VO-TECH CENTER HALF-COMPLETE

Construction of a new regional vocational center in Cape Girardeau should be completed by next spring.

Cape Girardeau Area Career and Technology Center Director Harold Tilley said contractors are nearing the halfway point of construction on the new school under construction east of Interstate 55 and west of South Kingshighway along a gravel portion of Silver Springs Road.

The outer shell and roof of the building have been completed. Workers are now completing exterior work at the school, installing concrete block and brick, heating and cooling units and windows. Electrical work also is underway as well as completing hook-ups to the city's water system.

"Progress is going along quite nicely," said Tilley, who visited the construction site Thursday morning. "The only concern that we've had up to this point is being able to secure block and brick layers."

Kiefner Brothers Construction, the general contractor heading up the project, is about 3 percent behind schedule on the project. Tilley said the delay is not a problem and is due to a booming economy and busy construction period.

"There's so much construction going on we're competing with other construction projects," Tilley said. "Everywhere you go you seem to see signs that say "now hiring.""

The total price of the construction project is $10,938,635. In 1997, the state and school district each put up half of the $6.3 million estimated cost to finance construction of a new vocational school. Cape Girardeau's share was paid using funds from a $14 million bond issue voters approved that year.

Bids in 1999 came in about 25 percent over budget, but the final bid price was negotiated after school officials learned there was a good chance the state would pick up the amount over the estimate.

Last month, lawmakers allocated $1 million for the Cape Girardeau project. Tilley said the remaining $800,000 will be requested from the state in the next legislative session.

"Nothing is a sure bet, but we've been told that our legislators are going to do everything to support us," he said.

The building is scheduled for completion by February or March. Once completed, furniture and equipment will be moved into the building through the summer months in preparation for the buildings opening in the fall.

"That's going to be a long process," Tilley said. "What we'll try to do is those programs that are (conducted in summer) will be the last ones to make the transition down to the new building. We will cut out all self-interest classes that we normally would conduct."

The vocational center will house classes currently taught in the vo-tech school at 301 N. Clark St. The old building will be used as office and storage space.

The regional vocational school serves Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Scott City, Chaffee, Kelly, Oran and Leopold school districts.