NOTRE DAME NEARS COMPLETION

Crews were busy installing final segments of the water line to the new Notre Dame High School Thursday.

Construction began on the water lines, which run approximately 2.25 miles along Route K, two months ago.

With the water lines finished and installation of sewer lines to the school nearing completion, the new building should be ready in plenty of time for the beginning of school Aug. 19, school officials said.

Drury Southwest was the contractor on the water-line project. Hillary Schmittzehe, chairman of the school's building committee, said the cost of the water-line project was approximately $450,000.

Cape Girardeau's share of the project came to more than $280,000 to cover valves, fire plugs and other fixtures as well as the cost of increasing the size of the water line along the route.

Easements for the project were donated by property owners, Schmittzehe said.

School officials and the city reached agreement in October for the city to provide water service to the school. In exchange, the school and several other pieces of property along the route will be annexed by the city.

There was some concern last year about getting the water line in on time when it was learned that school officials hadn't filed an application for city water service. But Schmittzehe said the problems were ironed out. He thanked city officials for their cooperation in getting the work done.

City engineer Mark Lester said the new water line still has to be pressure tested and test sampled before water service can be established. "Basically that'll be it," he said.

The City Council will have to act to accept the new water line into the city system, he said.

Construction of the water line went smoothly, said Martin Jansen of Columbia Construction, the general contractor for the high school.

The new water system includes a 14-inch main from the city limits along Route K and an 8-inch main to the James and Wanda Drury Family Trust property, with 4-inch service line running to the school itself.

New sewer lines to the school should be completely installed next week.

With water and sewer service in place, things are shaping up well for the move into the school.

"We have pretty well boxed up the materials at the old school to get ready for the move at the end of July," said Sister Mary Ann Fischer, high school principal.

The 114,000-square-foot school, built at a cost of nearly $7 million, will have 30 classrooms that can accommodate 600 students, almost double the school's current enrollment, Schmittzehe said.

The building's core facilities were built to accommodate 1,000 to 1,200 students. So far, 375 students have registered for classes this fall, Fischer said.

The extra space is welcome, she said. "It's been a delight doing the schedule, because I've had the rooms to do it," she said.

The old building was at capacity.

Jansen said the new building is just about finished. Floor tile, painting and other clean-up work still remains to be done, he said.

No decision has been made on how the old high school building will be used, Fischer said. "There are ideas afloat," she said.

School officials broke ground for the high school in June 1997. The 47-acre site was donated to the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese by the James and Wanda Drury Family Trust.