Poplar Bluff school construction not affected by floods

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Poplar Bluff school-construction projects saw little, if any, setbacks after storms that resulted in widespread flooding across the area.

School officials said the projects still are set to be completed on schedule.

Superintendent Chris Hon said all the district's projects have moved forward well in the past six months.

"Of course we got hit with some rain here lately that kind of prevented some things we were trying to get completed over the break. We are very pleased with progress on all our projects right now; they are going to really start taking shape," Hon said.

Two parts of the $50 million of new construction in the district should be completed this spring, according to the school -- the new FEMA building at the current junior high and the baseball fields at what will be the new high school.

The $3.5 million FEMA building deadline is March 1 -- in time for tornado season.

"They are pretty much down to finish work in that building now," Hon said.

Nine classrooms are included in that project. New restroom facilities and improved handicap accessibility also will be added to that building.

"They have all the brick done and are pretty much down to the drywall in all the classrooms," Hon said.

The other project set for spring completion is the baseball fields. School officials said those will be ready for the 2016 season, set to begin in late February.

"They are putting up fencing and doing concrete work out there right now for the stands. The biggest challenge right now is getting the sod in; the rain has caused us a problem there," Hon said.

The baseball field is just one part of a $5.8 million athletic complex taking shape at what will be the new high school.

When complete in the fall, the athletic complex will feature six tennis courts, a baseball/softball field and a stadium with a track and a field for sports such as football and soccer.

The stadium itself will house bleacher seating for 2,187 spectators on the home side that includes 198 VIP seats, 16 sky boxes and 24 field boxes. The visitor side will offer an additional 859 bleacher seats.

Fred M. Morrow Stadium, the current home of the Mules, still will be used by the junior high and for practice and other events when the new athletic complex is finished.

Major construction at the current high school and 5/6 center is set for completion before Sept. 1.

At what will be Poplar Bluff Middle School, currently the high school, construction crews are working on the main portion of that structure -- a new 50,000 square-foot wing that will join the previously separated A, B and D buildings.

The future high school, currently the 5/6 center, is taking shape. Much of the outer structure is complete, and interior work will begin in the spring.

The 135,000-square-foot addition to the facility will feature a new science wing, media center and centrally located commons area.