs a sprinkler system, which is a significant added cost.)
On Monday, Basnight and Cahoon again invited the community to review the updated floor plan.
"It was very well received by community [Monday]," Cahoon said. "We were able to incorporate many of the things they had asked us to do. It was a very positive meeting yesterday. [The community] liked the way the space is arranged and the building's appearance."
The new construction will be 19,000+ square feet and will connect to the elementary building on one side and the gym on the other so we'll be able to walk all the way without going outside.
Basnight noted that he and Cahoon listened carefully to the community and especially to teachers (who mostly wanted closets!) "Almost every suggestion from teachers was incorporated into the design," he said. Basnight added that there's even room for growth and expansion!
Moving forward with the project, Cahoon & Kasten will work on construction drawings (these are spec drawings with engineering – mechanical, electrical, structural – details for contractors.) They expect to put the project out to bid by late winter/early spring 2021; once a contractor is hired they expect construction to take about a year.
With any luck, we will have a new school building to use for the 2022-23 school year.
Meanwhile, demolition will begin soon. The demolition contract has already been signed (to the tune of $174,717) and includes salvaging wooden beams and columns from the 1970's-era main building.
Cahoon said that the community was interested in saving some of the old building. "We'll find a way to use the old wood in the entry hall," he said. "It will be a nice gesture to the old school and make that connection."
The elementary building and library will both be elevated in June before other construction begins, and the gym will be renovated and water-proofed (with baffles.... I don't really understand it; it might be magic.)
Moving forward with plans for Ocracoke's new school was greeted with relief and satisfaction by all.
"Shew!" said Basnight. "It's only been a year, but it's been a long year!"
